Burpee Box Jump
Why it matters
The Burpee Box Jump builds strength and size in your glutes, quadriceps and calves. As a compound movement, it trains several muscles together and carries over to real-world strength and power.
How to do it
- Set a box height you can land on comfortably and make sure it is stable and won’t slide.
- Set the box at a height you can reach while keeping good position.
- Set a stable, athletic base with your feet under your hips.
- Load your hips and take a breath before the explosive rep.
- Be explosive on the way up, moving the load or your body as fast as possible.
- Absorb the landing or return softly through your hips and knees.
- Reset to a stable, balanced position before the next rep.
- Move as fast as you can on the way up while staying in control.
Coaching cues
- Touch the box under control rather than dropping onto it.
- Intent is the point — every rep should be maximally fast, and the set ends when speed drops.
- Be explosive on the way up and controlled on the way down.
- Land softly on your mid-foot, absorbing through your hips and knees.
- Reset fully between reps rather than rushing the next one.
Watch out for
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Relaxing or rocking back once you touch the box.
This takes work off the target muscle and reduces what you get from the set.
Instead Stay braced the whole time you are in contact.
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Grinding out slow reps once fatigue sets in.
This takes work off the target muscle and reduces what you get from the set.
Instead End the set the moment bar or body speed visibly slows.
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Landing stiff-legged with a hard, loud impact.
A stiff landing wastes the force your legs should be absorbing.
Instead Land quietly and let your hips and knees bend to absorb the force.
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Rushing reps and losing power output.
Rushed reps are less explosive, and power is the whole point of the movement.
Instead Take a full reset between reps so each one is maximally explosive.
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Letting the knees collapse inward on landing.
A collapsed-knee landing is a weak position to absorb force.
Instead Land with your knees tracking over your toes and your hips back.
The detail
- Tempo
- Explode on the effort; land and reset under full control.
- Breathing
- Take a breath and brace before each rep, then exhale on the effort.
- Range of motion
- Complete the full jump, throw or drive, then reset before the next rep. Take the glutes and quadriceps through their full working range each rep.
- Setting up
- Set a box height you can land on comfortably and make sure it is stable and won’t slide.
- If you are new to it
- Start with lower height or lighter load and step down between reps.
- Once it is easy
- Increase height, distance or load only while landings stay quiet and controlled.
Safety
- Reduce the load if you lose control of the movement.
- Stop the set if you feel sharp pain.
- When you fatigue, step down rather than jumping down between reps.