The squat jump is a significant move in our workouts here at EVO, and a great way to prepare yourself to perform this exercise correctly is by perfecting the long jump.
Don’t jump through the instructions on how to perform it correctly and follow the steps below.
WHAT
- The long jump is a great plyometric exercise that will build the technique and confidence for more complex movements like the squat jump.
- It is a progression of the entry-level squat jump and requires additional balance and control.
- The exercise will significantly challenge your muscular endurance and aerobic capacity also.
HOW
- Find a space where you have 2-3m in front of you, and stand with feet hip-width apart. Engage the core and set the shoulders slightly, ready for movement.
- Quickly bend the knees and hips (to about a ½ squat position) and swing the arms backwards. Keep the knees over the toes throughout.
- As soon as you hit the lowest position, rapidly extend the hips and drive the arms forwards and up (about 45-degree angle) to straighten the body and jump forwards.
- Keep the core tight and remain balanced during the leap. As you land, drive the legs forwards allowing the knees and hips to bend slightly to absorb the landing.
- Repeat for reps or time.
WHY
- The long jump is a great way to add variety to your plyometric training, especially when you don’t have access to equipment, like a box. It is recommended you master the squat jump first to train the mechanics of the movement. If you are an experienced jumper, then you can use squat jumps as part of your warm-up for a workout that will include long jumps.
- Jumping is a great way to train explosive hip extension, which is seen in several sport-specific movements. Also, this exercise requires a high level of spatial awareness, balance and control – both during the air and on landing.
- Due to the horizontal distance covered in the long jump, it is difficult to ‘cycle’ this exercise. However, you can still perform them in quick succession – just turn around quickly and repeat. Just be sure to stop as soon as your technique starts to fail.
Now you have mastered the long jump. Here are some other tutorials to try.
- Single-leg balance
- Side lunge
- Tornado
- Core bag deadlift to row
- Reverse plank
- Squat hold
- Jumping lunge with arms overhead
- Jumping jacks
- Inverted jump
- Jumping lunge
- Explosive floor bridge
- Single-leg squat
- Reverse lunge
- Kettlebell clean and press
- Lateral hip foam roll
- Core bag clean
- Deep squat hip out
- Angled push-up
- Abdominal hollow
- Push-up on knees
- Kneeling hip flexor stretch
- Barbell deadlift row
- Dumbbell chest press
