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

This combination is not a beginner's first plyometric drill; earn a clean depth jump and a broad jump separately first. Once you have, 3 to 4 sets of 3 reps with 2 minutes of rest keeps the effort explosive instead of grinding.

How do you make the depth jump to broad jump easier or harder?

To make it easier, drop from a lower step or replace the drop with a simple two-foot hop before the broad jump. To make it harder, raise the box slightly or add a second broad jump immediately after landing the first.

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

It trains the legs to absorb a hard drop and redirect it into distance immediately, valuable for advanced athletes preparing for sprinting and change of direction. It is a poor choice for anyone without a solid strength base and clean landing mechanics already in place, since the impact is a genuine shock to the joints.

Advanced

Depth Jump to Broad Jump

This combination drill loads the legs with the impact of a drop off a box, then redirects that stored energy into a forward broad jump for distance. It trains the stretch-shortening cycle in the horizontal plane, teaching you to absorb high force and immediately convert it into acceleration. It is a demanding shock-method exercise, so keep the box low, the volume low, and use it only with a solid strength base.

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
Stand on a low box with the toes near the front edge.
2
Step off with one foot so both feet drop and land together.
3
Land on the balls of both feet with stiff, slightly bent knees.
4
The instant you touch down, explode forward into a maximal broad jump.
5
Reach the legs out in front and land on both feet in a controlled squat.
6
Stick the landing, then step back onto the box to reset.

Tips

Redirect the drop immediately into the broad jump; a long pause on landing wastes the elastic energy.
Aim the second jump forward, driving the hips back behind you for horizontal distance.
Keep the box low so ground contact stays fast rather than turning into a deep, slow squat.

Variations

Common mistakes

A pause between the box landing and the broad jump turns a reactive power drill into two separate, disconnected jumps instead of one continuous action.
Stepping off with a push instead of simply falling off the box adds extra drop height, meaning more impact than the drill needs to load.
Programming this drill on tired legs after a long session invites a sloppy landing under a fall you have little control over.
A box set too high turns the landing into a deep, grinding squat instead of the fast, springy contact the whole exercise depends on.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the depth jump to broad jump should you do when you are new to the exercise?: This combination is not a beginner's first plyometric drill; earn a clean depth jump and a broad jump separately first. Once you have, 3 to 4 sets of 3 reps with 2 minutes of rest keeps the effort explosive instead of grinding.
How do you make the depth jump to broad jump easier or harder?: To make it easier, drop from a lower step or replace the drop with a simple two-foot hop before the broad jump. To make it harder, raise the box slightly or add a second broad jump immediately after landing the first.
What is the depth jump to broad jump good for and when should you skip it?: It trains the legs to absorb a hard drop and redirect it into distance immediately, valuable for advanced athletes preparing for sprinting and change of direction. It is a poor choice for anyone without a solid strength base and clean landing mechanics already in place, since the impact is a genuine shock to the joints.

Related exercises

Other movements among FitRay's 2,000+ exercises that load the same target muscle — same equipment and level first.

All Glutes exercises