Tuck Jump

Repeated vertical jumps pulling the knees to the chest. A high-contact plyometric that exposes landing mechanics fast, so keep sets short and do them fresh.

DIFFICULTY
Intermediate
EQUIPMENT
Bodyweight
PRIMARY MUSCLES
Quads · Glutes
ALSO WORKS
Hip Flexors · Calves · Abs
HOW TO DO IT
  1. 01Stand feet hip-width, arms at your sides, ribs down.
  2. 02Dip to a quarter squat and jump vertically.
  3. 03At the top, pull both knees toward the chest and drop the hands to meet them.
  4. 04Extend the legs before landing and touch down on both forefeet, knees bending to absorb.
  5. 05Rebound straight into the next rep for 5 to 8 reps, and stop the set as soon as landings get loud.
COACHING CUES
  1. 01Knees to hands, not hands to knees.
  2. 02Land in the same footprint you left.
  3. 03Short and sharp on the floor.
COMMON MISTAKES
  1. 01Grabbing at the knees with the hands — it makes the tuck look higher while the jump itself is unchanged.
  2. 02Drifting forward rep to rep — a sign the trunk is leading instead of the hips, and landings get progressively worse.
  3. 03Programming long sets as a finisher — fatigue makes ground contacts slow and landings hard, which is where knees get hurt.

Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.

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