Exercise Library

The best first squat for jumping — the goblet squat teaches the correct pattern (upright torso, braced core) as a foundation for barbell squats and jumping

A back-squat variation with a 3-second hold at the bottom — the pause removes bounce and momentum, forcing controlled depth and strength from a dead stop

The king of strength training and an irreplaceable foundation movement for jump training

With the bar on the clavicles and front delts and elbows high, squat with a more upright torso

Pull the bar from the floor to full standing, then lower under control

Rear foot elevated on a bench, front foot forward, weight on the front leg, lower until the front thigh is parallel

From standing, with a slight knee bend, push the hips back and lower the bar along the front of the legs to mid-shin, feeling a hamstring stretch, then drive the hips forward to return

The glute max is the largest muscle in the body and the core engine of jump takeoff — the hip thrust isolates it directly

The triceps surae contributes the final push-off in jumping (about 5-10% of jump height)

A high-quality strength movement for jump training — research shows trap-bar deadlifts may transfer to CMJ better than conventional deadlifts, are friendlier to the lower back, and train the front and posterior chains evenly

Highly specific to the single-leg drive of jumping — lunges build single-leg strength and dynamic stability, directly improving single-leg takeoff

The gold standard for hamstring eccentric strength — directly improves landing cushioning and elastic energy storage

A highly specific unilateral strength movement for jumping — the step-up closely resembles the single-leg drive pattern and directly builds single-leg takeoff strength

A core unilateral posterior-chain movement — the single-leg RDL builds hamstring eccentric strength and single-leg stability while correcting left/right drive imbalances

The most neglected muscle that affects jumping — the tibialis anterior controls dorsiflexion and arch support; weakness is linked to unstable landings and shin splints

The #1 patellar-tendon health movement for jump athletes — isometric wall sits load the tendon controllably without excessive joint movement

A high-value movement combining posterior-chain eccentric and knee-flexion strength — the GHR combines hamstring knee flexion, hip extension and trunk stability, closer than regular leg curls to the jump-landing-then-redrive demand

Pull the bar explosively from the floor to the front shoulders (caught in a quarter squat)

Starting from mid-thigh (hang position), skip the first pull from the floor and perform the second and third pulls directly

From the hang position, perform triple extension plus a maximal shrug; the feet may leave the ground (jump), but the arms don't pull — the bar rises only from lower-body explosion

Keeps the most critical second pull and triple-extension explosion of the clean while removing the catch

The power version of the snatch, receiving the bar overhead at very high speed

A friendlier single-arm version of the snatch pattern, with low equipment demands and the ability to expose left/right power differences

A classic hip-hinge explosive movement — the kettlebell swing trains hip-extension speed and posterior-chain elasticity with a low technical barrier, suitable when equipment is limited or Olympic-lift derivatives aren't possible

Maximal-effort pull against a fixed bar in the second-pull position

The first-choice entry to plyometrics — the box jump teaches fast force production and coordinated landing, a cornerstone of jump training

The preparatory exercise for depth jumps — the depth drop teaches safe, efficient absorption of landing impact (eccentric strength), laying the safety foundation for explosive rebounds

The safety prerequisite for every single-leg jump — step off a low box or hop forward, land on one leg, and stick the landing for 2 seconds

A transition between depth drops and depth jumps — step off a low box, absorb the landing, then quickly rebound from a shallow squat, training the absorb-to-redrive transition

The gold-standard jump exercise — the depth jump maximizes SSC (stretch-shortening cycle) use, directly raising reactive strength and jump height

The single-leg version of the depth jump — step off a low box (10-20cm), land on one leg and immediately jump as high as possible

An advanced depth-jump variation — trains vertical-to-horizontal power conversion, highly transferable to game situations like rebounding then pushing the fast break

Converts landing reactivity into horizontal acceleration — suited to game situations like rebounding then fast-breaking, or defending then exploding

The most natural horizontal power test — it directly reflects lower-body drive and correlates highly with vertical jump height

A classic jump exercise — tuck jumps train fast repeated takeoffs and airborne body control, transferring directly to game jumps in basketball/volleyball

Take off on one leg, leap as far and high as possible, land on the same leg and immediately bound again

The two-foot entry of the ankle-elasticity family — pogo jumps train Achilles stiffness and elastic-energy utilization

A great tool for continuous power and jump rhythm — hurdle hops are more dynamic than box jumps and directly strengthen SSC efficiency

Fills the blind spot of jump training — lateral bounds develop frontal-plane power, overall lower-limb function and hip stability, preventing common jump injuries

The best pure-concentric power exercise — the seated box jump removes the countermovement and starts from rest, closest to the SJ (squat jump) test pattern

The most direct vertical-power entry — explode from a shallow squat, then reorganize your posture after landing

The pure-concentric jump test and training movement — hold a 90° squat for 2 seconds, then explode upward with no countermovement

The standard vertical jump — from standing, dip into a quick countermovement and immediately jump as high as possible with a full arm swing

Loaded speed-strength training — with a light barbell, convert the squat pattern into maximal takeoff speed

Highly specific single-leg jump training — trains single-leg takeoff, stable box landings and left/right power differences; suits basketball layups, volleyball approach jumps and more

A more spine-friendly loaded vertical jump — the trap bar places load at the sides with a natural path, ideal for training RFD and takeoff speed in the conversion phase

The single-leg, higher-frequency tier of the ankle-elasticity family — small, high-frequency hops on one leg improve Achilles elastic use and force transfer at the end of takeoff

Uses a band to create concentric end-range acceleration, strengthening the second half of takeoff

Converts a single-leg strength movement into a single-leg explosive one, suited to athletes with clear left/right differences or those needing single-foot takeoffs

