Legs: "Jump Squat"

[Also Used as Leg Matrix #1: Exercise #4]

Directions: Perform my Dynamic Warm-Up exercises at “beginning” of workout for maximum benefit and improvement.
Pick a safe level; never be unsafe or exceed your capacity to “control” your body!

1. Stand in athletic "ready" position with feet squarely pointed forward, feet flat on ground, and arms in front of trunk.

2. Quickly lower into squat as you keep weight evenly distributed across feet.  Keep heels down and don't compensate by allowing your toes to rotate out as you go down! Be careful to keep knees behind toes.

3. Touch finger tips quickly to ground then throw arms up to help generate jump power off ground.

4. While accelerating up in air keep arms extended in reach position.

5. Land "softly" with whole foot to absorb shock forces.

6. This exercise is one continuous movement--when you land go right into stretching/loading phase and explode right back up with jump/acceleration phase.

Tips: Keep feet straight forward and square!  Keep heels down while being careful not to sit back or lean forward.  To make it easier just quickly lift heels while briefly standing on balls of feet then go back down. Eventually you can work up to making it a full plyo catching air as you jump.

• People usually ruin what can be a great lower body and core exercise by compensating for imbalances.  Common problems are rotating toes out (compensation for tight ankles, or calves, or weak glut medius, or all!).  If you struggle to control the low positions you probably also have a weak core as this is a very "balance challenged" position without "the help" of counter balancing your body with the Olympic bar or machine.

• This is an advanced squat for competitive athletes because of the explosiveness of the exercise (unless you modify like above).  Do NOT attempt the jump squat if you cannot even do a slow and controlled regular squat because you will just amplify compensations and risk injury.

• To modify and decrease intensity simple pop up on toes without actually jumping off the ground.  Even with toes remaining on ground you'll get a great workout but without the stress and shock of landing the jump.

*Note: This exercise is intended for "healthy athletic" individuals.  If you have an injury, or abnormal pain is present,
see your physician or a certified physical therapist before continuing your exercises. 

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(Updated 1.11.07)

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