Looking for a superb full-body exercise? Try a Jump Squat! That’s a tremendous workout that will fire up your strength training routine. Here, we outlined the main benefits of Squat Jumps to point out why they are so efficient. Check the proper form to perform the exercise duly.
What are Jump Squats?
So, what are Squat Jumps? A Squat Jump is a highly-efficient full-body workout. It primarily targets your abs and legs. The Squat is beneficial for quadriceps and calf muscle development. While the Jump is an excellent cardio element. Thus, you get strength training and cardio exercises in one.
How to Do a Jump Squat
To get the most out of the exercise you have to perform the proper form. Before doing Jump Squats, warm up and stretch well.
So, how to do a Jump Squat? Get to the standing position with your feet a bit wider than hip-width apart. Your knees are slightly bent. That’s your starting position.
As soon as you bend your knees, get to the full-squatting position. Your hips are parallel to the floor. Brace your glutes, while performing. Your back is straight. You can lift your arms for better balance.
Now it’s time to jump. Drive through your glutes, quads, and hamstrings, and raise your legs off the ground. While jumping, your legs are extended. When your legs are fully stretched, your feet will be a few inches off the ground. You can lower your arms with your hands open. Push them back for momentum.
When your feet land the floor, get to the squat position again. Your knees are bent creating a 45-degree angle. That’s one rep. Then immediately jump again. Do 12-15 reps per set.
Jump Squats are a common exercise in HIIT workout for fat loss. Or add it to your strength training programs to boost high-intensive training sessions. Try 3-4 sets to get the full advantage of the Squats.
Change the number of squats depending on your fitness goal. If you aim to gain power, add more explosive jumps and jump higher. If you want to tone your body generally, do more jumps and make it quick.
Jump Squat Common Mistakes
Check these useful tips to avoid mistakes when performing Jump Squats. As if you do it inappropriately, you’ll focus on the wrong muscle groups. Do Jump Squats properly to get the best results. Here’s what you have to avoid.
1. No Warm-Up
Before doing a training session, you have to stretch well. Warm-up your muscles so they are more flexible. Increase the blood circulation into the muscles by doing some cardio. This could be jogging, jumping with a rope, and full-body stretching. The same goes for any workout.
2. Unconvenient Surface
Make sure you’re performing the exercise on proper flooring. Your home gym environment must be friendly to such exercises as Jump Squats, Burpees, and others. A concrete or wooden floor is not a good idea. Avoid hard and slipping surfaces that may hurt you.
Consider soft mat flooring or a single fitness mat. It must be flat so you can feel comfy when landing.
3. Excessive Workload
Don’t overdo with Squat Jumps. Like with any other workout, you need consistency, but no excessiveness. Add Squat Jumps as a part of your fitness routine. Don’t focus on this full-body exercise only. As the Jump Squat makes some pressure on your joints. Keep your knees safe by avoiding excessive impact on them.
4. Extra Weight
Another common mistake is adding free weights to the exercise right away. If you’re a rookie athlete, don’t do that. Exercise gradually and add weights over time. Try the Freehand Jump Squat (like the Air Squat) first and train the proper form. And once you gain much experience, you may consider adding extra weight. This can be a pair of dumbbells, a kettlebell, or even a barbell. Keep reading the article to find common Jump Squat variations with free weights.
Jump Squats: Benefits You Should Consider
Here’s a list of Squat Jumps benefits that you should know. It’s a great full-body exercise that will amp up your muscles for sure. And here’s why.
Burn Calories
Jump Squats are a great way to lose fat. In fact, to burn 100 calories, you need to do around 30 Jump Squats. The number is approximate as it depends on your current weight and the intensity of the workout.
Such Squats are extremely beneficial for women. As they tend to tone their lower body most. Adding Jumps Squats will definitely be helpful in burning calories and activating a range of muscle groups.
Excellent Lower-Body Exercise
The Jump Squat targets leg muscles most. Feel your glutes, quads, and hamstrings when doing Jump Squats properly. The exercise is a plyometric variation of Regular Squats. It will help you to shape your butt and reach muscle growth.
Improve Balance and Mobility
Fostered mobility affects your every-day movement and task performance. You’re getting more enduring that is advantageous for the overall well-being. Performing usual routine tasks like walking or going upstairs seems no longer challenging.
Besides, Jump Squats are great for improving motor balance. They activate a range of muscle groups and strengthen the body.
