BROAD JUMPS FOR POWER
We’ve been doing a lot of broad jumps lately… and for good reason! They are an excellent way to develop power in your lower body and to coordinate the upper and lower body to generate momentum that aids in this expression of power. They are also a simple and easy way to measure your power output! And the beauty of this simple test is that it captures ALL of the elements that we normally train… the strength in your legs from squats, the power in your hips from KB Swings, the coordination between upper and lower body from our MB throws… doing all of these things in training will translate into a bigger broad jump ????????
Now, for all of my “data-driven” individuals at the SHOP (aka fitness nerds just like me ????), you probably already noticed the measurements and hash marks on the agility ladder. They are there specifically for testing your broad jump. So here’s how to use it…
TESTING & ANALYSIS
PREPARATION
First, make sure you’re adequately warmed up. We heavily emphasize the warmup at the SHOP for good reason. It’s to keep you moving well, improve various elements of mobility, and prepare you for the activities you’re about to perform.
Next, it’s a good idea to build up to a max effort broad jump rather than just going for it. Don’t be that person. Do the following quick and easy build-up (AFTER your thorough warmup):
- Broad Jump x 50% effort (emphasis on absorbing the impact on the landing)
- Broad Jump x 75% effort (emphasis on absorbing the impact on the landing)
- Broad Jump x 95% effort (this means a VERY solid effort, but you’re saving your max for the actual test)
TESTING / MEASURING
- Start with your toes BEHIND the line
- Broad Jump… I like to start with both arms raised high, then I swing my arms back and hinge my hips back in a coordinated fashion, then throw my arms forward as I powerfully extend my ankles, knees, and hips and JUMP as far as I can! On the landing, I focus on absorbing as much impact as possible by bending my knees and hips as I stick the landing.
- Measure the point on your heel (not toes) of the foot furthest back
- Repeat for at least 3 jumps… if your distance continues to improve, keep going! If your distance is stagnant or decreasing, the test is over.
ANALYSIS
A good broad jump result would be equal to your height. This personalizes and normalizes the data when shown as a percentage. And a good goal is to be able to jump more than 110% of your height!
