Execution:
Box jumps are usually performed on 20” boxes for ladies and 24” boxes for men. The athlete starts a sensible distance away from the box, this is different for every individual, you don’t want to be so close that you hit your knuckles on the box as you jump nor so far away that you are doing a long jump as well as a box jump.
The box jump is a two footed take off and a two footed landing. It involves the athlete loading their quads and hamstrings and sweeping their arms backwards to help them drive explosively from the floor with both feet both upward and forward onto the box.
The athlete should aim to land with their feet in a squat position, as close to full extension as possible. If the athlete lands in a full squat they have the additional workload of having to stand up out of the squat, wasting time and energy.
Once the athlete has landed on the box they need to stand up and lock out their knees and hips. If either of these remain broken (ie: knees still bent, or hips still folded forwards) as the athlete leaves the box then the rep will not count.
From the top of the box the athlete can chose to step down, jump down or rebound into the next repetition.
Purpose:
Box jumps build explosive power, trains fast twitch muscle fibers, and makes you more athletic. It helps to improve the explosive power of the athlete for movements like the snatch and clean and jerk.
Programming:
Box jumps are popular in wod programming, the repetitions are often high and it can be coupled with other leg driven movements like wallballs, thrusters and squats- so always pay close attention to your fatigue levels and jump height.
Occasionally athletes may have their max height box jump tested this, along with the broad jump test, are great ways to test athletic potential.
Variations:
The box jump can also be performed as a step up with the same movement standards being met regarding full extension on top of the box. The athlete can also scale the height of the box.
Other variations include burpee box jumps and box jump overs.