Are Box Jumps Good For You – A Detailed Explanation
Box jumps are universally used in the fitness industry. Despite it looking so simple; it still stands as one of the best exercises you can do.
Box jumps are a plyometric exercise; it combines speed and force to build muscle power – specifically, engaging your quadriceps, calves, hamstrings, glutes, and core. Yet, athletes who use different training methods still incorporate box jumps into their workouts because of its benefits.
Now, returning to the generic question, “Are box jumps good for you?” There’s a simple answer.
Yes. Box jumps are one of the most rewarding exercises. Not only does it incorporate both cardio and strength training, but it’s an excellent way to increase explosiveness in your legs. So, regardless of your sport, skill level, or training method, box jumps will improve performance.
Are Box Jumps Good For Runners
More commonly than not, we see runners ask if they should incorporate box jumps into their training. We often give this response: You shouldn’t just include it, but it should be your go-to.
Box jumps build power in your lower body, helping sprinters propel forward and maintain the sprint at a high momentum. In addition, box jumps condition your core, so when running, you retain a high level of mobility, balance, and stability against high speeds.
Sounds great for sprinters, but what about long-distance runners?
Box jumps can also be used by long–distance runners – as long as you alter the box height. While it’s traditionally 70-90% of your vertical jump, long-distance runners should have the box lower (around 40-70%) and complete more reps. This builds cardiovascular and muscle endurance (rather than power and force), helping them run longer.
After incorporating box jumps in your workout, you should notice the following during your run:
- Your fast-twitch muscle fibers will be conditioned to be a lot more responsive. As a result, you will be more explosive and quick to react when the gun fires at the start of the race.
- Long-distance runners will be more resilient to lactic acid. Read above about how long-distance runners should alter their box jumps.
- Both long-distance runners and sprinters feel more bouncy during each step due to the added power box jumps give you.
- Runners feel more stable in both their core and joints. This keeps runners balanced throughout, allowing them to direct more speed and power into each stride.
Summary: Box jumps help sprinters to be more explosive, and long-distance runners to have greater endurance.
Do Box Jumps Improve Your Vertical Jump
Do you want to jump higher? Whether for a sports advantage or general fitness, increasing your vertical is a common goal for many. So, are box jumps the best solution…
Box jumps build strength and power in your legs, giving you a more explosive jump. This will be reflected by a higher vertical jump and a heftier driving force. In addition, box jumps condition your core, which gives you a better-balanced landing.
So, yes, box jumps are the ultimate exercise for increasing your vertical jump. So, if you do any of these sports, it’s definitely worth including them in your training sessions:
- Basketball.
- Volleyball.
- American Football.
- Cross-fit.
- Long/High/ Tripple Jump.
Not only will they strengthen your legs, but they also teach you the motion breakdown of a vertical jump. For example, swinging your arms, building momentum, and tucking in your knees. So, by drilling these, you tend to have better performance in a real-life game situation.
It’s also worth mentioning it’s imperative to progressively overload. You do this by gradually making the box taller and taller. This forces your muscles to tear and repair constantly so they adapt to the new height. Otherwise, they stay the same composition, and your vertical jump won’t change.
Summary: Box jumps increase how high you jump as long as you progressively overload.
Do Box Jumps Damage Your Knees
Unfortunately, not everyone benefits from box jumps. In fact, it could do certain individuals more harm than good.
If you have delicate knees or ankles, it’s advised to avoid box jumps; the high impact can expose weak connective tissues, joints, or muscles to too much pressure and result in an injury. This may include people with rheumatoid arthritis, aged joints, or someone recovering from an injury.
To better understand, there are two major points of hazard:
- The impact between your legs and the ground after landing a box jump.Â
- When you land on top of the box, you should be squatting. This fully flexes your knees, which will be painful for someone weak in that area.
Even if you’re fully healthy, keeping safe when doing box jumps is still a good idea. Below, we have added some tips:
- Execute a moderate number of box jumps at a time to prevent overexhaustion.
- Use a box that is fully padded and has kind edges.
- Wear the correct footwear and land the jump on a cushioned surface.
