Exercise
SQUAT JUMP
Form cues
About
The squat jump is a foundational plyometric exercise that develops lower body explosive power by combining a bodyweight squat with a maximal vertical jump. It trains the stretch-shortening cycle of the quadriceps, glutes, and calves and improves athletic performance.
Instructions
Step-by-step technique
Stand with feet hip-width apart and toes slightly turned out. Keep your chest up and core braced throughout the exercise.
Initiate the squat jump by quickly descending into a quarter-to-half squat, swinging your arms backward as you lower. This downswing loads the muscles elastically — do not pause at the bottom.
Immediately reverse direction, exploding upward with maximum force. Extend your hips, knees, and ankles fully (triple extension) as you leave the ground. Swing your arms forward and upward to assist the jump height.
At the peak of the jump, your body should be fully extended. Land by absorbing the impact in reverse: toe first, then mid-foot, then heel, while simultaneously bending your knees and hips to cushion the landing. Never land with stiff, straight legs.
Absorb the landing fully, reset your position, and either hold the landing for 2 seconds (power focus) or immediately jump again (conditioning focus). Perform 3–5 sets of 8–15 reps. Prioritise landing quality before increasing volume.
Common mistakes
What goes wrong — and why
Landing stiff-legged
Landing with straight knees transfers the impact directly to the joints and is a common injury mechanism.
Land with knees bent — aim to land in the same quarter-squat position you jumped from. Think "quiet landing" as your technique cue.
Knees caving inward on landing
Valgus collapse on landing is a major knee injury risk, particularly for athletes who lack hip abductor strength.
Land with knees tracking directly over the second toe. If valgus occurs, reduce jump height or work on bodyweight squats with focus on knee alignment before adding plyometric loading.
Not reaching full extension in the air
A partial jump that does not fully extend the hips, knees, and ankles underloads the stretch-shortening cycle and limits power development.
Jump as high as possible on every rep with complete triple extension. Quality maximal jumps beat half-hearted ones every time for power development.
Variations · Progressions · Regressions
Adaptations for every level
Box Step-up
Build unilateral leg strength and movement confidence before adding the plyometric landing demand of the squat jump.
Broad Jump
Jump horizontally for distance instead of vertically to train horizontal power production and a different landing pattern.
Weighted Squat Jump
Hold a light dumbbell in each hand or wear a weighted vest to increase the resistance and power demand of each jump.