Other than burpees, box jumps are probably ~the~ most well-known (and most intimidating!) plyometric exercise you can do. If they give you nightmares of scraped shins, I hear you—but I also guarantee you won’t regret adding box jumps to your workouts as the benefits of box jumps are many.
Like other plyo moves, they help you build power (a.k.a. explosiveness) by requiring your working muscles to stretch and contract at hyper-speed. Not only do you feel like a pro athlete when doing them, but box jumps help you become quicker, more powerful, and more agile than most typical exercises—including strength training. Because box jumps are so high-intensity, they also torch major calories, so you reap cardio benefits, too.
Still worried about whether you’ll stick the landing? Start low. It’s far more important to learn how to do box jumps correctly than to jump as high as humanly possible. In fact, if you can’t land your box jump quietly, your box is too high. Same goes if you land with your hips below your knees.
My best advice: Focus on form first. I always recommend starting about a foot away from your box with your feet hip-width apart, using an arm swing to help you explode up off the floor, and to land without a sound in a half-squat position. Once you feel strong and comfortable, start shooting for new heights.
Ultimately, though, whether you’re hopping up onto a short step or rocketing up onto a three-foot-tall box, you can incorporate box jumps—and a whole slew of other box-based moves—into your sweat sessions. String together the seven exercises I break down here for a full-body box jump workout that builds power, strengthens every muscle, and gets your heart pumping.
Equipment needed: plyo box (or a sturdy elevated surface that’s wide enough for you to land on with both feet flat)
Time: 20 minutes
Instructions: Perform eight reps of each of the following exercises, then continue immediately on to the next. After you’ve finished all seven movements, rest for one minute, then repeat twice more for three total rounds.
1
Box Jump
Muscles worked: glutes, legs, core
How to: Start standing facing a plyo box (about two-feet away from it). Rise up onto balls of feet and swing straight arms over head, then bend knees and push hips back into a hinge position and swing arms behind body to gain momentum to explode up off floor and jump up onto the box. Land softly in a half-squat position, with knees bent, feet flat, and hands in front of chest. Stand up straight and step back down to starting position. That’s one rep. Perform eight, then continue on to the next move. Once you’ve completed all seven exercises, rest for one minute and repeat twice more for a total of three rounds.
Pro tip: Make this move more beginner- or home workout-friendly by jumping up onto a lower step or stair.
2
Box Over
Muscles worked: shoulders, chest, core, legs
How to: Start standing with feet under hips next to a plyo box, bent forward to place both hands flat on the top of it. Press through hands, brace core, and kick feet up and back towards glutes while hopping body over to opposite side of box. Reverse the movement to return to start. That’s one rep. Perform eight, then continue on to the next move. Once you’ve completed all seven exercises, rest for one minute and repeat twice more for a total of three rounds.
3
Triceps Dip with Knee Tuck
Muscles worked: triceps, core
How to: Start facing away from a plyo box with hands gripping the closest top edge, arms straight, and legs extended out in front of body so butt is a few inches in front of fingers and feet are flexed. Engage core, bend elbows straight back to lower torso until arms form 90-degree angles, and bend knees to lower butt toward floor. Press through hands to return to starting position, then drive right knee up toward chest. Extend leg back to floor. That’s one rep. Perform eight, then repeat on the other side and continue on to the next move. Once you’ve completed all seven exercises, rest for one minute and repeat twice more for a total of three rounds.
4
Foot-Elevated Pike Pushup
Muscles worked: shoulders, arms, core
How to: Start with hands on floor beneath shoulders and feet ontop of box so body forms an upside down “V” shape. Keep core tight, bend elbows out to the sides to lower head toward floor. Press through hands to extend arms and return to starting position. That’s one rep. Perform eight, then continue onto the next move. Once you’ve completed all seven exercises, rest for one minute and repeat twice more for a total of three rounds.
5
Rotational Box Jump
Muscles worked: glutes, legs, core
How to: Start standing with feet under hips to the right of a plyo box. Rise up onto balls of feet and lift arms overhead, then with momentum, push hips back into a hinge position and swing arms behind body. Use this oomph to press through feet while bringing arms forward quickly to explode up off floor. In mid-air, rotate entire body 90 degrees to the left and land in a slight squat position with hands in front of chest on top of the box, knees bent and feet flat. Stand up straight, then step back down to starting position. That’s one rep. Perform eight, then repeat on the other side and continue on to the next move. Once you’ve completed all seven exercises, rest for one minute and repeat twice more for a total of three rounds.
6
Single-Leg Box Kickstand Deadlift
Muscles worked: glutes, hamstrings, core
How to: Start standing facing away from a box or sturdy elevated surface with hands behind ears, elbows wide, and left leg bent so top of foot rests on box, knees in line. Keep a slight bend in right knee and a long spine, hinge at hips to push seat straight back and lower torso until about parallel to floor. From here, press hips forward to return to starting position. That’s one rep. Perform eight, then repeat on the other side and continue on to the next move. Once you’ve completed all seven exercises, rest for one minute and repeat twice more for a total of three rounds.
7
Step-Up to Reverse Lunge
Muscles worked: glutes, legs, core
How to: Start standing facing a box with hands by sides. Bring right foot up flat onto box, engage core, and push through right heel to lift body up into air. As right leg extends to straight, drive left knee up toward chest. Reverse the movement to return left foot back to start position, but instead of placing right foot back next to it, step it back behind body and lower down into lunge, stopping when both legs for 90-degree angles. Press through left foot to return to standing. That’s one rep. Perform eight, then repeat on the other side and continue on to the next move. Once you’ve completed all seven exercises, rest for one minute and repeat twice more for a total of three rounds.
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