Depth Jump

What is the Depth Jump?

The depth jump is an advanced reactive plyometric: you step off a low box, land, and rebound into a maximal jump as fast as possible off the floor. That brief, violent ground contact trains the stretch-shortening cycle and reactive strength — the ability to absorb and instantly return force — which is why it sits at the sharp end of jump training and demands a solid base of strength first.

Muscles worked

Primary — Quads

The quads absorb the landing and fire the explosive rebound, working reactively rather than to fatigue.

Secondary — Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves

The glutes and hamstrings extend the hip on the rebound, and the calves manage the fast, stiff ankle action on ground contact.

How to perform the Depth Jump

1. Stand on top of a low box (start knee-height or lower) with the toes near the edge.
2. Step — do not jump — off the box and drop straight down, landing on the balls of both feet.
3. The instant you touch the ground, spend as little time on the floor as possible and rebound explosively straight up into a maximal jump.
4. Land softly from the rebound with bent hips and knees, then reset on the box; keep the reps few and crisp, as the ground-contact demand is high.

Suggested working range: 3–6 reps. Default progression: manual.

Mechanics

A pure stretch-shortening-cycle drill: stepping off the box creates a controlled drop, the landing rapidly stretches the loaded muscles and tendons, and an immediate rebound reuses that stored elastic energy. The training target is minimal ground-contact time — long contact turns it into an ordinary jump and loses the reactive quality.

Form cues

• •Step off the box rather than jumping off it, so the drop height and landing forces stay consistent.
• •On contact, spend as little time on the floor as possible and rebound explosively straight up.
• •Start from a low box (knee height or below) and only progress height once landings stay soft and controlled.

Common mistakes

• •Jumping up off the box instead of stepping off it, which changes the drop height and the landing forces.
• •Spending too long on the ground before rebounding, which turns a reactive drill into a slow jump.
• •Starting from a box far too high, so the landing collapses and the joints take a punishing impact.
• •Absorbing the rebound landing on stiff legs rather than sinking softly into bent hips and knees.

Variations & alternatives

• •Box jump — the concentric-only jump onto a platform, a safer starting point before depth jumps.
• •Depth jump to broad jump — rebound forward for horizontal reactive power.
• •Single-response hurdle hop — a lower-intensity reactive drill to build toward true depth jumps.

Barbell Back Squat

Quads · Barbell

Leg Press

Quads · Machine

Bulgarian Split Squat

Quads · Dumbbell

Goblet Squat

Quads · Dumbbell

Leg Extension

Quads · Machine

Programming: sets, reps & when to use it

This is a high-intensity, low-volume drill for trained athletes: 2–4 sets of 3–5 reps, fully rested between reps, done fresh and early in a session. It earns no hypertrophy or rank credit — its job is reactive strength. Keep the box low, master the landing first, and progress height and volume very conservatively given the high impact.

Frequently asked questions