Box
I just posted a video and article about high box jumps. What are high box jumps? I did a prior article on box jumping with a video demonstrating box jumps. This article is essentially the same information that is in the article related to the video. The video is a fun video that demonstrates me jumping on a high box. Seems simple, doesn’t it. It is essentially the same as the box jump that I did in the previous post, but this time I am jumping 30″ high. It may be simple in process, but it is just as hard as it looks, but like everything else in life, the more you do it the easier it gets. What makes sense is to have a personal trainer to add this into a complete fitness routine.
Why Do High Box Jumps?
The high box jump is a plyometric exercise that increases explosive power throughout the lower body. It helps the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. I have already received feedback from people who say that their knees are not in good enough shape to do this. I am referring here to the box jump that I do in the video, which is at 30″. However, you do not have to do the 30″ jump. You can even do it at 6″.
But Not Too High
There is a lot of negative treatment in the articles that I was able to find. They pointed that it doesn’t make much sense to do box jumps much higher than this. There is an excellent article by Lauren Green, who is the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA. He explains:
“your jump height is independent of the box. At some point your jump will reach a terminal height (peak of your center of mass traveling upward), at which point you will recoil your legs and create as much hip flexion as possible to bring your feet upward. This is where the personal record box jumps happen, in increased gains in hip flexion. This isn’t a bad thing if we played sports that way. But if the key is to transfer the power on to the field or court, you are going to need to reproduce a similar movement immediately after landing. Also, the compressive forces at that range of motion throws the decreased mechanical work of landing out the window.”
Lauren Green, Box Jumps: Higher the Better? Athletes Acceleration.
Some Unexpected Benefits
Doing box jumps involves impact to your joints. Therefore, they can help your body boost the mineral content in the bone and the amount of collagen. Don’t under estimate the importance of this boost. These are things that typically decrease with age. This benefit is in addition to the age defying benefits of doing exercise in general. If you use the soft type of box that gyms typically have, it can protect your joints. This is compared to running. The impact involved is less with jumping. Of course this only applies if you use the right equipment because you are landing on a soft surface.
Believe it or not, jumping on to a box has unexpected benefits. When we do high box jumping it increases the cardiovascular demand on our body. In comparison to doing leg presses, squats, or deadlifts, your body uses more oxygen by doing the high box jump. The consequence of this is the your heart adapts in such a way that it uses oxygen more effectively and you can benefit from a lowering of blood pressure.
Helps to Make it Fun
As I have said before, It is important to make your workout fun to make it motivating.This is a great way to achieve enjoyment during a workout. You can be sure that this and other simple work outs will help you to live well and live long.
You can Work out with Irina at Life Time Athletics. Irina Marchenkova is a Fitness Trainer in Ajax doing Personal Training in Ajax at Life Time Athletic.
