Jumping exercise with a barbell. Jump Squats Full Squat Jumps

Greetings, friends! We continue to explore the topic of squats, and today we have nine very hot plyometric exercises on our menu. The editors of the site recommend these training elements to trained athletes, crossfit enthusiasts and avid fitness fans.

Plyometric squats

Plyometric exercises are exercises whose technique involves explosive muscle effort. These exercises almost always involve jumping. They burn a huge amount of calories, develop power, speed and reaction. Plyometric training is very popular among football stars and Hollywood celebrities. Why are you worse?

I don’t think I need to remind you about the mandatory warm-up before such a rigorous workout? Do you want to pump your body to the maximum? Forward!

Jump Squats

A movement is called plyometric when both legs leave the ground at the same time. In other words, it’s a jump. These exercises put maximum stress on your muscles and add cardio to your strength training.

Thus, to complicate it, add jumping to it. So, squat down, and then straighten your knees with a sharp effort and jump up. Land with your legs slightly bent.

Frog

Frogs are known to be great jumpers. Unleash your inner amphibian! Squat down with your legs wide apart. Socks apart, pelvis almost touches the floor. Place your hands on the floor in front of you. Now jump out with your hands up! Land back in frog pose.

Squat down with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your arms out to your sides, as if you were standing on a surfboard with your right side forward. Now turn around with a jump, landing on the board on the other side.

Squat with jump on obstacle

This jump squat variation is for people who like a more challenging workout. Stand in front of a large, stable obstacle. Can be used . Do a regular squat, push hard off the floor and jump with both feet onto the obstacle. At the top, do a squat again and jump back. Land very softly! Start with small steps, then you can increase the height.

Then, when you master the movement well, you can increase the height. Be very careful, this is a difficult exercise. It is not worth practicing without good preparation, as it is very easy to get injured.

Jump Squat – Knees High

Lower yourself into a low squat, feet hip-width apart. Jump sharply, at the top point trying to pull your knees as high as possible and slam your hands on them (or on the side of your shins). Land in a low squat again. You should not stand in between reps. Crouched - jumped, crouched - jumped. Believe me, you haven’t warmed up like this in a long time!

Without leaving the squat

Do a regular squat. Make a springy movement with your pelvis down and jump without straightening your legs. Land on bent legs and repeat. Take small, quick jumps. You do not straighten your body throughout the entire exercise.

Squat down, place your hands in front of you. Jump your legs back and assume a plank position. Jump back into a squat and jump up. Land on your haunches again and repeat the exercise. Quickly straighten your legs, pulling them forward and landing in a low squat. Swinging your arms will help you boost your body and improve your agility. We kneel down carefully, and under no circumstances hit them on the floor.

Russian squats with jumps

The starting position is almost the same as for a sumo squat. Just put your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes apart. Shift your weight to your right leg and jump to the side with your left. Land on both feet. Shift your weight to your right leg and repeat the movement on the other side.

Well, are you still alive? Congratulations - you did a great job!

This is the very first plyometric exercise, as Fred Wilt, a member of the US long-distance running team, called it. In the 1980s, he noticed that Soviet track and field athletes were doing jump squats during warm-ups, while Americans were doing only static stretches. Wilt later became convinced that the jump squat was the main key to the success of Soviet athletes.

During the exercise, a powerful jump from a squat occurs, an explosive load is formed (quick action in a short time), developing strength, endurance and muscle size. Jumping does not require any special preparation, the main thing is to monitor the technique and personal sensations.

Jump squat technique

You can do the exercise on your entire foot, or on your toes. The main thing is to jump as high as possible from the squat. The quadriceps, gluteals, calves work, the abs and lumbar region are additionally involved. Without weights, it is performed in the following order:

1. First, do a warm-up. Feet shoulder width apart, back straight. For convenience, cross your arms near your chest;
2. As you inhale, begin a squat, lowering yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor (as deep as possible). You need to feel what level is best to go down to;
3. You need to jump out while inhaling, do it with a powerful push of your legs, trying to fly as high as possible;
4. After landing, squat and jump again. Repeat as many times as necessary.

Control the landing process on both legs, slightly bent, at the same time. This way you will protect your knee joints. Use comfortable, soft shoes with shock-absorbing soles or soft surfaces such as mats.

Jump Squat Variations

There are many similar types of performance, let's look at some plyometric squats that are used most often:

• Jumping out of a squat with a wide stance,
• Squats with jumping over a bench or any other obstacle;
• Jumping on a bench;
• Squat jumps with legs in the air;
• Jump onto a bench from a sitting position;
• With a barbell.

Jumping technique with weights

In case of insufficient load from your own weight, it is recommended to use dumbbells as weights:

1. Hold the projectiles in straightened arms, lowered down for the entire duration of execution. The back is straight;
2. Lower yourself as you inhale, jump up as you exhale. Push off powerfully with your legs to fly as high as possible;
3. Land with your legs slightly bent.

