Squat Jump
Name: Squat Jumps.
Also known as:
Main muscles used: Legs, bum.
Other muscles used: Heart.
Top tips:
- The start of this move is exactly the same as a Bodyweight Squat, with all the same tips.
- Come up fast and jump off the floor.
- Make sure you use your hips, knees and ankles to jump off the floor.
- Land on your toes and let your ankles, knees and hips bend to absorb the impact.
- Continue straight into the next Squat without a pause.
Squat Jump
Common mistakes:
- Same mistakes as the Bodyweight Squat.
- Only using your ankles to jump off the floor (like when you are skipping a rope), and not starting from a full squat.
- Landing on the flats of your feet/heels with straight legs. This sends nasty shock waves up the spine and through the head.
- Taking too long between reps. 1 Squat Jump is followed immediately by the next.
Comments: This is an exercise in power endurance, and it is hard after just a couple of reps. The obvious prerequisite is a good, solid and automatic Bodyweight Squat. This is vital because as soon as fatigue sets in (and it will very quickly), form and technique quickly goes down the pan. Take pride in yourself and be better than the average person. Don’t let this happen.