Muscles worked
What the broad jump trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Find clear, grippy ground. Use a flat, non-slip surface such as turf, a rubber gym floor or a track, with several feet of open space in front of you.
- 02
Mark a start line. Put a strip of tape or a line on the floor and stand with your toes just behind it, so you can see and measure each jump.
- 03
Find your stance. Feet about hip width apart, toes pointing forward, weight balanced over the middle of your feet.
- 04
Arms ready. Start standing tall with your arms relaxed by your sides or raised in front of you, ready to swing back.
Step by step
How to do the broad jump
- 01
Load. Swing your arms back as you push your hips back and bend your knees into a quick quarter squat. Keep your chest up and your back flat.
- 02
Jump out and up. Without pausing at the bottom, swing your arms forward and up and drive through your whole foot, straightening your hips, knees and ankles together. Aim forward and up, not flat along the floor.
- 03
Bring your feet through. Once you are in the air, pull your knees forward and reach your feet out in front of you so they land ahead of your hips.
- 04
Land soft. Land on both feet at the same time, hip width apart, with your hips back and knees bent over your toes in a quarter squat. Let your arms come forward for balance.
- 05
Stick it. Hold the landing for a second without stepping forward, falling back or putting a hand down. Then stand up tall.
- 06
Reset. Walk back to the start line and reset your feet and stance before the next jump.
Cues to say in your head
- Swing and jump
- Out and up
- Push the floor away
- Feet out front
- Land quiet
- Stick the landing
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Jumping too flat
Think out and up. A low, skimming takeoff cuts your flight time short, so drive your arms and chest up as well as forward.
Knees caving in on the landing
Land with knees tracking over your toes and push them gently out. Shorten the jump until you can hold that position every rep.
Falling forward or stepping out
Reach your feet out ahead of your hips and sit your hips back as you land. If you still stumble, jump a little shorter and own the landing first.
Stiff legged, loud landings
Land with your hips and knees bent so they soak up the impact. If it sounds like a slam, ease off the effort until it is quiet.
No arm swing
Swing your arms back on the dip and forward and up on the jump. The swing adds distance and keeps the movement in rhythm.
Rushing reps when tired
Reset fully at the line between jumps and stop the set once your jumps get shorter or your landings get sloppy.
Stay safe
Broad jumps are about clean landings, so jump on a flat, non-slip surface with plenty of open space and nothing to trip over. Build up distance gradually, and if you cannot stick the landing, jump shorter rather than falling forward or catching yourself on your hands. Do them early in a session while you are fresh, and stop the set when your landings get loud or unsteady. Stop if you feel sharp pain in your knees, ankles, Achilles tendon or back, and talk to a qualified coach or clinician if landing pain keeps coming back.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power | 3 to 5 | 3 to 5 | 50–65% 1RM | 1.5 to 3 min |
| Technique | 3 to 4 | 3 to 5 | 40–50% 1RM | 1 to 2 min |
| Conditioning | 3 to 4 | 6 to 8 | 30–45% 1RM | 1 to 2 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Technique sets
86–108lb
3 to 4 sets of 3 to 5 reps, 1 to 2 min rest. Jump at moderate effort and focus on sticking a quiet, balanced landing in a quarter squat.
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Broad Jump questions
What muscles does the broad jump work?
The broad jump mainly works the quads, glutes and calves, which extend your knees, hips and ankles to launch you forward. The hamstrings and arm swing help, and your abs and lower back keep your torso stable on the landing.
What is the best standing long jump technique?
Swing your arms back as you dip into a quarter squat, then swing them forward and up as you drive off both feet, aiming out and up rather than flat. In the air, bring your feet forward, then land on both feet with your hips back and stick the landing.
How is broad jump distance measured?
Distance is usually measured from the start line to the back of the heel that lands closest to it. If you fall back or put a hand down, the mark is taken from wherever your body touched closest to the line, so a stuck landing counts for more.
What is a good broad jump distance?
It varies a lot with height, age, sex and training, so the most useful comparison is your own previous best, measured the same way each time. A clean, stuck landing matters more than the number, because a jump you fall out of measures shorter.
How many sets and reps of broad jumps should I do?
For power, 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 5 jumps with 1.5 to 3 minutes of rest is a common start. Quality matters more than volume, so stop when your jumps get shorter or your landings get loud.
Are broad jumps good for beginners?
Yes, if you start with moderate jumps and focus on sticking each landing. If you cannot yet land quietly in a stable squat, practice short jump and stick drills before going for distance.
Train in Protocol
Log your broad jump by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.