Please note that with additional load, the risk of joint injury increases. You can land poorly and sprain ligaments or damage your ankle. You can use the lower block of the crossover, a barbell, elastic bands, etc. as weighting materials. If you decide to work with weights, then it will not be superfluous to study.

Contraindications

Squat jumps should not be performed by people with injured joints, a sore back or spine. If you have problems with the cardiovascular system, you need to be careful and contact a specialist (doctor, trainer) to consider your case. Overweight people should also refrain from such squats, otherwise during the jump there will be a compression load on the joints and spine.

To whom, when and how much

To whom: all athletes except those who are contraindicated;

When: this exercise is mainly used as a warm-up for runners, football and basketball players, but it is also used in bodybuilding as an addition to leg exercises; it is recommended at the beginning of training. Then, you can work the quadriceps by doing;

How much: start with 50 seconds, 3 sets, rest 1.5-2 minutes.

Jump squats develop explosive muscle strength and increase working weights in the leg press and barbell squats. It consumes a large amount of calories, so it can be used in fat-burning training.

Masses and relief to you!

Charles Poliquin

Squats are one of the best exercises for both athletes and ordinary people. Doing some form of squats is a must for everyone because they work the entire body, and research shows that squats to increase lower body strength can provide the following benefits:

Improved functional mobility and increased walking speed
. Increases bone mineral density and strengthens bones in general
. Increasing the strength of the muscles in the middle of the body, which in turn helps prevent pain and injuries in the lower back
. Increasing running speed over short and long distances
. Increasing vertical jump height
. Improving sports performance

Squats are such a great exercise that I would even write poetry in their honor, but since you are not visiting my site for poetry, I would rather use this space to tell you the six most important reasons for squats.

1) Do squats to increase your running speed

Running speed is determined by the amount of force applied to the surface, and the fastest way to increase force production is to increase lower body strength. Heavy front squats and traditional squats target the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves to increase resistance to the surface, and also increase strength throughout the entire core. This allows athletes to integrate their own increased speed into their sport-specific movements on the field or court.

Recent research shows that squats increase an athlete's speed. For example, a study of elite rugby players found that increasing maximal squat strength following an eight-week pre-season training program made the athletes significantly faster over short distances. In the study, subjects completed two microcycles—a four-week lower-body strength maximization program followed by a power program of exactly the same duration. In the strength program, athletes performed overhead squats, push and pulls, deadlifts, and Nordic leg curls at 85-90 percent of maximum load. In the power program, participants performed standing barbell cleans, jump squats, overhead squats, and Nordic leg curls at 85 percent of maximum load.

The results showed that rugby players increased their maximum squat weight by 30 kilograms, from 170 to 200 kilograms. And this impressive increase in strength allowed for an increase in sprint speed by 6-7.6 percent in distances of 5, 10 and 20 meters. Thus, in the initial acceleration phase of a short run, athletes began to apply more effort to the surface.

Takeaway: Incorporate heavy front squats and traditional squats into your lower body training to increase speed in short sprints in sports such as basketball, soccer, rugby, field hockey, soccer, and lacrosse. Sprinters and long-distance runners will also benefit from this - trained runners will increase their speed not by increasing the speed of their arms and legs, but by increasing the effort they apply to the surface with each step.

2) Do Squats to Improve Mobility and Reduce Pain

By performing squats, non-athletes will benefit from improved mobility and a reduced risk of low back or knee pain. A recent study of older adults with osteoarthritis found that squats reduced knee pain, improved balance, and increased walking speed. The subjects also experienced a reduction in chronic inflammatory processes associated with arthritis.

Bottom Line: Increasing your lower body and midsection strength will allow you to increase mobility and reduce pain or risk of injury. Squats are a great way to improve your overall health!

3) Perform deep squats to increase your vertical jump height

Full-range squats, in which you drop below the parallel of your thighs to the ball so that your hamstrings press into your calves at the bottom of the range, can increase vertical jump height and improve athletic performance.

A study by German scientists found that a 10-week program of full-range squats increased subjects' vertical jump height more significantly than quarter squats with heavier weights. The researchers compared the effects of deep behind-the-head squats, deep front squats, and quarter-bar squats with a bar on the shoulders on vertical jump height and jump height in jump squats. According to the results of the experiment, the quarter squat group did not increase vertical jump height at all, and the jump squat group increased it by only 2.6 percent.

The deep squat group saw a 5.8 percent increase in jump height in the jump squat group, while the deep front squat group saw a 7.2 percent increase. Meanwhile, the increase in vertical jump height in both of these groups was the same and amounted to about eight percent.

This study is particularly valuable because it refutes the conventional argument in strength and conditioning training that partial movements produce greater gains in strength and power at certain angles in athletes who perform partial range of motion movements during competition. However, instead of giving good results, partial training turned out to be ineffective. Full-range exercises are guaranteed to improve the performance of athletes, whether they play volleyball, long jump, ski jump, or play court or field sports.

