Jump to unlock your inner athlete

When you think of your favorite athlete, you probably think about power, speed, and the ability to express force efficiently. When you look at your own fitness training, do you see exercises that help promote these qualities? 

If the answer is "no" and you are already thinking of some excuses for why you are unable to do some sort of power or speed-based exercise, it is time to get re-introduced to jumps. 

Before you hit that little "x" button and close out of this blog, I want to challenge you to hear me out. Jumps can be scaled to meet you where you are and help you unlock that dormant athlete inside of you. 

why jump

Jumping helps you maintain and develop power. It gives you that extra little gear to work with and build out a more robust athletic profile. Also, it can hep your sport performance. 

WHere to start 

Before you get into jumping, take a little time to prime your body. These simple movements can help you make sure your body is ready for the demands of jumping and allow you to get more out of each effort. 

The Base

If you are unable to remember the last time you performed a jump, this is a good place to start. The key is to manage the amount of time you contact the floor and also the height of each contact. Pick one of the variations below and complete 20-seconds continuously. Rest 40-seconds and repeat. As you get the hang of the exercise, try to pick up your speed. Also, find a rhythm with your arms. Start your first week by adding three rounds of the jumps to your routine. Then try to increase to five rounds over time as you feel you can. 

​The Build

Once you have mastered the base, it is time to take things up a notch. The goal is to still manage the number of times you are contacting the floor but add some more height to the mix. This is also a great time to work on your takeoff and landing mechanics. 

Want to know one of the key secrets to adaptation and improving your performance? Move your body through the fullest range of motion you can while maintaining control. If you are not training through the range of motion you are capable of, you are leaving stimulus for adaptation on the table. Keep that in mind as we build into these next variations of jumps. 

Move well! Move with control!

The Peak

The final breakdown of jumps is going to focus on a few advanced options you can add to your training as you master the previous variations. Here is a key to remember! The basics work really well and the key is to find a variation that works for you. I'm not looking for the variation that works for your training partner. Find the variation that works for you and master it. Then progress from there. With these more advanced variations, remember the basic form focuses you mastered in the previous levels.