Legs · Compound

Jump Squat

An explosive plyometric exercise combining a squat with a vertical jump to build lower body power and cardiovascular conditioning. Power work like this trains the fast, forceful muscle actions that heavy slow lifting alone does not, and it keeps legs athletic rather than just strong. Quality matters more than quantity: it belongs in small sets while you are fresh, not ground out to failure.

By Macros Inc Team Verified by Alex Dedmon Updated August 2026

Intermediate Bodyweight Compound Plyometric
jump-squat-poster
  • Level Intermediate
  • Equipment Bodyweight
  • Primary Muscles Calves, Glutes, Quads
  • Movement Compound Plyometric

Demonstration

Watch the Form Demo

Technique

How to Do the Jump Squat

  1. Stand with feet just wider than your hips, arms relaxed at your sides.
  2. Sit into a quarter-to-half squat, swinging your arms back.
  3. Explode upward, driving through the floor and swinging the arms up for maximum height.
  4. Land softly on your midfoot with knees bent, absorbing the impact into the next squat.
  5. Reset your balance, then jump again.
  6. Stop the set the moment landings get loud or stiff.

Anatomy

Muscles Worked

legs
Primary muscles
Calves Quads
Secondary muscles
Glutes

Do This

Form Cues

  • Land softly on the midfoot with the knees soft.
  • Absorb the landing by sinking into the next rep rather than stopping dead.
  • Keep the chest up through the jump and the landing.
  • Full intent on every jump. Half-effort plyometrics train nothing worth having.

Avoid This

Common Mistakes

  • Landing stiff-legged, which puts everything through the knees.
  • Letting the knees cave inward on landing.
  • Chasing height once form has gone. Stop the set when the landings get loud.
  • Programming high-rep sets to exhaustion, which turns power training into sloppy conditioning.

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