The ultimate jump squat guide: Build strength, speed, and endurance

You can boost your explosive jumping power and engage your fast-twitch muscle fibers with jump squats. This strength and conditioning plyometric move is worthy of any high-intensity interval training circuit to get your heart pumping and your muscles moving. It’s best to perform them near the beginning of your training session after completing a dynamic warm-up.

Runners are doing jump squats to improve their running abilities. Fine-tuning your technique lowers your risk of injury and ensures you get the best possible results from this effective exercise. Read on for your complete guide to jump squats.

What are jump squats?

Jump squats are a high-impact bodyweight exercise that burns calories and increases your heart rate and cardiovascular fitness. Jump squats turn the classic strength training move, the squat, into a plyometric exercise. Instead of rising up out of the squat, you burst up into a jump with your feet up off the floor. The goal is to jump as high as possible. 

What muscles are targeted during jump squats?

Squat jumps are a compound movement because they target multiple joints, including your knees, hips, and ankles. Your quadricep muscles on the front of your thighs extend your knee joints as you jump up. 

You’ll engage multiple muscle groups, including your:

• Quads
• Hamstrings
• Stabilizer muscles in your legs and hips
• Abdominals
• Transverse abdominis
• Core muscles
• Glutes
• Hip flexors
• Erector spinae
• Lower back muscles
• Calves
• Muscles in your ankles and feet

Why should you add jump squats to your training schedule?

The following are some of the many benefits of including jump squats in your training schedule:

• Increased your heart rate and cardiovascular fitness
• Burns calories
• Targets your legs, core, and glutes
• Adds variety to your aerobic or cardio workouts
• Bolsters your fitness, functional movement, and lower body power
• Builds muscle strength and endurance
• Improves your balance and coordination
• Develops your explosive jumping power using only your own body weight
• Versatile move to do at home without needing a gym membership or equipment
• Combines the strength-building benefits of traditional squats with the cardiovascular intensity of jumps
• Improves your ability to excel in sports and activities that require a lot of sprinting, such as soccer, track, baseball, and football

Does a jump squat help your running performance?

A study published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine concluded that jump squats can help you get stronger, run faster, and jump higher. The jump squat is a demanding move because you have to land back on the ground, but it boosts the power in your lower body and legs, which can help you run at a faster pace.

How to do a jump squat

Here’s how to do a jump squat:

1. Drop down into the basic squat position.
2. Engage your core and keep your torso upright.
3. On your way back up, press through your heels and explode through your toes into a jump.
4. Jump up high and land softly before immediately dropping yourself back down into the squat position.
5. Repeat until you complete the set.

Avoid these common mistakes

Avoid these common mistakes to master the jump squat:

• Doing drills on a concrete surface; instead, use a softer, flat landing surface until you feel more comfortable
• Overdoing it, which can cause excessive impact on your joints
• Rounding your back
• Overstressing your knees, as your knees shouldn’t pass your toes as you squat down
• Caving your knees inward
• Locking your knees
• Not engaging your core

Top tips

The following are top tips for safety and maximum results:

• Sit your glutes back as you descend to activate your gluteal muscles.
• Make sure you warm up with some cardio before going right into those jump squats, such as jogging, jump roping, or brisk walking.
• Keep your shoulders back, your chest open, and your back straight throughout the movement.
• Shoot for a soft landing to minimize any stress on your joints.
• Keep your head and neck in a neutral position.
• Align your hips, knees, and ankles as you get ready to jump.
• Jump with both feet at the same time.
• Use your entire foot to jump rather than shifting your weight more onto your toes.
• Prioritize proper form over speed or how high you can jump.
• Give yourself 48 hours before performing more jump squats to allow your muscles time to rest and recover.
• Make sure the area where you’re jumping is clutter free, and you have the necessary space to move and jump.
• Wear the right shoes for extra padding, comfort, and support.

FAQs

How many jumping squats should you do in a day?

You can start with 3 or 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps of jump squats, and make sure you’re paying attention to your form. How many jump squats you do in a day depends on your fitness level and goals.

Who should avoid jump squats? 

If you have an injury to your knees, ankles, hips, back, or neck, jump squats might not be suitable for you. It’s best to consult with your doctor, healthcare provider, or physical therapist if you’re unsure whether you should perform jump squats. Jump squats are a high-impact activity that can lead to an injury if you’re someone who hasn’t been working out regularly.

Modifications and variations

If you’re new to this exercise, start with smaller, lower-intensity jumps and work on improving your squatting technique. Once you’ve conquered the original jump squat, you can up the challenge with these variations:

• The jump squat knee tuck — Once you’ve nailed the jump squat, you can try the more advanced variation and tuck your knees up to your chest while you’re in the air at the height of your jump. 
• Use a step — Jump up onto a step or low bench about 6 inches tall or less.
• Multidirectional jump squats — Lower into a squat, and as you jump up, rotate your body to face a different direction.
• Weighted jump squat — Add weights by wearing a weighted vest or holding a dumbbell or kettlebell with your arms extended out in front of your body.