Squat jumps are a great exercise that features explosive jumps, which improve power, agility, speed, sprint performance and one’s vertical jump.
A jump squat is a plyometric move, which makes it a powerful exercise that requires exerting your muscles to their maximum by using just your bodyweight. The squat jump targets the quads, hips, glutes, hamstrings and calves but it also increases your heart rate, so they could be performed at high intensity intervals for an amazing cardio workout.
Squat jumps offer a lot of benefits to many, especially if you are trying to improve your athleticism, give your booty a boost, become a faster runner, or just improve your overall health.
Squatting low and then flying high in the air offers a load of strength and aerobic benefits. Some of the most notable benefits of this exercise include:
Performing a squat jump is not difficult, but it does require correct technique and proper form to be effective. In order to perform a squat jump:
Do as many reps as you can for some amazing bodyweight cardio alternative, do less repetitions to make more emphasis on power building, or do something in between for muscle building.
There are a few variations that can make your squat jump sessions more challenging and more fun. Some of them include:
Start by performing a squat jump as usual. Once you are in the air, quickly lift your knees to hip height in front of you. Once your thighs touch your chest, extend them quickly to ensure a safe landing. Rebound right into the next rep, and if you want your legs and lungs to burn, string 10 or 20 reps together.
Using a box for landing reduces the impact on your joints. To perform this movement, stand in front of the box with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower yourself into a squat, swing your arms behind you and explosively extend your hips, knees, and ankles. Swing your arms forward and jump up on the box. Land softly, hold the landing for a few seconds, and then step down one foot at a time. Repeat.
If you have any condition of the knees, ankles, hips, back, or neck, make sure to first check with your doctor or physical therapist whether squat jumps are a safe option for you. If you have been advised in the past that you should only do low-impact exercises and workouts, you will likely be advised to avoid using squat jumps as well.
Squats are a muscle-building exercise more than they are a fat-burning one. You cannot localize fat loss in one area of the body (such as the belly, for example).
Still, you can lower the percentage of your body fat overall by adding some jump squats into your exercise routine, which will burn more calories and help you lose weight.
Squat jumps are an anaerobic exercise, which means that it requires energy to be used quickly and immediately in order to be performed. But if you perform them at a high intensity they can turn into a great aerobic workout.
The number of reps will depend on your individual fitness goals, but doing 3 sets of 5-15 reps a few days a week is an excellent place to start.
A squat jump is a full-body exercise that uses the weight of your body to primarily strengthen the leg and core muscles while adding a heart rate-boosting cardio element to the workout.
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