Bottom Line: If you want to improve athletic performance, increase strength, increase jump height, and improve body composition, perform deep, full-range squats. This is not to say that partial training is completely useless - it can be used by advanced athletes to improve their strength curve, however, such training should not be the only training stimulus if you want to jump higher and run faster.

4) Perform front squats to improve your performance in your sport.

The front squat is one of the most effective ways to achieve new levels of athleticism, flexibility, and dynamic mobility. They help increase effort production, which in turn improves performance in sports such as bobsleigh, alpine skiing, speed skating and rugby. Proper execution of front squats also helps increase vertical acceleration in weightlifting exercises and in sports that involve jumping, such as basketball and volleyball.

A pair of new scientific experiments show what it takes to get the most out of front squats. First, front squats require good flexibility in the hips, ankles, shoulders and wrists. If you are not flexible enough to perform front squats, you will never reach your lower body potential.

Second, front squats prevent poor technique because you can drop the bar if you “cheat” by moving your pelvis back during the upward movement. Additionally, the compression load placed on the knees during front squats is not as high compared to traditional squats, but at the same time they provide a comparable training stimulus to the muscles.

Thirdly, according to the results of electromyography, it turns out that front squats work the quadriceps, rectus abdominis and spinal erectors more effectively than squats with a bar behind the head. This makes the front squat an excellent quadriceps and core exercise that helps athletes increase sprint speed and improve their jump because it allows for improved force transmission through the kinetic chain, as demonstrated in the aforementioned German study.

Takeaway: Increase your jumping speed and height by performing front squats with proper technique. Incorporating this exercise into your training program will encourage increased training flexibility, and beginners may find front squats more comfortable than shoulder bar squats. Additionally, when using heavy weights, this exercise stimulates the core muscles.

5) Do squats to get nice, strong abs

Squats are a great abdominal exercise, and increasing core strength translates to greater athletic performance. A recent study of collegiate Division I football players found that maximal lower body strength and power, as measured by one-repetition max in the back squat, was most associated with strength in the mid-torso muscles (rectus abdominis, pelvic girdle, obliques and paraspinal muscles).

The authors of this study note the uselessness of the plank exercise in core training for both athletes and everyone else. The plank (and side plank) is performed in a non-functional static position that is rarely seen in everyday life or in any sport, which of course makes it useless as a major training component.

Conclusion: Do squats to increase abdominal strength and get beautiful abs that will allow you to improve your athletic performance. Deadlifts are essential for additional training of the abdominal muscles, and pull-ups are ideal for increasing their endurance, since when performed correctly, pull-ups force you to stabilize the body through the entire range of motion. Push-ups will provide adequate static horizontal abdominal training, and hamstring raises will help increase posterior chain strength if you have structural imbalances in the lower back or hamstrings.

6) Start doing squats at a young age for better health and athletic performance - this exercise is safe for everyone!

The squat is a great exercise for all ages, and research shows that squats should be started at a young age to improve athletic performance and prevent injury. Squats won't hurt your knees or back if done correctly. In addition, starting early in this exercise will allow young athletes to move on to heavy training earlier, since they will have more “training years” this way.

In one two-year study, researchers examined the effects of strength training on children. The experiment involved young elite football players and weightlifters aged 11 to 19 years. The scientists analyzed strength gains in squats based on age groups: Group A - children under 19 years old, Group B - under 17 years old, Group C - under 15 years old, and Group D - children from 11 to 13 years old.

The soccer players followed a regular periodized program that included squats and other multi-joint exercises with free weights for the entire body. The youngest group, D, performed technique-oriented training that included all the same exercises as the older groups, but with a strict focus on technique.

The results showed the following one-rep max in the front and traditional squats relative to body weight (front squats come first):

Group A: 1.5, 1.7
Group B: 1.4, 1.6
Group C: 1.2, 1.4
Group D: 0.7, 0.9

As you can see, in the behind-the-head squat, the final one-rep max of the strength training group was 40 to 50 percent higher than the control group of football players, indicating impressive training benefits.

It's no surprise that young athletes are highly trainable, but "training kids" continues to be plagued by strange myths and misconceptions that prevent parents and athletic trainers from enrolling young athletes in strength training. Despite an abundance of research showing that athletes suffer far fewer injuries in the weight room than on the playing field, and that strength training—and especially squats—increases bone mineral density and improves rather than stunts children's growth, many young athletes are not reaching their potential because they are not lifting weights.

Conclusion: Squats should be done by everyone. Scientists say that young athletes can switch to strength training as early as 7-8 years old in order to have more than 10 years of experience training with weights by the age of 19. At the same time, naturally, training should be enjoyable, however, it is also necessary to carefully monitor the technique.

For beginners, you can suggest the following training scheme using the burpee exercise:

1. Do the exercise for two minutes.
2. Two minutes rest.
3. Repeat 3 times or as many times as you can.

You can progress by increasing the number of repetitions of the exercise in the interval, reducing the rest time or adding “circles”.

