How to Do the Depth Jump

The depth jump is an advanced plyometric where you step off a box, land, then jump straight up as fast as you can. It trains your muscles to absorb and reuse force quickly, so athletes use it to improve jump power. It is for experienced lifters with strong landing mechanics.

Quads Glutes BodyweightAdvanced

Log every set of your Depth Jump in Superlift

Muscles worked

Primary

Quads
Glutes

Secondary

Calves
Hamstrings

How to do the Depth Jump

1
Stand on a low, stable box about 12–18 inches (30–45 cm) high.
2
Step off the edge, don't jump down.
3
Land on both feet with your knees slightly bent.
4
Spend as little time on the ground as possible.
5
Immediately explode into a max-height jump.
6
Land softly with bent knees.
7
Step back onto the box and reset before the next rep.

Form cues to remember

Step off, don't jump off
Quick off the ground
Land soft, knees bent
Jump as high as you can

Common mistakes

Using a box that is too high

Start with a low box so you can bounce off the ground quickly.

Sinking too deep on landing

Stay stiff and quick; a short contact time is the goal.

Landing with knees caving

Keep your knees tracking over your toes on every landing.

Doing too many reps

Keep sets short and stop when your jump height drops.

Sets and reps

Strength	3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, with 2–3 min rest
Conditioning	2–3 sets of 4–6 reps as a power primer before lifting, 90 seconds rest

The landing forces are high, so build up with box jumps and squat jumps first. Skip it if you have joint pain, and keep the volume low.

Superlift for iPhone

Track your Depth Jump and watch it go up

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