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

Keep volume low and quality high: 2 to 3 sets of 3 reps, resting fully between sets, and stop the session the moment ground-contact time starts slowing down. Only add a set once every rep shows a brief, springy floor contact rather than a settled landing.

What can I do instead of depth jump to box jump if I only have one box or none?

With one box, do a plain box jump and a standard depth jump onto the floor as separate drills until you have two boxes to combine them. With no boxes at all, a low step or sturdy platform can stand in for the shorter drop box.

Who should be doing depth jump to box jump, and who should not?

It teaches trained athletes to convert absorbed landing energy directly into upward power, which is valuable for jumping and sprinting sports. It is a poor choice for anyone who cannot yet stick single box jumps and depth jumps individually, or for general fitness goals, where the technical demand and injury risk outweigh the benefit.

Advanced

Depth Jump to Box Jump

This combination drill channels the reactive force of a depth jump into a vertical box jump, teaching athletes to convert absorbed landing energy directly into upward power. Because the target is a box, landing impact stays manageable while the reactive demand is high.

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

How to do it

1
Set a low drop box a short distance in front of a taller landing box.
2
Stand on the drop box with toes near the edge.
3
Step off and land on both feet on the floor between the boxes.
4
On contact, immediately rebound and jump up onto the taller box, swinging the arms.
5
Land softly on top of the second box in a quarter-squat with knees over toes.
6
Stand tall, step down, reset at both boxes, and repeat.

Tips

The floor contact should be brief and explosive, not a settled pause.
Match the drop-box height to your ability so you can rebound sharply.
Step down from the landing box every rep rather than jumping down.

Variations

Common mistakes

Dropping from a drop box that is too high, forcing a long, absorbing landing instead of the quick rebound the drill depends on.
Pausing on the floor between the drop and the jump, which turns one reactive drill into two separate, disconnected exercises.
Attempting the combination before you can already depth-drop and box jump separately with clean mechanics on their own.
Under-driving the arms on the rebound and relying on the legs alone instead of the full-body extension needed to clear the tall box.
Running too many reps back to back and letting ground-contact time creep up as fatigue sets in, when the drill only works while contacts stay short.

Frequently asked

How many reps of depth jump to box jump should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Keep volume low and quality high: 2 to 3 sets of 3 reps, resting fully between sets, and stop the session the moment ground-contact time starts slowing down. Only add a set once every rep shows a brief, springy floor contact rather than a settled landing.
What can I do instead of depth jump to box jump if I only have one box or none?: With one box, do a plain box jump and a standard depth jump onto the floor as separate drills until you have two boxes to combine them. With no boxes at all, a low step or sturdy platform can stand in for the shorter drop box.
Who should be doing depth jump to box jump, and who should not?: It teaches trained athletes to convert absorbed landing energy directly into upward power, which is valuable for jumping and sprinting sports. It is a poor choice for anyone who cannot yet stick single box jumps and depth jumps individually, or for general fitness goals, where the technical demand and injury risk outweigh the benefit.

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