Exercise Library
Depth Jump
The depth jump is a plyometric exercise used to train the ability to productively absorb force and apply the resulting stored elastic energy into a following explosive concentric motion.
Stand at the front edge of a box or bench with the arms already at the back of their swing. Step off to drop and land on the balls of both feet together, letting the heels meet the floor and absorbing the force with a bend of the knees and hips. Arrest the downward motion as quickly as possible and drive straight back up into a maximal effort vertical jump.
They can be performed with no arm swing to completely focus on the lower body effort—hold the hands loosely at the chest.
Introduce this exercise very conservatively with a low box—12-16 inches—and low volume—2-3 sets of 3-5 reps. For inexperienced athletes, it’s a good idea to train depth drops only for at least a few weeks to condition the body. The exercise is much more taxing than it appears. Increase height and volume gradually as tolerated.
Purpose
The depth drop develops the ability of the legs to absorb force safely and productively while maintaining the desired position and balance. This is useful for the jerk dip and drive, and receiving cleans in particular. It’s also the base of the depth jump exercise.
Programming
Depth drops are far more taxing on the body than they may appear, so be conservative with volume and frequency. Introduce with a low box—12-16 inches—and low volume—2-3 sets of 3-5 reps. Increase height and volume gradually as tolerated to 20-28 inches for 4 sets of 10 reps at the most. Perform depth drops at the end of a workout after primary exercises.
Variations
Outside of weightlifting, it’s common to perform depth jumps without allowing the heels to touch the ground. Instead of a vertical jump, the athlete can jump up onto a box. However, this is both riskier and reduces the focus on the jump itself. Like any jump variation, the arm swing can be removed for maximal focus on the lower body effort.
Stand at the front edge of a box or bench with the arms already at the back of their swing. Step off to drop and land on the balls of both feet together, letting the heels meet the floor and absorbing the force with a bend of the knees and hips. Arrest the downward motion as quickly as possible and drive straight back up into a maximal effort vertical jump.
They can be performed with no arm swing to completely focus on the lower body effort—hold the hands loosely at the chest.
Introduce this exercise very conservatively with a low box—12-16 inches—and low volume—2-3 sets of 3-5 reps. For inexperienced athletes, it’s a good idea to train depth drops only for at least a few weeks to condition the body. The exercise is much more taxing than it appears. Increase height and volume gradually as tolerated.
Purpose
The depth drop develops the ability of the legs to absorb force safely and productively while maintaining the desired position and balance. This is useful for the jerk dip and drive, and receiving cleans in particular. It’s also the base of the depth jump exercise.
Programming
Depth drops are far more taxing on the body than they may appear, so be conservative with volume and frequency. Introduce with a low box—12-16 inches—and low volume—2-3 sets of 3-5 reps. Increase height and volume gradually as tolerated to 20-28 inches for 4 sets of 10 reps at the most. Perform depth drops at the end of a workout after primary exercises.
Variations
Outside of weightlifting, it’s common to perform depth jumps without allowing the heels to touch the ground. Instead of a vertical jump, the athlete can jump up onto a box. However, this is both riskier and reduces the focus on the jump itself. Like any jump variation, the arm swing can be removed for maximal focus on the lower body effort.