Boost Power Training
Add Jump Squats to your strength training routine and you won’t regret it. That’s an excellent addition to your endurance exercise plan. Squatting is highly-intensive training that makes athletes perform better. This affects your overall ability to exercise.
Improve Waste Removal
Jump Squats are intensive training that boosts your metabolism. Performing exercises affect your fluid circulation. And with a raised heart rate, your body produces sweat. All of these help to improve your metabolism and hence, waste removal.
Health Benefits
High-intensity cardio like Jump Squats is beneficial for your overall health. This exercise strengthens our main muscle – our heart. While squatting and jumping, your heart rate is escalating. Cardio movements help to lessen the risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. They are beneficial for glucose and insulin regulation.
Improve Bone Density
Jump Squats are advantageous for bone health as well. Not only your muscles are improving, but your bone density as well. This will lessen the risk of a knee injury while exercising.
Jump Squat Variations
There are many squat variations, both barehand and weighted. Here are some examples of how you can level up your Jump Squats.
1. Dumbbell Jump Squat
These are Weighted Squats that require a pair of dumbbells. Place a dumbbell in each hand. Keep the arms straight by the sides or bent above the chest level. The palms are facing each other. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. That’s your starting point.
Squat so your hips are parallel to the floor. Then drive through your hips and heels and jump at the maximum height. Your feet are a few inches off the ground. You can lift your hands up with the dumbbells to extend the arms.
Land the floor with your feet and squat again. Bring your arms to the starting point. Then jump again. Do 12-15 reps per set.
2. Frog Jumps
This is a weight-free squat version. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or wider. Your toes are pointed slightly outward. Squat with your butt back and your back straight. Place your palms on the floor between your legs.
Jump high and raise your arms up. Your legs are fully extended. As soon as you reach the ground, squat again. Your hands are on the floor in front of your (a frog pose). Do 12-15 reps per set.
3. Box Jump Squat
You’ll need a Plyo box to perform this Jump Squat variation. Alternatively, use a stepper or a bench. Place the box 1-2 feet away in front of you. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Your back is straight and your chest is up.
Bend your knees and slightly squat to get ready for a jump. Raise your body up and land on the Plyo box. Get a balance point to avoid falling off the gear. Squat on the box again. Drive through your heels and jump. Land on the floor and sit down again.
4. Barbell Jump Squat
Place a barbell on your shoulders behind you. Put it from the power rack for more convenience and safety. Load some weight plates if needed. Take a few steps back off the rack. Keep your stance with your feet shoulder-width apart or wider. Your toes are pointed slightly out.
Your hands are bent in elbows pointed downward. Your hands keep the bar fixed on your shoulders. The palms face the front. That’s your starting point.
Brace your core and glutes while performing. Squat till your thighs are parallel to the floor. The knees don’t go over the toe line. The torso is slightly leaned forward. Your head is in a natural position looking forward. Keep your feet flat all the time.
Drive through your heels and jump as high as you can. Your arms are bent holding the barbell throughout the exercise. When you reach the floor, squat again. Do 10-12 reps per set.
Barbell Jump Squats are a top-notch alternative or addition to Olympic lifts. That’s a common exercise in weightlifting and CrossFit power training session. No doubt, it will fire up your lower-body muscles.
Countermovement Jump vs Squat Jump
Lots of athletes argue about the difference between the Countermovement Jump and Squat Jump.
The Countermovement Jump, as its name implies, engages a counter-movement. That’s a regular vertical jump. You lower your body to squat and make a pause for a second before jumping. Then you perform a regular vertical jump. Countermovement Jumps are usually done with higher jumps.
Countermovement Jump vs Squat Jump differs by their starting position. The Countermovement Jump starts with an upstanding position. Then you lower your body to bend your knees and create momentum. As for the Squat Jump, you start from the semi-squatted position. Such a jump doesn’t engage the pre-stretching of your muscles. Thus, the Countermovement provides improved stretch reflex.
Jump Squat Benefits and Form Revealed
Squats are tremendous exercises that can boost a range of muscle groups. That’s an essential part of a workout routine to improve your strength and power. This exercise is highly beneficial for your balance, heart health, and bone density. Having said that, add the workload gradually at a comfortable pace.
Once you gain enough strength, you can try Jump Squat variations. They include the Dumbbell Jump Squat, Frog Jumps, Box Jump Squat, and the Barbell Jump Squat.
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