For intermediate level of training:

1. Two minute exercise.
2. Rest for one and a half minutes.
3. Repeat 5 times.

For advanced athletes:

1. Three minute exercise.
2. One minute rest.
3. Repeat 6 times.

There is also such a technique as tabata protocol. In this case, the exercise is performed intensively for 20 seconds, then there is a 10 second break. This is repeated 8 times (4 minutes), then there is a minute rest, etc.

Whichever option you choose, adding burpees to your training program is guaranteed to speed up your metabolism, significantly increase your endurance and explosiveness, and tone your entire body. Show yourself what you are capable of. Good luck!

Technique and variations

Let me remind you that the transition from one movement to another is performed without pauses.

Watch this video on YouTube

The technique for performing the classic version of burpee is as follows:

1. Squat down with both palms on the floor on either side of your body. The reeds should be pressed to your calves, your hands should be stable, because it is on them that you will lean in the next moment. There is no need to raise your head up; the neck is an extension of the spine. This is the starting position.
2. We jump into a prone position. As you exhale, transfer your weight to your arms and elastically push your legs off the floor, throwing them back. You don't need to jump high, you just need to lift your feet off the floor to straighten your legs.
3. Now you need to do push-ups. As you exhale, bend your elbows and lower your chest to the floor. The body is absolutely straight; the position of the elbows does not matter significantly. Spread your elbows to the sides - you load the pectoral muscles more, press them closer to the body - the triceps work more. Do as you please. As you exhale, straighten your arms and return to the lying position.
4. We return to the squat. Inhale and push your feet off the floor, throwing your pelvis up. You should jump back into a squat.
5. Jumping out. Now comes the fun part. Tighten the muscles of your entire body and, exhaling sharply, jump up as high as possible. Reach your hands towards the ceiling. Your body should straighten into a string. Land firmly on slightly bent legs and go into a squat.
6. Repeat the exercise until the end of the time interval.

The above version of burpee can be varied as much as you like.

So, for beginners who are not yet familiar with the loads that CrossFit implies, we can recommend removing jumping from the exercise. That is, you do everything exactly the same, but instead, you just get up energetically. Or, as an option, leave the jump, but remove the push-ups (this will be easier for girls).

Watch this video on YouTube

In addition to the standard six elements (squat-plank-push-up-plank-squat-jump), you can add others at your discretion. This could be punching and kicking, jumping onto a platform, etc.

If you are an advanced athlete, you can add weights. This is not recommended for beginners and people with an average level of training. The exercise can be performed with dumbbells or wearing a special weighted vest.

In other words, you can vary the exercise as much as you like. The main thing is not to allow yourself to be lazy. That is, if it’s a jumping, then at full strength and as high as possible; if it’s a push-up, then it’s a full-fledged one, performed correctly, and not just slightly bent arms.

And, of course, the most important aspect is control over your own well-being. If your heart starts to jump out, you feel nausea or other unpleasant symptoms, stop training

However, please note that you cannot immediately lie face down on the floor. Walk around, restore your breathing, but do not reduce the intensity sharply to zero - this is dangerous for the heart

Sumo squats

Starting position – standing, arms along the body. We squat with our legs spread apart, while our hands are placed point-blank between our legs. This is similar to the pose of sumo wrestlers, hence the name. From this position, we push our legs back so that we are in support while lying on outstretched arms. Return to the sumo squat and return to the starting position. We perform 15 repetitions.

Performing one round of exercises will take no more than 10 minutes. As the body gets used to the load, the speed needs to be increased. You need to train at least three times a week. The table below shows a list of exercises and the number of repetitions for each.

These exercises are included in the complex of the popular CrossFit trend. What makes it special? CrossFit offers high-intensity workouts for all fitness levels that work every muscle in the body and build endurance. The main condition is that you need to perform the exercises quickly and without rest. It is due to this that high training efficiency is achieved.

The proposed exercises put a lot of stress on the joints. It's better if you wear knee pads. There are a lot of jumps in the complex, so you need to choose the right shoes. It must have a shock absorption effect. When jumping barefoot or wearing shoes with thin soles, there is a risk of damaging your knees and feet.

By performing this complex every day, the first results will be visible within a month. The body will become drier and more prominent due to a decrease in the percentage of adipose tissue. If you supplement exercise with a diet high in protein and limited in fat, the fat will gradually be squeezed out by the muscles. You will get a beautiful body without wasting time and money on the gym!

Description of the exercise

Barbell jumping jacks are not an exercise for beginners. As effective as this exercise is, it is also difficult and therefore dangerous. It is effective, first of all, for developing explosive strength in the muscles of the legs and buttocks, and therefore is often used in weightlifting and athletics. And in general in all exercises where explosive leg strength is needed.

Amateurs do not need to do this exercise, but if they want, it is better to do it at the end of a leg workout. And it’s better to jump out of complete gray. That is, at the beginning you squat completely, and then you immediately begin to accelerate the barbell from the squat itself. The goal is to jump as high as possible. Accordingly, for this you need to develop speed as much as possible.

