Box Jumps are mega effective and a wonderful workout for the legs and butt! We show you how to do it right!
At first glance, they may not look very strenuous: Jump on the box and then down again. Done.
But you've got it all wrong! Because box jumps are mega exhausting! They have it so right in itself.
Box jumps are one of the most effective bodyweight exercises. Especially in Crossfit they can not be missed.
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Why they are such an insanely good workout? Bouncing on the box improves your coordination, stability and gives you toned thighs.
On top of that, there's a portion of endurance and sense of balance.
This is how you do the Box Jumps correctly and this is what you have to watch out for!
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What Box Jumps actually are
It's simple: In box jumps, you jump from the ground onto an elevation. Usually it is a box made of wood or other materials. It is usually between 40 and 80 cm high. But it can also be lower for beginners and higher for advanced jumpers.
There are special jump boxes for this. However, as a beginner you can also use a stepping board or another elevation. Stability is very important.
A couch table is not suitable. It is usually not stable enough and not non-slip. The risk of injury is too great.
You can also use stairs or retaining walls that are not too high. A park bench also looks good for box jumps.
Attention, very important: If you decide to workout outdoors, the object for the box jumps must be absolutely dry. Otherwise it can become quite slippery and end badly.
Box jumps should not be missing in any bounce training. That's why volleyball players, parcours athletes and soccer players like to use them in their training. But you should also give the box jumps a chance and strengthen your body!
Why box jumps should not be missing in the bounce training!
How to do Box Jumps correctly
- Place the box on the floor. In the beginning, it should be no higher than your knee. The better you are, the higher the jump box can be.
- Walk about two feet away from the box. The exact distance depends on the length of your legs. You'll figure it out relatively quickly.
- Tension the torso.
- Open your legs to about shoulder width. Bend your legs, take your arms back to get momentum.
- Swing your arms forward and at the same time explosively jump forward onto the box.
- Stand upright on the box and jump or climb back down.
Try to land on the center of the box with both legs at the same time. The knees should always be bent so that you don't hurt yourself.
Try to quickly find the balance and balance the jump.
You can either jump backwards from the box or jump forward over the box. By the way, jumping from the box should only be done by advanced athletes. This can be very stressful for the joints and knees.
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How to train box jumps as an advanced student
The simple bouncing on the box you already manage quite well but you want more?
In the beginning you can increase the time you do the exercise. Start with 30 seconds and increase as much as you can.
But be careful: always keep an eye on the technique! It is more important to perform the exercise correctly than to create an infinite number of repetitions!
That's why you should stretch your legs right now!
How to make box jumps more difficult
You want to really step on the gas? Then grab some weight. Weight cuffs are best because they don't bother you and you can't get tangled up.
You can put the cuffs on the legs or the arms. Or even both.
Alternatively, you can also use dumbbells. Here, however, it is a bit more difficult, because the hands for balancing the balance are missing. In short: dumbbells only for those who already have a good sense of balance.
You can adjust the amount of weight to your training level.
And then, of course, you can increase the intensity again by doing the exercise longer.
If you like it really difficult, you can also change the height of the box. Just a few centimeters more and you will feel your legs properly again. Sore muscles guaranteed! :)
Strengthen your inner thighs with these exercises!
Which muscles you train when jumping on the box
Box jumps are wonderful because they engage many different muscle groups at once.
At the same time, jumping on the box is also quite strenuous for the joints. That's why it's important that you warm up well.
This is how you train with Box Jumps
- the entire leg musculature
- the hull
- your endurance
Expressed in muscle groups: quadriceps, leg biceps, calf muscles, butt muscles, back extensors, abductors, adductors and the shin muscles.
This improves your jumping power. So you can jump more explosively and higher, which brings many advantages in sports like volleyball or parcours.
Your coordination will also improve. And your stability anyway. Along the way, you'll also train your endurance and cardiovascular system.
Because box jumps are so strenuous, your love handles will quickly begin to melt away. One hour of jumping can destroy up to 1000 calories.
Our conclusion
Box jumps are a simple exercise that has a lot to offer. You can train not only strength, but also endurance, coordination and balance. This exercise is not suitable for total beginners. You should have some muscles in your legs, so that you don't hurt yourself.
Good luck! :)
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