Broad Jump to Vertical Jump
- Primary muscleQuads
- EquipmentBodyweight
- DifficultyAdvanced
- TypePlyometric · Explosive
- Secondary muscles
- Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves, Abs, Adductors
- Body part
- Upper Legs
- Position
- Standing
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Plyometrics
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Chaining a broad jump straight into a vertical jump tests how quickly you convert forward momentum into upward force, the same redirect that shows up in sprinting and every jumping sport. The transition landing is the hard part: absorb and go without a pause, and end the set once the second jump loses height.
How to do the Broad Jump to Vertical Jump
- Stand with feet hip‑to‑shoulder width, toes slightly out, core braced, eyes forward.
- Hinge and descend to a quarter–half squat with heels down and neutral spine, arms sweeping back.
- Explosively swing the arms forward and triple‑extend hips, knees, and ankles to broad jump ahead.
- Land softly on mid‑to‑forefoot then heels, feet under hips, knees tracking over toes, hips back.
- Quickly absorb and rebound: swing the arms and drive straight up into a vertical jump.
- Reach tall while keeping the torso upright and core tight.
- Land softly again with knees and hips slightly bent; stabilize.
- Reset spacing and repeat only while maintaining knee alignment and controlled landings.
Tip: Swing the arms back as you dip, then throw them up hard as you leave the ground.
Muscles worked
Primary
Quads · Legs
The quads produce most of the takeoff force and absorb most of the landing, so a few sets can leave them surprisingly sore.
Secondary
- Glutes — The glutes fire hard to extend the hips at takeoff, especially on broad jumps where you cover distance.
- Hamstrings
- Calves — The calves add the final snap at the ankle on takeoff and cushion the first contact when you land.
- Abs
- Adductors
Common mistakes
- Landing stiff-legged — a loud landing means the joints took the force; land softly on the balls of the feet and let the knees and hips bend to absorb it.
- Knees caving on landing — keep the knees tracking over the toes both on takeoff and landing, and widen the stance slightly if they cave.
- Treating jumps as conditioning — a jump is a power exercise, so rest fully between reps; if you are gasping, you are doing something else.
- Box too high — a tall box that requires tucking the knees to the chest just tests hip mobility; use a box you can land on with a quarter squat.
Where it fits in a workout
Jumps go at the start of a session after the warm-up and before heavy lifting, when the nervous system is fresh. Three to five reps of box jumps before squats is a common pairing.
How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Alternatives
When to talk to someone
- Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
- Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
- Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.
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Sources
- ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
- ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
- ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
- CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)
Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.
Animation and exercise data: ExerciseDB, licensed to SetGrip. General information, not medical or coaching advice.