Main features

1. NEVER land on straight legs! Otherwise, you are guaranteed to have problems with your back and knees. Always cushion with your feet after jumping. That is, when you start to land, you immediately bend your knees and go into the next squat. In other words, there should be no pause. Everything must be done dynamically. However, this requires a certain skill.

2. If you are not a professional athlete, then select such a weight that you can do 6–10 jumps. And at the same time, the last repetitions were difficult for you. Typically, this is about 50% of the weight you can squat for one repetition.

3. The technique of squatting and standing up should be exactly the same as for regular squats.

4. Try to jump straight up. So as not to jump all over the hall, but to land at the same point.

Types of squats

It turns out that squats can be varied and thereby pump up almost the entire body. You can use weights or fitness bands to increase the load. Experienced trainers identify several that can improve your figure.

• Gun. Its essence is as follows: you need to stand straight, lean on one leg, straighten the other leg parallel to the floor, stretch your arms forward, palms down. After this, you need to do a squat so that ideally your hips touch your heels. When performing the exercise at the bottom point, the second leg should not touch the floor. You also need to get up slowly to avoid injury. When performing the exercise, it is important to maintain balance and not lower your extended leg to the floor.

• One leg squat. Similar to the previous example, only the second leg does not need to be extended forward. It is enough to bend it at the knee and move it forward or backward. When performing the exercise, you need to go as low as possible and return to the starting position. At first, you can lean on a chair or a wall.

• Sumo. The starting position of this exercise: legs wide apart and toes turned outward. You need to lower yourself until you get a right angle at the knee joint. To complicate the exercise and increase the load, the trainer may recommend performing a sumo squat on the toes without supporting the heel. So the load on the gluteal and thigh muscles increases many times over.

• Pulse Squat. Looks like a standard exercise. The difference is that at the lowest point it is necessary to perform three springing movements of the pelvis (amplitude 4-5 cm).
• Surfer. The starting position is as follows: a squat is performed with legs wide apart, arms spread to the sides. The stance should resemble a surfer on a board. When jumping, you should turn around so as to land on an imaginary attribute on the other side.
• Squat with legs crossed. It is important to stand up straight, place your feet shoulder-width apart, and place your hands on your hips. It is important to remember that both knees resemble a right angle when performing the exercise. One leg is brought back and to the left, a squat is performed.
• Squat on a chair. The athlete stands straight and places his feet together. You need to perform a squat with your pelvis pulled back until your thighs are parallel to the floor. An outside view: a man sits down on a chair.
• Grand plié. You need to stand up straight, place your heels together and toes apart. When performing the exercise, you cannot move your hips back, but you need to sit down straight down. If it is very difficult to perform such a stance, you can lift your heels off the floor at the lowest point. You need to return to the starting position slowly.
• Buttocks to heels. The athlete joins his legs together and extends his arms forward, palms down. He needs to squat down so that his buttocks touch his heels. To maintain balance at the lowest point, you can rest your hands on the floor.
• Squat twist. Feet are placed shoulder-width apart and a standard squat is performed. When returning to the starting position, you need to touch the opposite elbow with your knee and twist your body.
• Jump squats. This particular exercise can have several variations.

Weight and number of repetitions

The number of repetitions and working weight depends on your goal and other parameters. But the general recommendations can be presented in the form of a table:

In order to make the training more diverse and effective you have to change the number of repetitions and the working weight. It is important not to go beyond certain values!

*Specify the weight and the maximum number of repetitions that you can perform with this weight.

What muscles work

In addition, jump squats also stimulate the development of explosive quadriceps strength due to the sharp contraction of muscle fibers. This will be very useful for us when performing heavy squats and deadlifts, where a good explosion at the start guarantees a quick and powerful lift of the projectile. Many Western powerlifting instructors make jumping exercises (such as jump squats and box jumps) the primary aid for developing truly strong legs.

The main muscle groups worked during jump squats are the quadriceps, hip adductors and buttocks. Additional static load is carried by the spinal extensors, abdominal muscles and thigh biceps.

The most common variation of jumping is to perform this exercise with the athlete’s own weight - this is the easiest way to control the movement, monitor breathing, and the load on the knees and spine will be minimal. However, no one forbids you to complicate your task and try to perform this exercise with additional weights in the form of a barbell or dumbbells. It is best to place the barbell on the trapezium, as with dumbbells - we hold them in outstretched arms, trying not to strain the biceps and shoulders. Of course, the weight should be moderate, strength records are not of interest to us here, and there is no point in working in a low rep range. Choose a weight with which you can handle at least 10 “clean” repetitions and gradually increase the load, remembering to give the body enough resources to recover.

The risk of injury from the exercise from using additional weight, of course, increases, since an axial load appears on the spine and creates unwanted compression on the knee joints.

Variation of jump squats

• Frog. The athlete stands with his legs spread wide apart. The pelvis should almost touch the floor, and the toes should point outward. You need to jump out of the squat sharply. The hands touched the floor, and after the maneuver they were raised up. Then you need to return to the starting position: a deep squat while maintaining balance.

