How many reps of the depth jump should you do when you are new to the exercise?

Keep it to 3 to 4 sets of 4 to 5 reps, resting close to a minute even between individual reps so ground contact time never creeps up from fatigue. Raise the box only after your contacts stay consistently fast at the current height.

How do you make the depth jump easier or harder?

To make it easier, drop from a lower box or replace the drop with a simple two-foot hop in place before the rebound. To make it harder, raise the box slightly or add a small forward or lateral direction to the rebound.

What is the depth jump good for and when should you skip it?

It builds reactive strength and elastic power at an intensity few other drills reach, which is why advanced athletes use it sparingly. It is a poor choice for anyone new to plyometrics or without a solid squat and jump-landing base, since the impact leaves little room for error.

Advanced

Depth Jump

The depth jump trains the stretch-shortening cycle at high intensity by loading your legs with the impact of a drop, then asking them to reverse it as fast as possible. Ground contact should be brief and springy, which builds reactive strength and elastic power for advanced athletes. This is a high-stress drill, so reserve it for well-conditioned trainees with a solid strength base and keep the volume low.

Equipment: Box
Body part: Glutes, Quads
Type: Plyometric
Browse by muscle: Gluteus Maximus, Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis
Browse by movement: Squat

How to do it

1
Set a box roughly knee height and stand on top with toes near the edge.
2
Step off with one foot; do not jump off, so both feet drop together.
3
Land on the balls of both feet with stiff, slightly bent knees.
4
The instant you touch down, rebound upward as high and as fast as possible.
5
Minimize ground contact time; think of the floor as hot.
6
Land the rebound softly, then step back onto the box to reset.

Tips

Chase short ground contact over jump height; a long, deep squat on landing defeats the purpose.
Start with a low box and only raise it once your contacts stay fast and controlled.
Skip this drill when your legs are fatigued, as sloppy reactive work invites injury.

Variations

Common mistakes

The knees sink into a deep squat on landing instead of staying stiff and springy, turning a reactive drill into a slow squat jump.
Raising the box before ground-contact time is genuinely fast trades reactive quality for a bigger, slower drop that teaches the wrong thing.
Once the legs feel tired from earlier sets, the sloppy landings that show up here are exactly the kind this drill cannot afford.
The arms stay passive through the rebound instead of driving upward, leaving power on the table that a full-body effort would capture.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the depth jump should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Keep it to 3 to 4 sets of 4 to 5 reps, resting close to a minute even between individual reps so ground contact time never creeps up from fatigue. Raise the box only after your contacts stay consistently fast at the current height.
How do you make the depth jump easier or harder?: To make it easier, drop from a lower box or replace the drop with a simple two-foot hop in place before the rebound. To make it harder, raise the box slightly or add a small forward or lateral direction to the rebound.
What is the depth jump good for and when should you skip it?: It builds reactive strength and elastic power at an intensity few other drills reach, which is why advanced athletes use it sparingly. It is a poor choice for anyone new to plyometrics or without a solid squat and jump-landing base, since the impact leaves little room for error.

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