Intermediate

Kneeling Jump to Stand

This jump trains explosive hip extension from a dead-stop kneeling start, removing the countermovement so the glutes and quads have to produce force fast. It carries over to sprint starts and any athletic drive off the ground. Land in a soft athletic stance and reset each rep from a full kneel.

Equipment
Body Weight
Body part
Glutes, Quads
Type
Plyometric
Browse by movement
Hinge
Muscles worked
Target
Gluteus Maximus, Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis
Secondary
Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus
Tertiary
Erector Spinae, Gluteus Medius

How to do it

  1. 1

    Kneel tall on a padded surface with hips extended and toes tucked under.

  2. 2

    Sit the hips back slightly and swing the arms down and behind you.

  3. 3

    Explosively swing the arms up and drive the hips forward to launch off the shins.

  4. 4

    Pull the knees up and forward to bring the feet underneath you.

  5. 5

    Land on both feet in a quarter-squat, absorbing the impact with hips and knees.

  6. 6

    Stand fully, return to the kneeling start, and repeat.

Tips

  • Use a firm arm swing; the arms are your main power source out of the kneel.
  • Snap the hips through to full extension before you tuck the feet under.
  • Cushion the landing softly and pause to reset rather than rushing the next rep.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • The toes stay pointed with the shins flat on the mat, so there is nothing to push against and the jump becomes an arm swing with the legs along for the ride. Tuck the toes under first.
  • Dropping straight back down to the knees to start the next rep puts your kneecaps into the floor at speed. Stand up, step back, and kneel down under control every single time.
  • A thick soft crash mat sinks under the shins and catches the toes as they tuck, which is the one time this jump goes badly. A firm mat, carpet or grass pads you without the grab.
  • The hips stay folded through the launch, so you arrive folded with the weight already behind your heels and tip backward instead of landing balanced over the midfoot.
  • The sit-back turns into a real sit toward the heels, and from there the rep becomes a rock forward rather than a hip snap off the shins.
  • Feet land at a different width every rep, often one ahead of the other, because they are being thrown under the body rather than placed; pick a width and land there.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the kneeling jump to stand should you do when you are new to the exercise?
Three or four sets of 3 to 5 reps, resting a full minute or two, with a complete reset to a tall kneel between reps. This is a maximal effort from a dead stop, so a set of ten becomes a conditioning drill by accident. Start by landing in a deeper squat, which gives the feet more time to get underneath you, and work up to the quarter-squat landing. When five reps land in a balanced quarter-squat every time, add a set rather than reps.
How do I make the kneeling jump to stand easier or harder?
Easier: land in a deeper squat so the feet have more time to get underneath you, jump up from one knee, or rehearse the hip snap alone by driving to a tall kneel without leaving the ground. Harder: jump onto a low box or step in front of you so the feet have to land higher than they started, hold a light medicine ball at the chest so the arm swing cannot help you, or reach for a target as you stand. Hands on the hips with no arm swing at all is the hardest version and the one that proves the hips are doing the work.
What is the kneeling jump to stand good for, and when should I skip it?
Removing the countermovement forces the glutes and quads to produce force from a standstill, which is the quality a sprint start or a scrum drive needs, and it makes a good power opener on a lower-body day. It is a poor choice for anyone with a knee that dislikes pressure on the kneecap, since the start position puts bodyweight straight onto it, and a poor choice without a padded surface. On its own it will not raise your jump height either, so keep squats and regular jumps in the plan.

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