Jump Squat
- Primary muscleGlutes
- EquipmentBodyweight
- DifficultyIntermediate
- TypePlyometric · Knee-dominant
- Secondary muscles
- Quads, Hamstrings, Calves
- Body part
- Upper Legs
- Position
- Standing
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Plyometrics
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Explosive intent is the entire exercise: sink to roughly half depth, jump as high as you can, and land soft into the next rep. Short sets of 5-8 early in a session train power; longer continuous sets turn it into a leg-burning finisher - and the two uses call for very different rep speeds.
How to do the Jump Squat
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body into a squat position by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
- Jump up explosively, extending your hips, knees, and ankles.
- While in mid-air, quickly bring your feet together.
- Land softly on the balls of your feet and immediately drop back into a squat position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Screw the feet into the floor and spread it apart to keep the knees out and the arch of the foot from collapsing.
Muscles worked
Primary
Glutes · Legs
The glutes extend the hip on the way up and take more of the load the deeper you go and the wider your stance.
Secondary
- Quads — The quads extend the knee and drive you out of the bottom, and front squats and close stance variations put more on them.
- Hamstrings
- Calves
Common mistakes
- Knees caving inward — push the knees out over the toes on the way up, especially out of the bottom where they most want to collapse.
- Hips shooting up first — if the hips rise faster than the chest on the way up, you turn the squat into a good morning; drive the chest and hips up together.
- Cutting the depth — get the hip crease below the top of the knee on every rep unless mobility genuinely stops you, in which case work on it.
- Losing the brace — take a big breath into the belly before each rep and hold it through the sticking point, then exhale on the way up.
Sets, reps and where it fits
| Goal | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 3–5 × 3–5 | 90–120 s |
| Conditioning | 3 × 8–12 | 60 s |
Squats go first in a lower body session when you are freshest. Follow them with Romanian deadlifts or leg press, or superset lighter sets with pull-ups to use the same rack.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without bodyweight
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Jump Squat work?
The Jump Squat primarily works the glutes. It also involves the quads, hamstrings and calves, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Jump Squat good for beginners?
It is rated intermediate, so it suits people who already train regularly. Beginners can still do the Jump Squat with light load and a spotter or coach watching the first few sessions; if it feels awkward, pick an easier variation from the alternatives below first.
What can I do instead of the Jump Squat?
If you cannot do the Jump Squat, try the Hands to Floor Jump Squat, the Barbell Jump Squat or the Barbell Kneeling Jump Squat. Each of them trains the glutes through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.
How many sets and reps should I do?
It depends on your goal. For the Jump Squat, a sensible starting point is power: 3–5 × 3–5 with 90–120 s rest; conditioning: 3 × 8–12 with 60 s rest. Do it first in the session while you are fresh. Quality of each rep matters more than the count.
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