• Squat with jump and knee kick. The legs are placed hip-width apart. When performing a low squat and then coming out of it, you need to jump sharply. The knees are pulled as high as possible at the top point, the hands touch the shins or knees. You need to lower yourself into a low squat and immediately jump up again.

• Squats with jumping up onto an obstacle. This exercise is similar to the previous one, but you need to jump onto a platform, cube, etc. You need to make sure that the structure can withstand such a maneuver. The athlete should squat down and jump onto the obstacle with both feet. The platform should not be too high. Once at an obstacle, the athlete performs a standard squat and jumps back. As you gain experience, you can increase the height of the platform.

Squat with jump on obstacle

This jump squat variation is for people who like a more challenging workout. Stand in front of a large, stable obstacle. Can be used. Do a regular squat, push hard off the floor and jump with both feet onto the obstacle. At the top, do a squat again and jump back. Land very softly! Start with small steps, then you can increase the height.

Then, when you master the movement well, you can increase the height. Be very careful, this is a difficult exercise. It is not worth practicing without good preparation, as it is very easy to get injured.

Bench press

The illustration above shows the most hellish version of this exercise - not only does it put unnatural pressure on the shoulder joint breaking effect(the humerus is pulled too far beyond the shoulder blade), and the spine is also compressed on both sides (top and bottom). By the way, when a person sits in a strictly vertical position, the load on the spine is 50% higher than when he stands.

Why do this exercise? Supposedly for training the middle beam of deltas. The funny thing is that the overhead press is a pushing movement. It mainly works on the front beam. But the middle delta responds much better to a pulling movement, such as lifting a barbell to the chin with a wide grip (or even more likely to the chest) and raising the arms to the sides.

Alternative- good old military press (or standing chest press). As an option - dumbbell press up. The load on the deltoids is approximately the same, but there is no breaking effect on the delicate shoulder joint.

If you really want to press from behind your head, don’t lower the barbell below your ears. But it is better to abandon this movement in favor of alternatives.

What are the benefits of doing burpees?

So, the essence of the exercise is clear. Now let's figure out why it is needed, what benefits it provides, and what physical qualities it develops. In other words, why it makes sense to master burpees even if you're not particularly interested in CrossFit.

The first indisputable advantage is that the exercise involves working a large number of muscle groups throughout the body. After all, you consistently perform push-ups and jumping jacks from a deep squat, interspersing all this with a plank pose on straight arms.

The following muscle groups receive the greatest load:

• Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves.
• Large pecs, triceps.
• Deltoid muscles.
• Press.

Almost every muscle in your body is recruited to perform this complex, coordinated movement. Combined with the speed of execution, this results in enormous energy consumption.

Burpees have a number of other benefits:

• In order to push yourself to the fullest, you do not need any additional equipment. Just your own body and a couple of square meters on the floor. This makes the exercise universal. You can train in the gym, at home, on the street, in a hotel room on vacation, basically anywhere.
• Exercise trains the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, circulates blood throughout the body and accelerates metabolic processes in the body. By spending a few minutes exercising in the morning, you will be alert and energetic all day long.
• The exercise develops explosive strength, speed, coordination and balance. You learn to control every muscle of your body, perform movements quickly, clearly and consistently.
• The high calorie consumption during exercise makes it an ideal tool in the fight against excess fat. Do you want to lose weight, get lean, burn off the piece of cake you ate? Get started!
• Saving time, which is important for many busy people. Give yourself a few short intervals of work and rest every day, and you will get excellent physical exercise. To maintain health and well-being, this alone will be enough.

Contraindications to performing the exercise are any injuries, painful conditions, problems with blood pressure, heart or blood vessels. To begin an intense workout, you must feel good.

So, let's move on to execution techniques and variations.

Correct technique for performing the exercise

Below we will look at the most correct technique for performing jump squats, by studying which you can significantly increase the amount of work performed in training.

Starting position

• We place our feet shoulder-width apart;
• The feet are placed slightly apart;
• The back is straight;
• We cross our arms on our chest;
• The gaze is directed forward.

If you are performing an exercise with a barbell, place it on the trapezius muscles and squeeze it tightly with your palms; it should not change its position throughout the approach. If you are performing the exercise with dumbbells, grab them tightly with your hands (you can use wrist straps or hooks) and try to keep them pointed straight down throughout the entire approach. If the dumbbells swing from side to side, you risk shoulder injury.

Squat

Perform a deep squat, keeping your back straight and not rounding your sacrum. Try to touch your thigh biceps to your calf muscles - this will be our lowest point of amplitude. Do not change the position of the apparatus if you perform the exercise with additional weights.

Jerk

Begin an explosive upward movement, trying to straighten your legs as quickly as possible, and exhale sharply as you do so. After this, try to lift your feet off the ground; due to the given powerful acceleration, you will lift off the ground by several tens of centimeters. Watch the position of the barbell and dumbbells during the jump. If you are outweighed and cannot control the movement, reduce the working weight or perform jumping exercises with your own weight.

