Box Jumps
Box jumps involve jumping from the floor onto a box or elevated surface. They are a great way to enhance explosive power, strengthen lower body, improve vertical jump height, and generally improve athletic performance. Box jumps require significant engagement of the lower body and core, as well as coordination and concentration to perform correctly. They are a high impact plyometric exercise and often associated with HIIT style training, but this exercise can benefit lots of sport specific people too. They also require fresh legs so definitely an exercise to be performed towards the start of your workout and not the end.
- Stand in front of a platform (one short step in front of you)
- With your feet shoulder width apart, bend your knees slightly and drop down bringing your arms out behind you
- Use the momentum from your quarter squat to propel you upward as you jump onto the box, allowing your arms to swing out in front of you
- Land softly on both feet with a slight bend in the knees
- Return back to your starting position
Step Ups
Steps ups are lower impact than the box jump. This exercise is for general conditioning and sometimes one to perform on your journey to be able to do a box jump. You have the option of weighted step ups to increase the intensity. It’s an excellent exercise to build strength in the upper legs and glutes. It also improves balance, stabilisation and proprioception because you are required to control your weight as you move up and down, forward and back. Like any single leg exercise, it can reduce muscle imbalances between the two legs too. Beginners should start with a low step and build the height when the movement is perfected.
- Stand with a step or plyo box directly in front of you
- Step up with the right foot, pressing through the heel to straighten your right leg. Focus on pushing through the leg that is on the step, rather than using the leg on the floor to drive the movement. As you push up focus on squeezing your glutes and maintaining a tall spine
- Bring the left foot to meet your right foot on top of the step
- Bend your right knee and step back down with the left foot. When lowering, work against gravity to slowly lower yourself down, rather than falling
- Bring the right foot down to meet the left foot on the ground and repeat, then same on the other leg
For help with learning or perfecting either of these exercises just ask one of the gym team or book a consultation at reception!