Box jumps are an awesome exercise that can help you to build strength and size. Jumps are a great addition to training, no matter what your goal, and they can help you get toned too!
To do box jumps at home you could buy yourself a gym style box (check out our reviews of the best adjustable plyo box), however they can cost in excess of $100. Instead, why not get creative? You could make your own box jump using only plywood, screws and wood glue. By building your own box, you can decide exactly what size and height you want it to be, and they are far more affordable too. For instructions on how to create your box, have a browse on the internet as there are hundreds of videos and easy to follow instructions that will help you to build your own box jump in less than 30 minutes! Or, if that doesn’t appeal, then why not jump up stairs or onto small walls, or even why not try heading to your local park with a friend and jump up on benches or old tree stumps. The possibilities are endless!
How to do a Box Jump
- Stand a comfortable distance from the box
- Ensure your feet are shoulder-width apart and your knees are soft
- When you are ready to jump, drop quickly into a half squat
- Then, thrust and extend your hips up and swing your arms forward
- The final part involves pushing your feet into the floor in order propel yourself up and onto the box
- Jump or step down
How to Adjust this Exercise
To reduce the intensity of a box jump for newbie’s to the box, you can either reduce the height of the box, or just step up onto the box, and then jump down- ensuring you land with soft knees. To make your box jump harder you can either increase the size of the box- but don’t get too high and lose your technique, or you could add weights into the exercise, or even do a series of box jumps in a row!
Plyometric exercises, like box jumps, are an excellent way to build strength, explosive power and speed. In order to get the most from your box jumps, you should aim to do them the right way!
Technique Tips:
When jumping keep your abs tight in order to prevent your back from arching to prevent pain or injury, and keep your eyes and chest up in order to help you jump up on the box. Remember that there is no need to jump up on extremely high boxes, often times when you see people jumping that high it is as a result of great hip flexibility rather than good explosive power. Using smaller boxes is just as, if not more effective in terms of building power- as long as you focus on your technique. Finally, it is important to remember that with box jumps, quality is far more important than quantity. By focusing on getting a full hip extension, using your arms to thrust you upwards, and landing softly (making sure to land on bent knees in order to absorb the shock), you will gain awesome strength and power in no time.
