Author:Shobhan Ojha
A Squat Jump is just what the name says, a squat with a jump. It's a bodyweight plyometric exercise. Plyometric refers to a set of exercises that enable a muscle to reach its maximum force potential in the shortest time period. It's a movement performed using quick eccentrics followed by an explosive concentric to develop quickness in the lower body.
In sports we not only rely on muscular strength and endurance but also the speed at which the movement is performed. The term used to define the relationship between the force and speed is called Power.
For example, In Basketball, the athlete needs to jump higher to be able to score a point. The Squat Jump can be used as a beginner exercise to develop vertical jump before progressing to other advanced plyometric exercises like vertical jump, high jump, long jump and. The Squat Jump can also be used as a high intensity finisher to be added to the end of your workouts.
The Squat Jump engages the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, lower back and even the abdominal muscles together at once. The exercise uses just the bodyweight to develop explosive power in the legs and can be a great tool for anyone looking to jump higher, longer and/or run faster.
How to do Squat Jumps ?
The movement begins with the athlete standing upright looking in front with the feet spaced out shoulder width apart and the knees slightly bent. The first step is to break at the hip joint and the knees simultaneously to sit down in a quarter squat position. Upon reaching full depth, the athlete should try to engage the muscles of the lower body and explosively get up while taking a jump off the floor. When the legs are fully straightened ( and the knees in full extension), the body will be a few inches above the ground. From this position, the athlete should try to descend as softly as possible by landing first on the toes, then the balls, then the arch, followed by the heel of the foot). This completes one repetition of the exercise.
The total no of repetitions performed in each set will depend upon the goal of the person training. Beginners can start with 80 to 100 foot contacts per session.
Common Mistakes
The most common mistake we see people make when they set out to perform the jump squat is not warming up properly. It's a high intensity dynamic exercise and may result in injury if the muscles are not properly warmed up. Spend some time doing brisk walking, jogging and/or a few bodyweight squats to get those quads firing.
One needs to be extra cautious of the surface at which the jump squat is being performed. Hard surfaces like tarmac or concrete will greaten the impact of the explosive force on the knee and ankle joints and the connective tissue. An indoor turf surface
is suitable for plyometrics and ground based movements. Don't rush to do the exercise often to reap its benefits more. Being a high impact, dynamic exercise it may be counter productive to do these quite often. Doing the jump squat with load without building enough strength is not recommended.
