BOX JUMP BABY STEPS

Add this plyometric move and its complementary exercises to your training regimen to reap all the benefits of a vertical leap.

- CAT PERRY

EVER WATCH A SLOW-MO VIDEO of someone doing a vertical jump onto plyo boxes? At first you’re thinking, “They can’t get all the way up there!” And then, in a full-body wave of intensity, they do. But what good is that kind of training for anyone besides basketball players? Turns out, plyo box jump training can push all the rest of your training into overdrive.

Here are tips from exercise scientists and performance coaches on how to go from a baby step to the big leagues to build strength and improve your overall conditioning with a single jump.

BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE VARIATIONS

Try these: Low box jumps with hands behind the head. This variation forces you to use a lower box because you can’t use your arms to assist with the movement. Jumping with your hands behind your head also encourages you to develop a more powerful leg drive, plus it improves your balance, both of which will assist with many other exercises.

Two-legged box jumps that begin with a step/hop are also good conditioning.

BENEFITS OF PLYOMETRIC BOX JUMPS

Plyometric movements “can increase power, reactive ability, jumping ability, and decrease injuries,” says Kim Goss, M.S., a former strength coach for the U.S. Air Force Academy. That’s exactly why the plyo box jump, executed well, is a great move to advance your training.