Muscles worked
What the jump squat 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
Clear your space. Pick a flat, non-slip floor with room overhead and around you. A gym floor, mat or grass is kinder to your joints than bare concrete.
- 02
Find your stance. Feet about hip to shoulder width apart, toes pointing forward or slightly out, weight balanced over the middle of your feet.
- 03
Set your arms. Let your arms hang by your sides, ready to swing. If you want to take the arms out of it, cross them on your chest or put your hands on your hips.
- 04
Brace. Stand tall, take a breath and tighten your stomach as if someone is about to poke it. Keep your chest up and your eyes forward.
Step by step
How to do the jump squat
- 01
Squat down. Push your hips back and bend your knees to about parallel, swinging your arms down and back. Keep your heels down, your chest up and your knees tracking over your toes.
- 02
Turn around fast. Do not pause at the bottom. Change direction as soon as you reach your depth, so the squat and the jump feel like one movement.
- 03
Jump. Swing your arms forward and up and drive through your whole foot, straightening your hips, knees and ankles together as hard as you can.
- 04
Stay tall in the air. Leave the floor with your body straight and your toes pointed down. Do not tuck your knees or kick your feet back.
- 05
Land soft. Land in the same spot on both feet at once, through the balls of your feet and then your whole foot, with your knees bent over your toes. Make the landing quiet.
- 06
Sink into the next rep. Let the landing flow straight down into your next squat, back to about parallel, and jump again. On your last rep, land, settle into a balanced squat and stand up.
Cues to say in your head
- Hips back, chest up
- Down and straight up
- Jump through the ceiling
- Swing your arms
- Land quiet
- Knees over toes
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Knees caving in on takeoff or landing
Push your knees out so they track over your toes. If they keep caving, jump lower or practice jump and stick reps until they stay in line.
Loud, stiff landings
Land through the balls of your feet into your whole foot and bend your knees and hips to soak up the force. If you can hear it across the room, slow down.
Pausing at the bottom
Change direction as soon as you reach depth. A long pause turns each rep into a squat and then a separate hop.
Squatting much deeper than parallel
Go to about parallel. A very deep squat slows the turnaround and makes it harder to keep your back flat on every rep.
Chest dropping forward
Keep your chest up and your eyes forward on the way down and on the landing. A folded torso shifts the load onto your lower back.
Grinding out reps after the height drops
Stop the set when your jumps get lower or your landings get loud. Tired jumping reps are where form falls apart.
Stay safe
Jump on a flat, non-slip surface with clear space, wearing supportive shoes, and warm up with some easy squats and small hops first. Missing a rep here just means a lower jump, so the main risk is landing badly: if your knees cave, your landings get loud or your feet slip, stop the set. Start with fewer reps than you think you need, because repeated landings add up. Stop and get it checked if you feel sharp pain in your knees, ankles, shins or back rather than ordinary muscle fatigue.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power | 3 to 5 | 3 to 6 | 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 | 8 to 15 | 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 height, or land and hold each rep, and focus on a quiet, balanced landing.
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
Jump Squat questions
What muscles do jump squats work?
Jump squats mainly work the quads, glutes and calves, which extend your knees, hips and ankles to launch you. The hamstrings and arm swing help, and your abs and lower back keep your torso stable on the landing.
What is good squat jump form?
Squat to about parallel with your chest up and knees over your toes, jump straight up without pausing at the bottom, and land quietly in the same spot with bent knees. If your knees cave or your landings get loud, jump lower until they stay clean.
How deep should you go in a jump squat?
About parallel, with your thighs level with the floor, is the usual depth for repeated jump squats. Some coaches use a shallower dip to jump higher for single max efforts; either way, keep the depth the same on every rep.
How many sets and reps of jump squats should I do?
For power, 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 jumps with 1.5 to 3 minutes of rest is a common start. For conditioning, 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 smaller jumps works, as long as you stop before your landings get sloppy.
Are jump squats bad for your knees?
Not for most people, if you land softly with your knees tracking over your toes and build volume slowly. If jumping causes knee pain rather than muscle fatigue, cut the reps or switch to a low impact option and get it checked if it keeps happening.
Can you do jump squats with weight?
Yes, but only once bodyweight jump squats feel smooth and your landings are quiet. Light dumbbells held at your sides or a weight vest are common ways to load them; keep the load light enough that you still jump fast.
Train in Protocol
Log your jump squat 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.