Depth Jump
Move · High-Intensity · Movement, Typed Supps
There is a simple test for whether your box is the right height: if you cannot jump higher than you can from standing, it is too tall.
Stage by stage
- Set-up (Step off, not jump off): Stepping off keeps drop height equal to box height, so the eccentric load stays a controlled variable.
- On landing (Stretch-shortening cycle): Elastic energy stored in tendon on the rapid eccentric is returned only if ground contact stays brief.
- Across the set (Quality degrades first): Lengthening ground contact means the elastic contribution has gone, leaving high impact and no stimulus.
- Months later (Reactive power): Rate of force development and reactive strength improve, but only on an established strength base.
Muscles trained
- Primary: glutes, quads
- Secondary: abs, calves, hip abductors
Intensity
8 METs (Circuit training, including kettlebells, some aerobic movement with minimal rest, general, vigorous intensity).
Time to effect
- Weeks: Even experienced lifters usually need a session or two to learn the timing — the goal is a fast, reactive push off the ground, not a pause-and-jump.
- Months: This is one of the more advanced plyometric tools for building reactive power, and it is typically introduced only after a solid base of strength and simpler jump training is already in place.
Related supplements
Common myth
"A higher starting box always produces a more powerful jump." In reality: Past a certain drop height, the landing force becomes too great to convert efficiently into an upward jump — most coaches use a moderate box height rather than the tallest one available.
More in High-Intensity
In the glossary
Sources