Continuous Box Jumps
Continuous box jumps chain the jump up and the drop back down into one uninterrupted rhythm, turning the box jump into a reactive-strength drill rather than a single power effort. Each rebound off the floor reloads the legs through the stretch-shortening cycle, so ground contacts stay short and springy. Because you are jumping down repeatedly, it is a higher-impact drill best kept to a low box and reserved for conditioned athletes.
- Equipment
- Box
- Type
- Plyometric
- Browse by muscle
- Gluteus Maximus, Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis
- Browse by movement
- Squat
- Target
- Gluteus Maximus, Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis
- Secondary
- Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus, Gastrocnemius Lateral Head, Gastrocnemius Medial Head
- Tertiary
- Soleus Gastrocnemius, Tibialis Anterior, Gluteus Medius
How to do it
- 1
Set a low, stable box directly in front of you.
- 2
Jump up onto the box with both feet, landing in a soft quarter squat.
- 3
Immediately hop backward off the box and land on the balls of both feet.
- 4
The instant you touch the floor, rebound straight back up onto the box.
- 5
Keep the cycle smooth and rhythmic, minimizing time on the ground.
- 6
Continue for the target reps or time, then step off to reset.
Tips
- Use a lower box than you would for single box jumps, since you are absorbing repeated landings.
- Keep contacts fast and quiet; a slow, deep squat between reps defeats the reactive purpose.
- Stop the set the moment your rhythm slows or your landings get heavy.
Variations
Common mistakes
- The shins pay for a tired rep: as the jump gets a little lower each cycle, the front edge of the box catches the leg. End the set on the first rep where the feet barely clear.
- You drift backward from the box with each drop, so the return jump gets longer and longer until you are jumping forward and upward at the same time.
- The box is set on a rubber mat or a slick floor and slides an inch or two over the set. Check that it is planted before the first rep and again any time it shifts.
- The drop off the box gets taken on straight legs with a slap, which is where the knees and Achilles take the worst of an already high-impact drill.
- Feet land on the very front edge of the box on the way up with half the foot hanging over. Get the whole foot on, and use a box you can clear when tired rather than one you can clear when fresh.
Frequently asked
- How many continuous box jumps should I do in a set?
- Sets of five to eight continuous reps, three to five sets, with a minute or two between them, on a box no higher than mid-shin to knee. Before using it you should already jump onto a box and land in balance, and be comfortable absorbing a drop from that height on both feet. Progress by adding a rep or two per set, not by raising the box, since height multiplies the landing force on every rebound. Once or twice a week is enough, early in the session while the legs are fresh.
- What can I do instead of continuous box jumps without a box?
- The closest no-box version is repeated tuck jumps or fast pogo hops, which keep the quick rebound with no landing surface to miss. A bottom stair or a curb works as a low box if it is stable and you have room to land behind it. Avoid a chair, a padded weight bench or a stack of plates, since all three move under a rebounding landing. If your only box is a tall one, do single box jumps and step down between reps instead; that trains power, just not the reactive quality this version is after.
- What are continuous box jumps good for, and when are they a bad idea?
- They train reactive strength and, run for time, a fast-rising heart rate, which is why they turn up in conditioning workouts. That is also the catch: repeated rebound landings under fatigue are where shins, knees and Achilles tendons get hurt, so they suit conditioned athletes rather than people building back into training. Skip them with a sore lower-leg joint or tendon, if you are carrying a lot of bodyweight, or on an unforgiving floor. For pure jump power, single box jumps with a full reset between reps give you more and cost less.
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