Jumping Lunge

Also known as: Jump Lunge, Split Jump, Alternating Jump Lunge

PlyometricExplosiveBalanceFunctionalCardio

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Body Part: Legs

Description

A bodyweight plyometric lunge. From a split stance you jump straight up, switch legs in the air and land in a lunge with the other foot in front, then go straight into the next jump. It builds power in the quadriceps, glutes and calves and trains balance and landing control.

How to Perform

Stand in a split stance with one foot forward and the back heel raised, feet about hip-width apart side to side. Brace your core.
Lower until your back knee is just above the floor and your front thigh is about parallel to it. Keep your torso upright.
Push hard through the whole front foot and the ball of the back foot and jump straight up, swinging your arms in opposition.
Switch legs in the air so the back foot comes forward and the front foot goes back.
Land softly in a lunge with the other foot in front, bending both knees to absorb the impact.
Go straight into the next jump and keep alternating legs until the set is done.

What Muscles Work

Primary Muscle:

Secondary Muscles:

Tips

Swing your arms in opposition to your legs, as when running, to gain height and keep the rhythm.
Treat each landing as the start of the next rep: absorb it in the lunge and jump again without a pause.
Keep your feet about hip-width apart side to side on every landing, as if on two rails, not on one line.
Start with low jumps at a slower pace and add height and speed only when every landing is stable.
If you cannot control the landing yet, build up with regular lunges or split squats first.
Breathe out as you jump and breathe in as you sink into the lunge.

Common Mistakes

Letting the front knee cave inward on landing or takeoff.
Landing on stiff, straight legs instead of bending the knees to absorb the impact.
Jumping forward and drifting across the floor instead of straight up.
Dipping only slightly between jumps, with the back knee far from the floor.
Letting the front heel lift in the bottom position, which shifts the load onto the knee.
Leaning the torso far forward or arching the lower back.
Twisting the hips or letting one hip drop as the legs switch.