Broad Jump
What Is the Broad Jump?
Broad Jump is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quads and glutes and also engages the hamstrings, calves and lower back. It is an intermediate-level plyometric movement in which you swing your arms back, dip into a quick countermovement and jump forward off both feet as far as you can, then land on both feet in a squat. It needs nothing but body weight and a clear stretch of floor.
The broad jump trains horizontal power, the ability to push your body forward quickly, which is the quality behind sprint starts, accelerations and the first explosive steps in field and court sports. Measured for distance, it is also one of the most widely used field tests of lower-body power: it is the broad jump at the NFL Scouting Combine and the standing long jump in school and adult fitness test batteries. As a training drill it usually sits early in a session, right after the warm-up and before heavy lifting, done for a few low-rep sets with full rest so every jump is fast.
The hips, knees and ankles extend together at takeoff. Because you lean forward over your feet at the bottom of the countermovement, the glutes and hamstrings share the drive with the quadriceps, and the calves finish the push off the toes. The arm swing adds distance and balance, and the landing is where the work turns eccentric, as the quads and glutes brake your forward momentum in a deep squat. Single jumps with a held landing build power and landing control, while consecutive broad jumps add a fast rebound between reps, and the Burpee Broad Jump turns the movement into a conditioning drill.
This exercise suits athletes, team-sport players and anyone who wants to train explosive power without equipment. If it is too hard, build up with the Bodyweight Squat for the pattern, then the Jump Squat or Box Jump until you can land repeated jumps softly with your knees tracking over your toes. Start with short jumps you can land quietly and add distance only while every landing stays balanced.
Muscles Worked
- Gluteus Maximus
- Primary
- Rectus Femoris
- Primary
- Vastus Lateralis
- Primary
- Vastus Medialis
- Primary
- Adductor Magnus
- Medium
- Biceps Femoris
- Medium
- Erector Spinae
- Medium
- Soleus
- Medium
- Deltoid
- Low
Instructions
- Stand behind a line with your feet about hip-width apart, toes pointing forward, and a clear, non-slip landing area in front of you.
- Raise your arms in front of you, then swing them down and back as you push your hips back and bend your knees, leaning your chest forward over your feet.
- Without pausing at the bottom, swing your arms forward and up hard as you drive through your feet and extend your hips, knees and ankles explosively.
- Push off at a low angle so you travel forward rather than straight up, reaching your arms overhead as your body stretches out in the air.
- As you start to come down, bring your knees forward and reach your feet out in front of your hips.
- Swing your arms down and forward as your feet touch down, to keep your weight from falling backward.
- Land on both feet at the same time, about hip-width apart, and sink into a deep squat by bending your hips and knees to absorb the impact.
- Keep your knees tracking over your toes, your chest up and your arms reaching forward, and hold the landing for a moment.
- Stand up tall, turn around or walk back to the line, and reset before the next jump.
Common Mistakes
Jumping up instead of out
Taking off at a steep angle spends your effort on height instead of distance and makes you land from higher up, so drive forward at a low angle.
Skipping the arm swing
Keeping the arms still or giving them a half-hearted swing cuts distance and makes it harder to stay balanced in the air and on landing.
Pausing at the bottom
Sinking into the dip and holding it loses the stretch from the countermovement, so swing back and reverse straight into the jump.
Landing with stiff legs
Touching down with straight knees sends the impact through the joints instead of letting the hips and knees bend to absorb it.
Knees caving inward
Letting the knees collapse toward each other on landing strains the knee and is a sign the jump was longer than you can control.
Jumping farther than you can land
Reaching the feet too far ahead to grab extra distance tips you backward onto your hands or hips, so only count jumps you can hold in balance.
Injuries
Broad Jump is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. Every repetition ends in a landing that has to stop both your body weight and your forward momentum, so the knees, ankles and lower back take real stress, and the risk rises when you jump farther than you can control.
The knees are most exposed when you land with straight legs or let them cave inward, which can strain the ligaments and irritate the patellar tendon. The ankles and Achilles tendons absorb much of the takeoff and landing, so soreness there is a sign to cut volume. Reaching your feet too far ahead can tip you backward onto your hands or hips, and letting your chest collapse over your knees on landing loads the lower back. Warm up first, jump on a flat, non-slip surface such as a rubber floor or grass in supportive shoes, and keep the total number of jumps low: beginners should count each landing as one foot contact and stay around 80 to 100 contacts across all jumping drills in a session, with at least 48 hours before the next jump session.
To regress, shorten the jump and hold each landing, or go back to the Jump Squat or the Box Jump, which takes most of the impact out of the landing. The Bodyweight Squat trains the pattern with no impact at all. To progress, add distance, then move to consecutive broad jumps or the Burpee Broad Jump. Stop right away if you feel sharp pain in the knee, ankle, Achilles tendon or lower back, and end the set when your landings get loud or you start to stumble.
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Modality
- Plyometrics
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Alternative Exercises
Other Names for the Broad Jump
The Broad Jump is also known as:
- Standing Long Jump
- Standing Broad Jump
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: How do I measure my broad jump?
Start with your toes behind a line, jump forward off both feet and measure from the line to the back of the heel closest to it, keeping the best of two or three attempts that you land without falling back. Practice it before you rely on the number: in a study of 410 adults aged 18 to 64, first scores came in about 12 cm shorter than a retest a week later, and results only became consistent after three practice sessions.
- Q: Does the arm swing really make a difference?
Yes. In a small study of three men, jumps with a free arm swing went about 21% farther than jumps with the arms restricted, mostly because the swing raised takeoff speed and helped them control their body position in the air.
- Q: How many broad jumps should I do?
For power, 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 5 single jumps with about 1 to 2 minutes of rest between sets keeps every jump fast. Count each landing as one foot contact, keep the session total modest if you are new to jumping, and leave at least 48 hours between jump sessions.
- Q: Should I do single broad jumps or consecutive ones?
Start with single jumps, holding each landing for a moment before you reset. Once your landings are consistently quiet and balanced, consecutive broad jumps, where you rebound straight into the next jump, add a faster and more demanding stretch-shortening component.
- Q: What is the difference between a broad jump and a box jump?
A broad jump sends you forward and makes you absorb the full landing on the floor, so it trains horizontal power and landing control. A Box Jump sends you upward onto a box, which cuts the landing impact and makes it the gentler choice when you are still building landing technique.