The Box Jump WOD is perhaps one of the most straightforward-looking workouts.
Its simplicity, however, doesn’t mean that it is easy.
You need to stand in front of the box before jumping onto it. When you land, both of your feet should touch the box simultaneously.
The Box Jump WOD is a solid lower-body exercise that works your quads, calves, hamstrings, and glutes.
To do the box jump, you need to have technique, timing, explosiveness, and strength.
How to Do the Box Jump WOD
- First, stand with your feet as far as your shoulders. You should also be 1 foot away from the box.
- Bend your knees as you would in a semi-squat, brace your core, extend your hips, and lift your arms just as you jump to provide you with momentum.
- Jump onto the box and descend into a quarter squat as you do. Your arms should be swinging behind you. Both your feet should land right in the middle of the box when you land.
- Stand up once you land and then slowly get down. You can get down by stepping down one foot at a time or simply by jumping down. This movement signifies the end of a rep.
Tips and Strategy
To efficiently and safely complete this workout, you must complete it using proper form.
Furthermore, you should have a solid warm-up before doing the Box Jump WOD.
When doing this workout, you should concentrate more on the quality of your movements rather than your reps.
To this end, here are a few tips to remember.
Consider Box Jump Variations
Apart from doing standard box jumps, you can try different variants to challenge yourself.
For example, you could attempt seated box jumps, where you begin your movement by first sitting down and then jumping from there.
Burpee Box Jump
Alternatively, you could challenge yourself to do a burpee box jump.
You perform a burpee every time you land on the floor before moving into your next rep.
A burpee box jump over allows you to achieve greater intensity while challenging your coordination, agility, and balance.
A burpee box jump is a total body exercise that targets the quads and targets, to a lesser degree, the abs, calves, chest, glutes, forearms, hamstrings, hip flexors, lower and middle back, triceps, and shoulders.
Box Jump Over
A box jump over works the shoulders, chest, core, and legs.
- Stand with your feet under your hips next to a plyo box.
- Bend forward and lay your hands on top of the box.
- Press through your hands while bracing your core.
- Kick your feet up and back toward your glutes.
Jump over the box to the opposite side. You can then reverse the movement and return to the start.
Do eight reps of this box over exercises, rest for one minute, and go for three rounds.
Practice with a Few Reps Initially and Increase Over Time
The thing with box jumps is that your movements can get sloppy if you begin to get tired.
If your movements get sloppy, then you could seriously hurt yourself.
When your movements are sloppy, you risk your feet catching the box’s edge.
With more reps comes the increased risk of fatigue, which causes the quality of your movements to suffer.
While this is normal to an extent, you should never hesitate to adjust your WOD if your reps are too challenging.
You should also warm up before starting any box jump WOD.
A good CrossFit warm up prepares your body for the workout. Tip: Pull-ups and push-ups are a good place to start and will warm up the muscle fibers.
Do Exercises That Build Your Explosiveness and Strength
Sometimes the most effective way to get better isn’t to repeatedly perform the same exercise.
You could do other exercises, from planks, sprinting, and squats to jump rope exercises and lunges, to improve your explosiveness.
You Can Start with a Smaller Box
If you have never done this workout before, you could make the mistake of selecting a box that is too high for you.
The best height depends on your jumping ability, fitness level, and of course, your height.
If you are just beginning to master your jumping and landing skills, you should start with the smallest box you can find.
Let yourself get used to the movement.
Once you have enough explosive power, confidence, and strength, then you can move up to a higher box.
Pay Attention to Your Form
The only way to get the best results is to master proper form.
Brace your core as it is your core that propels you upward.
It is also pivotal in maintaining the right positioning and posture.
You shouldn’t squat too low in the hopes of clearing the box. A half or quarter squat should be enough.
Remember that a crucial part of this movement involves landing properly.
Landing on the box and jumping can stress your muscles and joints, so try to land with soft feet to minimize the impact.
If you find yourself slamming on the box when you land, you might consider moving to a box with a smaller height.
