While you may want to get big, strong, and muscular, you could add a jump to your workout to take your physique and performance to the next level. Power is just as important as building strength, helping to develop a strong, toned, and muscular physique. Adding more power to your workout sessions means that you will be able to lift even more weight, which leads to even more results. And you can significantly boost the power output when you jump.
- Generally, a lot of people significantly underestimate the benefits of building power. That’s a huge mistake because it is a crucial element when it comes to smashing your workouts, and therefore, reaching your goals even faster.
So, how do you build power? You can easily do that by adding a jump to your workout. Doing so would significantly help build core and leg muscle, build power, and burn a lot of fat. If you start to jump, you will actually experience numerous other benefits. Let’s check what a jump can do to improve your physique and performance, and how to do it right.
How to Do the Box Jump Correctly?
Much like lifting weights, nailing the box jump takes practice and skills and you also need to start off slow. You definitely do not need to jump to the highest right away. Besides the fact that you may not do it correctly, you also risk injury. Start slowly and practice it. Generally, any professional would agree that mastering the box jump is about being agile and light on your feet.
I would recommend asking for professional help in an area near you. A coach or trainer who can check you out doing it will be the best idea as they can help with the form and technique, including reps, sets, variations, and so on. Anyway, let’s check how to do the box jump:
First step: start your takeoff position correctly and strong
You first need to find a box and stand facing it about six inches away. Keep your feet hip-width apart, having your ankles, knees, and hips stacked above one another. The takeoff position should be strong and correct. Start swinging those arms to give you the momentum to jump.
Second step: load the hips and jump
As you keep your feet planted, with your ankles, knees, and hips stacked, ready to do the jump, swing the arms towards your heels and drive your hips back. Swinging is helpful because it loads up your hamstrings and glutes very nicely. As soon as you feel that stretch, you should extend your ankles, knees, and hips as you’re throwing your arms up to jump on the box. This will increase the momentum, providing a more powerful jump.
Third step: land smoothly
The way you land is one of the most important things when it comes to box jumps. Landing will determine the way your legs absorb your own body weight and the force of the jump. This is crucial to stay on top of the game and avoid injuries! You need to ensure you keep your ankles, knees, and hips flexed to take that force. You are basically landing in a squat position and from that position you just stand up smoothly.
Conquer Box Jump Sets and Reps
Box jumps might seem pretty straightforward – you just grab a box and jump onto it, yeah? Well, not actually. There is definitely more in between as long as you want to build that power, avoid injuries, and make sure you stay on top of the game. Similar to lifting weights, you need to start slowly and learn how to do it correctly. Moreover, you need to learn how the box jump can maximize your training session. It depends on what exactly you’re trying to achieve:
- Technique – relatively low box performing 3-4 sets of 3-5 reps. Rest for about 2 minutes.
- Endurance – about the same box height or slightly higher with 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps. Rest for 60 to 90 seconds.
- Power – higher box than you use for endurance with 3-5 sets and 1-3 reps. Rest for 2-3 minutes.
Mistakes to Avoid During Box Jump
Considering that it is a pretty common and straightforward move, many people assume they can nail it without any issues. So they just get into doing box jumps. While you can do it without much preparation, you need to ensure you have the correct form. The correct form during box jumping will help you avoid injuries and get the most out of it. Some common mistakes that many people tend to do are:
Landing too hard
As earlier said, landing is an extremely important part of the box jump. When you land correctly, your body can properly absorb the shock of your body weight, avoiding the risk of injuries and long-term issues such as damaging joint health or others. However, a lot of people are “landing too hard” which means they put the force all on their feet, as an example. As you land, you need to allow your knees to bend generously. It is also crucial to allow your ankles and hips to flex as you’re landing. This way, you avoid your feet from taking all the force, which is a big mistake. As long as you feel a real sudden shock going into your entire body, which starts at your feet, then chances are high you’re landing incorrectly (too hard).