"Landing"

When you have already started to go down, inhale and concentrate on landing with your legs slightly bent and immediately continue moving down - this way you will minimize the risk of injuring your knee joints. Land, immediately lower yourself as low as you can and perform one more repetition without pausing after landing or at the bottom. The work must be continuous so that the thigh muscles are in constant tension.

Jump squat technique

You can do the exercise on your entire foot, or on your toes. The main thing is to jump as high as possible from the squat. The quadriceps, gluteals, calves work, the abs and lumbar region are additionally involved. Without weights, it is performed in the following order:

1. First, do a warm-up. Feet shoulder width apart, back straight. For convenience, cross your arms near your chest;
2. As you inhale, begin a squat, lowering yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor (as deep as possible). You need to feel what level is best to go down to;
3. You need to jump out while inhaling, do it with a powerful push of your legs, trying to fly as high as possible;
4. After landing, squat and jump again. Repeat as many times as necessary.

Control the landing process on both legs, slightly bent, at the same time. This way you will protect your knee joints. Use comfortable, soft shoes with shock-absorbing soles or soft surfaces such as mats.

Jump Squat Variations

There are many similar types of performance, let's look at some plyometric squats that are used most often:

• Jumping out of a squat with a wide stance,
• Squats with jumping over a bench or any other obstacle;
• Jumping on a bench;
• Squat jumps with legs in the air;
• Jump onto a bench from a sitting position;
• With a barbell.

Jumping technique with weights

In case of insufficient load from your own weight, it is recommended to use dumbbells as weights:

1. Hold the projectiles in straightened arms, lowered down for the entire duration of execution. The back is straight;
2. Lower yourself as you inhale, jump up as you exhale. Push off powerfully with your legs to fly as high as possible;
3. Land with your legs slightly bent.

Please note that with additional load, the risk of joint injury increases. You can land poorly and sprain ligaments or damage your ankle. You can use the lower block of the crossover, a barbell, elastic bands, etc. as weighting materials. If you decide to work with weights, then it will not be superfluous to study Jefferson squats.

Contraindications

Squat jumps should not be performed by people with injured joints, a sore back or spine. If you have problems with the cardiovascular system, you need to be careful and contact a specialist (doctor, trainer) to consider your case. Overweight people should also refrain from such squats, otherwise during the jump there will be a compression load on the joints and spine.

To whom, when and how much

To whom: all athletes except those who are contraindicated;

When: this exercise is mainly used as a warm-up for runners, football and basketball players, but it is also used in bodybuilding as an addition to leg exercises; it is recommended at the beginning of training. Then, you can work out the quadriceps by doing;

How much: start with 50 seconds, 3 sets, rest 1.5-2 minutes.

Jump squats develop explosive muscle strength and increase working weights in the leg press and barbell squats. It consumes a large amount of calories, so it can be used in fat-burning training.

Masses and relief to you!

Jump squats technique and execution features

Classic squats are mainly used to strengthen the muscles of the buttocks and legs. If you complement the squat with a jump, this will make the exercise explosive and aerobic. Jump squats are very commonly used in interval training because they strengthen muscles and increase your heart rate to burn calories. By regularly performing jump squats, you can get rid of excess fat and tone your body, especially your lower part.

Jump squat technique

1. Stand straight with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and lower yourself into a squat position. Bring your arms together in front of you or stretch them along your body. The thighs should be almost parallel to the floor, with a right angle between the shin and thigh. The heel is completely on the floor.

2. Jump sharply vertically up, arms down along the body. Don't lower your head, stretch your head up.

3. Return to a squat position. Continue to move dynamically, increasing or decreasing the speed of the exercise as necessary.

What to pay attention to when performing jump squats:

• Keep your back straight during all phases of the movement, while your body is slightly tilted forward
• Lower your shoulders, relax your neck, look forward, bring your shoulder blades together slightly
• Land softly with a springy motion
• When performing squats, do not arch your back in the lumbar region, twist your pelvis back
• Make sure your knees don't go ahead of your toes

If you're doing jump squats to burn calories, strengthen your heart, and develop explosive muscle power, pay attention to the speed of the exercise. The higher the speed, the faster you will raise your heart rate and speed up fat burning. If you are doing jump squats to strengthen and tone the muscles of your lower body, you can additionally use dumbbells, resistance bands, or leg weights. Always perform jumping exercises in running shoes.

Main mistakes when performing jump squats:

• Slouched back, strong body tilt forward
• Knees go forward of the toes
• When squatting, the heel comes off the floor
• Jumping hard and shocking

The picture below shows the main mistakes when performing jump squats. Remember that performing the exercise incorrectly will not only reduce its effectiveness, but can also cause injury to your knees or spine.

