Box Jumps
Jump On Something New: Box Jumps 101
Fitness lovers, athletes, powerlifters and bodybuilders are always looking for new ways to improve their performance and always reach new goals.
Many say that 80% of success is simply showing up at the gym, even if this is true, that 80% decreases over time. For example, doing some exercises and increasing the loads as you go will certainly improve your performance such as progressing more and more on the bench press.
But after a while, what if you want to get even better, faster, or stall? What to do if your goal is to become more powerful and faster? In this case it is necessary insert complementary exercises in your training program, which will improve your performance. Today we will focus on box jumps.
What are?
Before explaining what box jumps are, it is important to note that they are considered a plyometric exercise, and this means that to perform this movement, you need to exert strength by jumping and this will increase speed and strength. These are functional exercises that train your body to react quickly and powerfully, and therefore they are very important to achieve better athleticism.
The box jump is nothing more than the simple movement of standing, and then jump forward on an obstacle, usually a wooden bench or box of different heights. While this exercise is easy to perform, each individual has their own limitations, mental or physical, which may prevent proper execution.
Jumping very high can be scary and can lead to injuries, therefore take precautions and following the content of this article will offer you long-term benefits. Also, box jumps can be done in different ways and in different variations, which we'll talk about later. By using different variations, you can achieve different results and discover all the benefits of box jumps.
Benefits
The box jumps are suitable for anyone who wants improve their athletic performance, to have more explosive movements, build strength and have that sense of learning to fly. By standing and jumping to the sky, you train your body to be fast and agile, and this is extremely important for the sport.
For example in football these qualities are noticed by an attacker who unmarks several defenders. In basket we can see incredible jumps, necessary to make the basket. Being fast, powerful and quick are necessary qualities for the best athletes, and box jumps are indispensable to achieve these goals.
For those who practice weightlifting, they they will improve the strength of the abdomen, leg and hip flexibility, benefiting from exercises such as squats and deadlifts. If your sport is weight lifting and you want to improve your overall strength, you should definitely implement this exercise in your training program. Here are the benefits:
# 1 Speed
# 2 General Force
# 3 Athleticity
# 4 Abdomen
# 5 Power and Explosiveness
# 6 Functionality
How to do them?
Equip yourself with a box high enough that you can jump on. Check if the height is right for you performing a vertical jump to see if you exceed its height.
Position yourself about 30-60 cm dal box and place your feet shoulder-width apart.
Keeping your back straight and looking forward, flex your legs like this perform a semi-squat. Jump explosively and straighten your legs during the movement. Your hands should move up and forward with your body as you bring your knees closer to your chest.
Land with your feet always apart and making them touch the box at the same time. Hold this position for a second and then stand up on the box. Make sure you land smoothly on the box.
variants
# 1 Distance from the box: Increasing the distance from the box will create new challenges and improve your skills.
# 2 Height of the box: boxes of different heights, will test your limits and offer you new ways to check your performance. If you want to test your limits without using higher boxes, you can benefit from a weighted vest.
# 3 One-legged box jump: It is also possible to perform jumps with only one leg. It is very difficult but offers several benefits in terms of speed and strength of the abdomen. Start by simply lifting one foot off the ground and jumping onto the box with one leg. Then try the other leg as well.
# 4 Seated Box Jump: Sit on a dumbbell or something lower than the box you are jumping on. The position will be similar to that of the squat. Once seated, follow the same directions as described above and jump onto the box.
Common mistakes
# 1 Don't take a break: Once you have jumped onto the box, it is important to take a short one-second pause with your peigated legs. This is because flexing the legs softens the impact. After performing the jump, land softly on the box in this semi-squat position, pause, and then return to your feet. This will be necessary to prevent knee problems and pain.
# 2 Being Frankenstein: Many try to increase the height of the box by stacking several plates and creating an unsafe surface. We know that it is difficult to find a high box to jump on, but be careful with the method you use to increase the height. Falling can cause serious injury. A stable surface to land on is imperative, so be careful.
# 3 Spread your legs out: When jumping onto the box, it is important to make an explosive movement and straighten your legs from the semi-squat position until you reach the top of the box. Flexibility in the hips is very important at this juncture and will allow you to increase the explosiveness of this upward movement.
A Message to Remember
The box jump is a very useful exercise to introduce into your workouts. Thanks to its benefits, it is important to use this extraordinary functional movement to your advantage. Be cautious, watch out for execution and you will see results. Have fun and take it seriously, but above all, don't miss the box.
