Yeah, that’s insane.
No, you’re not expected to jump that high when you first start.
Box Jumps are an excellent plyometric exercise that works heavily on the lower body. Because of the explosive power and muscle contraction requred from that part of the body you’ll build strength fairly quickly and see an increase in jumping ability i.e. height.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit my vertical isn’t great. I can’t use the standard boxes that are set up at the facility I use, even if its only by an inch or two. Instead, I stack a few weights up until they reach a slightly lower height and I’ve been working from there. That’s one of the best things about Box Jumps, though. They require no specialized equipment and can be done almost anywhere, at massive benefit.
Steps are as follows:
-Set up a box. If you don’t have a box handy, stack up a few weights, aerobics steps, or use a sturdy chair/bench. Work within your means and abilities.
-Stand in front of the box, feet shoulder-width apart.
-Jump on top of the box, planting both feet firmly on the surface.
-Hold for roughly a second, then jump down, bending your knees as you land.
-Repeat explosive movement as necessary.
If you’re finding your jumps too easy, don’t forget you can add more height, carry weights while you jump, and/or try other variants, like Box Jump Burpees, for a more gainful and intense exercise. I highly recommend trying Box Jumps out if you haven’t already.
Tags: For Your Health, Training
We used to do that for Football training with Plywood boxes and us big boy offensive linemen would slaughter our shins on the corners.