How to do jump squats:

• For beginners: 10-12 reps in 3 sets (rest 1 minute between sets)
• For intermediate level: 20-25 reps in 4 sets (rest 30 seconds between sets)
• For advanced level: 30-35 reps in 6 sets (rest 30 seconds between sets)

How else can you do jump squats:

You can perform jump squats using the Tabata principle. What does it mean? Turn on the timer and do the exercise 20 seconds in 8 approaches, rest 10 seconds between sets. In total, you will get a very intense 4-minute set to burn calories and strengthen the muscles of the buttocks and legs. This short, explosive workout is called Tabata and is considered one of the most effective ways to improve your body and speed up your metabolism.

VIDEO of how you can do jump squats:

Features of the exercise

In a training method such as CrossFit, increased attention is paid to burpees. Initially, the exercise was invented to evaluate the physical fitness of American military personnel, however, since CrossFit collects the best elements from different disciplines, we attribute the merit in popularizing burpees to it

First of all, it’s worth understanding what elements this exercise consists of. There can be many variations - athletes can complicate or simplify the exercise by adding or excluding certain movements.

The classic version looks like this:

1. , hands on the floor.
2. Transition with a jump while lying down.
3. Push-ups.
4. Jump back into a squat.
5. Jumping up from a squat.
6. Return to squat.

These six elements make up one repeat.

The training task is to do the exercise as quickly and correctly as possible and fit the greatest number of cycles into the allotted time interval. The duration of this interval depends on the physical preparation of the athlete and the characteristics of his training program.

This could be 20 seconds of intense exercise with 10 second rest breaks, two minute intervals interspersed with a minute rest, and so on. Examples of training (work and rest intervals) for people of different levels of training will be given at the end of the article.

Burpee

This exercise can only evoke two feelings: either you love it or you hate it! What you love about burpees is that they really give results, don’t require any additional equipment, and can be done anywhere! And hate it because it is simply deadly heavy!

Burpees combine a squat, push-up, and jump into sequential movements that are performed at a fast pace. This exercise is included in training programs for people who are required to have high physical performance: firefighters, special forces, professional athletes of individual and team sports. This is because burpees involve almost all the muscles in our body!

burpee

Burpee is a multi-joint exercise that involves several muscle groups at once. The most loaded muscles are the legs (hamstrings, glutes and calves), and the load also falls on the pectoral muscles, triceps and shoulders. The abdominal muscles are involved. There are practically no muscles that burpees do not affect.

Technique for performing classic burpees

1. Do a squat, placing your palms in front of you.
2. Kick your legs back into a prone position.
3. Do some push-ups.
4. Immediately after the push-up, tuck your legs under you, returning to the squat position.
5. Jump up from a sitting position, straightening your entire body and clap your palms above your head.

This is one "burpee" or "burpee". The exercise is performed at the fastest possible pace, with maximum intensity and the inclusion of all possible muscles.

Burpees have many benefits

• strengthening the muscles of the whole body;
• development of core muscle strength - 29 muscle pairs located in the pelvis, abdomen and lower back form the core necessary to maintain the balance of the human body; (Read more in the article)
• burning a lot of calories during the exercise (this factor depends on the number of repetitions, speed of execution and your current weight)
• acceleration of metabolism for the whole day, that is, the benefits of the exercise remain even after you finish the workout;
• development of flexibility;
• development of coordination/balance and endurance;
• “pumping” of the cardiovascular system, improving the functioning of the heart and lungs;

There are different options for adapting the exercise. It can be made easier and more difficult. Beginners can skip the push-up and remain in the plank position, or skip the jump. You can increase the intensity of burpees by adding a forward or side jump between repetitions. Some people use weights and dumbbells and even do pull-ups between reps!

burpee technique

To incorporate burpees into your workout, try doing a few sets at a free pace. After the first couple of sets, be prepared to increase your speed of movement. For optimal results, try to do it at the maximum pace. Ideally, you will do 100 burpees. The result will be visible within a week.

Here are some ways to use burpees in your workout: Do 100 reps as quickly as possible, or see how many reps you can do in 10 minutes. You can also try doing the so-called 20 to 1 pyramid: do 20 burpees, rest for a couple of seconds, do 19 reps and rest again. Continue doing 1 less rep until you reach 1 rep. These options are a real challenge and are more suitable for those who have already developed good physical training.

If you're just starting out, alternate burpees with other exercises.

Even a few sets of 10 burpees per set will get your heart racing and your breathing noticeably faster, your legs will feel like they are filled with lead, your arms will shake and you will feel that your muscles have become stronger. Do them regularly and you will see your fitness improve rapidly.

Again, this is a full-body exercise, which means you'll be using every muscle in your body, meaning you'll burn more calories in less time.

It is estimated that on average, a man weighing 82 kg burns 1.43 calories per burpee. If you do at least 7 per minute, then the figure doubles. But you need to aim for 10 burpees per minute, i.e. to the figure of 14.3 calories per minute. Why? 10 reps at high speed can fire up your metabolism just as much as a full 30-second sprint on the bike, making burpees a killer cardio exercise.