Summary: Box jumps are relatively harmless if you have healthy knees and use the correct technique; otherwise, it’s best to try a lower-impact exercise, such as bodyweight squats.
Are Box Jumps Good For Building Muscle
Are you looking to get bigger, thicker, and bulkier? Unfortunately, box jumps won’t turn you into a bodybuilder. However, this doesn’t mean it won’t stimulate muscle fiber growth.
Box jumps are a compound movement, so you build muscle in multiple muscle groups simultaneously – predominantly your core and lower body. As box jumps focus on increasing relative strength, you’ll develop more power and speed in these muscle groups rather than size.
By box jumping daily, you’ll get more of an athletic physique (mesomorph) consisting of broad shoulders, toned muscle, and a pinched waist. Even better, box jumps also benefit you by building strength in the quadriceps, calves, hamstrings, and glutes.
You can even further engage your gluteals and quadriceps by squatting after each rep! This increases time-under-tension and helps to build more strength in the legs.
What about your abdominals?
Yep, that too! Nothing works your abs more than jumping does, so you can expect to get a six-pack from box jumping. In addition, the core strength also equips you with better posture, balance, and stability.
To maximize core activation during a box jump, keep it tight when projecting yourself forward. Or, if you want to challenge yourself, do a sit-up after each rep!
Summary: Box jumps strengthen your quadriceps, calves, hamstrings, glutes, and core.
Are Box Jumps Good For Losing Weight
Let’s say you aren’t an athlete hoping to up their game; instead, you just want to trim your waist. In this case, are box jumps beneficial?
Box jumps need you to repeatedly drive power from your legs to thrust you forward. This explosive movement requires so much muscle power and is extremely intense. As a result, you burn through massive amounts of calories and eat into your fat stores – making it a great way to lose weight.
Box jumps are arguably the best exercise you can do to lose weight. You don’t have to train at your maximum vertical every time, but if each session has you panting for the air, you’ll lose weight. Fast.
If your purpose for box jumping is to lose weight, here are some tips for tailoring your workout better:
- You should aim the session to be as intense as possible (to burn many calories). It’s better to have 3 sets of 10-minute sessions at a high intensity than a single 30-minute moderately intense session.
- Aim to work until failure every time. When you think you’re on your last box jump, do one more! Take a 60-second break, and then go again!
- We would argue box jumps are better in a circuit than by themselves. So, try to incorporate other movements. We recommend upper-body exercises like push-ups or pull-ups as they aren’t used in a box jump.
Summary: Box jumps are so energy-demanding that they make it one of the best exercises to burn calories and lose weight.
Box Jumps VS Squats – Which Is Better
Squats and Box jumps share the majority of each movement. This doesn’t make them the same, but it also doesn’t mean one is better than the other. Let’s explain.
Whichever is best depends on your personal fitness goals. If you want more muscle hypertrophy in your legs, squats are better as it’s far easier to overload; however, if you want to lose weight, box jumps are better as they burn substantially more calories.
To break their differences down, we’ll begin with how they affect the body differently:
| Body Part | Squats | Box Jumps |
|---|---|---|
| Upper Legs | Thighs become thicker and heavier, so they’re visually bigger. | Legs are more athletic, so they don’t change as much in size; but they’ll be more toned. |
| Lower Legs (Calves) | Minimum involvement. | Lots of involvement – making it a better choice for athletes wanting to improve their vertical jump. |
| Core | Abdominals are used but only minimally. | Core is under a lot of tension to stabilize the body and maintain balance when suspended in the air. |
Still stuck on which is best for you? Here are a few more differences that should help clarify:
- Box jumps incorporate an element of cardio, and squats don’t. If you aim to run a calorie surplus, box jumps will be detrimental to you. So, the better choice is to squat, which is less tiring and burns fewer calories.
- Both are compound movements; however, box jumps incorporate a lot more muscles than squats. So, if you want a full-body workout, box jumps are better for you, but if you’re doing leg day only, it’s best to do squats.Â
Summary: Consider your fitness goals before answering if squats or box jumps are better.Â
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