Explode from a lunge, switch legs in the air — trains alternating single-leg drive, hip-knee control and continuous jump rhythm

The classic lateral power and single-leg landing stability movement — hop side to side like a skating stride, covering the frontal-plane abilities that vertical-only jump training often neglects

The classic horizontal acceleration drill — bound forward alternating legs with a long, springy stride, landing on one leg and immediately pushing into the next bound

During jumping the core must stay stable to transfer lower-body force efficiently — the Pallof press trains anti-rotation to prevent energy leaks

Protects the lower back from excessive extension during jumping — the dead bug builds core stiffness so strength training stays safe

Whole-body stiffness core training — the rollout trains anti-extension and shoulder stability so lower-body force transfers without loss

Directly strengthens the active knee-drive of jumping — hanging leg raises build the lower abs and hip flexors for a tighter, more efficient airborne position

Ensures symmetrical force transfer during jumps — the side plank trains anti-lateral-flexion to prevent energy leaks from torso tilting

The best pre-training posterior-chain activation — the bird dog builds anti-rotation and spinal stability, protecting the lower back during jump training

The most practical core movement for sport — unilateral loaded carries train anti-lateral-flexion, simulating the core demand of body contact and sudden stops

Lie side-on with the top leg on a bench and the bottom leg suspended; lift the body into a straight line using the core and adductors

Integrates the core-plus-limb coordination of jumping — the sprinter sit-up simulates the synchronized upper/lower-body force pattern of jumping

Turns static anti-rotation into dynamic anti-rotation — press the band out, then walk sideways, training the ability to keep the torso from being pulled off-line during jumps, cuts and contact

Trains rotational core power and lower-to-upper force transfer

Pull-ups with added weight around the waist

Mimics the jump arm-swing pattern — overhead med-ball throws train upper-body power and whole-body coordination; the upward arm action matches the jump swing exactly

Identical to the jump force chain — the push press trains the lower→core→upper explosive transfer and the end-range power of the arm swing

The best pre-training shoulder activation — a strong upper back and cuff directly improve arm-swing power and add jump height

Complements the arm swing — slams train coordinated lats-and-core explosiveness, strengthening the arm's extension-to-flexion power pattern

A lower-to-upper force-transfer drill — the chest pass turns hip drive into arm speed, teaching the same leg-to-core-to-arm chain that powers the jump arm swing

The twin of the jump force pattern — 30m sprints train rapid motor-unit recruitment (RFD), matching the takeoff drive

Make your feet faster and more precise — ladder drills improve neuromuscular efficiency, directly enhancing takeoff-point precision (like the penultimate step before a dunk)

The ideal bridge between strength and speed — resisted sprints raise drive force without adding joint load, directly improving approach-jump acceleration

A core warm-up and running-form movement — A-skips build hip-flexor strength and cadence, directly helping the active knee drive of jumping

The foundation for sprint-acceleration posture — wall drills train the forward lean of the first sprint steps, which supports approach-jump speed

The key to a powerful approach jump — the second-to-last step (penultimate step) is longer and lower, setting the body up to convert horizontal speed into vertical takeoff, while the last (plant) step is short and quick

The gold standard for horizontal power — the sled push's force angle and muscle involvement match the drive phase of an approach jump, with zero technical barrier and high safety

A key limiter of takeoff depth — every 1cm of ankle dorsiflexion means a deeper takeoff angle, longer force application and higher jumps

Unlock hip-extension potential — limited hip extension is associated with reduced takeoff drive, and hip-flexor stretching can help restore it

Unlock arm-swing potential — thoracic rotation directly affects swing amplitude and jump efficiency (the thoracic spine should contribute ~35-40° of rotation)

Targets a key jumping muscle — the couch stretch focuses on the rectus femoris (the biarticular muscle that flexes the hip and extends the knee in jumping); tightness significantly lowers drive efficiency

Protects the force line of jumping — pigeon pose relaxes deep hip external rotators, preventing pelvic rotation that leaks force and destabilizes landings

A dynamic drill simulating the takeoff position — the hip airplane challenges full-plane hip mobility on one leg, directly improving joint freedom at takeoff

Trains hip abduction, adductor length and unilateral lower-limb control simultaneously

The pre-training ankle activator — alphabet drills cover every ankle movement direction, warming up for the complex ankle actions of jumping

Essential quad recovery after jump training — foam rolling relieves the most loaded muscle group, preventing patellar overload and muscle stiffness

A lifesaver for jumpers with limited dorsiflexion — banded distraction restores joint space and mobility, directly improving takeoff depth

The foundation for preventing the #1 jump injury (ankle sprain) — single-leg balance rebuilds proprioception and ankle stability, the safety prerequisite for all single-leg jumps

Dynamic balance closer to real landings than single-leg standing

Protect the 'spring' of jumping — calf foam rolling prevents Achilles tendinopathy and plantar fasciitis while maintaining tendon elasticity

Professional recovery after high-intensity jump sessions — contrast baths boost circulation and metabolic-waste clearance, speeding lower-limb recovery

A must before jump training — the banded glute bridge activates 'sleepy' glutes, preventing over-reliance on quads and the lower back

Alternate leg raises at the top of a bridge or hip thrust, training pelvic stability in hip-extension positions

Protects the knees during jump landings — banded lateral walks activate the glute med, preventing landing knee valgus (a primary ACL injury mechanism)

The #1 Achilles-health insurance for jumpers — eccentric heel drops (Alfredson Protocol) are the gold standard for Achilles rehab; the eccentric load stimulates tendon repair

The low-intensity endurance tier of the ankle-elasticity family — a low-barrier way to build ankle elasticity and calf tolerance