Box Jumps

Box Jumps are an exercise for the Type II, or fast “twitch” muscle fibers of the lower body. As we age, we lose type II muscle fibers faster than the slower Type I fibers. For this reason, it is beneficial to practice exercises that target Type II muscle fibers.

Box Jumps differ from continuous exercises such as running in that a jump requires your muscles to contract in a narrow window of time. Estimates are that in a typical jump, your muscles have 0.2 seconds to produce the energy to propel your body vertically. So you see, it is very different time scale from running.

We use a foam box, just in case you miss the edge. The box in the image is twelve inches. We also have a six inch box for beginners.

When performed correctly, the driving force in this exercise should be the Gluteus Maximus. We call the glutes the body’s “power house.”