This is part one of a two-part series on the box jump. The last time I did a two-part series it was on the pull-up exercise. This is one of the fundamental movements that is used in CrossFit workouts. So, let’s go ahead and talk about the progression. It’s the step-up and it’s a great drill to get you ready to perform the box jump exercise. Including box jumps into your workout routine is an effective way to increase explosive power in your legs, hips and glutes which helps increase performance in different sports along with CrossFit exercises and workouts.
To begin, I’m using a 55 pound plate and it’s about six to eight inches high. I haven’t really measured it but I estimate it to be as such, and I’m going to step up on it to begin the drill. I look at my step and I’m going to place one foot on top, press with the heel and push off. I like to use the same leg to step back. This is not necessarily set in stone but that’s just the way I like to do it.
Again, my foot is placed on top, I press on the heel and I come up and then step back down. That’s actually one of the more comfortable ways to come off the step but it’s also the preferred way for you to come down off the box. Once you start getting up in height in the box, you’ll find by stepping down, as opposed to rebounding, which is basically jumping up and jumping back down, after a while it might wear on your Achilles heel which is the tendon on the back of your calf to your heel bone.
What I’m going to do now is actually show you the step-up before the actual jump. I will approach the step and I’m going to have my feet approximately hip distance apart and I’m going to bend at the waist, push my knees out with my hands and then shift my weight to the back and then push through the hips.
So from the side angle, the legs will be at hip distance apart, bend at the knees, tip forward at the waist, push the knees out, and bring my hands back. By putting myself in this position I’ve ignited my hamstrings, they’re fired up and they know we’re about to go to work. I’m going to bring my hands back and squeeze my butt and then push up with my hips so I can get onto the box.
Notice how I stand all the way up and then I step down. The important thing is to stand up all the way because it takes pressure off of your hamstrings, quadriceps, thighs and your hip flexors. So, make sure to come all the way up. For my athletes out there, you know as well as I do, by standing all the way up it also signifies to the CrossFit judges that you have fully completed the move and that the rep actually counts.
For those of you who are just working out and not competing in CrossFit, you want to do this exercise correctly in order to get all of the benefits of this movement, so stand all the way up. I’m going to wrap up part one now and then I’ll move into part two of the box jump, where we will actually move and work with a box. So until next time, stay blessed, stay safe and stay fit!