Incorrect box size
Many people assume that the bigger the better. But similar to weight lifting, heavier weights are not always better. The same is true here – bigger is not always better. Even if you can hop onto a huge 40 inch box, it doesn’t mean that you necessarily should. If you train for power you do need to work with a higher box than when you train for endurance, that’s true. However, beginners should train for technique first with shorter boxes. Then, if you do have experience, do not be afraid to increase the box size.
Doing too many sets/reps
You should avoid doing too many box jumps because that can be detrimental. Considering there are no weights involved, it can be tempting to do a lot of box jumps in your workout sessions. However, you should avoid it, otherwise, it can lead to injuries. Moreover, you may not feel it, but you may feel it over time – you are putting your joint health at risk. So, pay attention to your form, and intention (power or endurance) and avoid overdoing it. Keep your volume relatively low. Have no more than about 20 reps per set, and about 60 reps in total at the higher end of your workload! This is the reason why box jumping usually is a part of a workout and not the entire workout.
Different Box Jump Variations
You can add a bit of variety to your workouts when it comes to box jumps. There are different variations that you may check after you master the standard box jump.
Seated box jump
This type is designed to increase the concentric power output. You start from a seated position and then explode into the box jump. It is not as easy as it may seem, that’s why you first need to perfect the standard box jump.
One step box jump
The one step box jump is the next level when it comes to increasing jumping ability. That’s why it is most helpful for people who need to improve their jumping abilities for particular sports. As soon as you master the regular box jump, the next step would be to level up with the box jump abilities with this one step box jump. Taking a step before the jump will help you gain momentum, which helps increase the jump height.
Single leg box jump
This is a variation that you shouldn’t try as a beginner because it requires a lot of balance. But considering that it works so much on your balance, it is an awesome exercise for those who need to improve balance (then again, can be super helpful for those requiring it for sport-specific reasons). You will need to start off small, of course. Considering it is a single leg box jump, start with a very low box. This box jump variation will help increase unilateral strength, power, and balance!
Muscles that work during box jumping
Almost the entire lower part of your body works during box jumping. In fact, even your arms are slightly working during the box jump when you swing them to gain momentum. Overall, the box jump works way more muscle than you may think. While they may not be the best for muscle hypertrophy and strength, they will definitely increase your lower body’s power output. The muscles they work involve:
- Calves
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
- Quadriceps
- Pelvic muscles
- Lower back
- Abdominal muscles
The Benefits of Box Jump
Besides increasing your lower body’s explosiveness and power (which is extremely important for various types of sports, including boxing), there is way more than a box jump can offer. That includes:
Increases rate of force production
You can increase the force production in several different methods such as building strong legs with squats, deadlifts, or other leg exercises. Generally, building stronger legs will help. Box jumps will increase athletic potential, increasing lower body explosiveness which will provide a positive impact on other forms of jumping and other forms of resistance training such as squatting, deadlifting, spriting, running, weightlifting, and so on.
Improves proprioception
Proprioception is the ability to control the body in space without even seeing your limbs. It may sound easy, but it’s actually not. This requires agility, physical awareness, and finesse, all of which you can build with the help of a box jump. The box jump added to your workout will establish better body awareness, balance, and control.
Powerful hip and knee extension
You will work your abs, lower back, pelvis, and hip muscles as you need to get from the floor to the box. Your hips and knees will need to extend forcefully when pushing the body’s mass. They will all significantly improve during the box jump, which will improve their power and strength.
Improve Your Physique and Performance With A Box Jump and With Cycle Gear
So, this is it – a box jump that can improve your physique and performance enhancement. You can always incorporate the box jump into your workout sessions and it will definitely take it all to the next level. As long as you want to level up your power, the box jump can be perfect, especially considering that you can do it both at the gym and even at home (if you have something stable enough).
However, if you’re serious about improving your physique and/or performance, check out Cycle-Gear.to! You can Cycle the Gear and make sure you’ll significantly improve your results. Whether you’re trying to bulk, cut, or break through plateaus – Cycle Gear is for you! We offer the best quality compounds for the best prices on the market. Save money and get big and shredded in no time!
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