Split Squat Jump
The split squat jump is a bodyweight exercise where you drop into a lunge, then jump and swap legs in mid-air. It builds explosive leg power and works the quads and glutes hard, with help from the hamstrings and calves. It suits people who are already comfortable with lunges and want a challenging exercise that needs no kit.
Muscles worked
The Split Squat Jump mainly works your quadriceps and glutes, with your hamstrings and calves helping.
Setting up
- Clear a space about two metres long with a non-slip floor, and wear flat, supportive trainers.
- Start standing tall with your feet hip-width apart, then step one foot back into a long lunge stance. Your feet should stay hip-width apart side to side, as if on tram tracks, rather than in a line.
- Have your hands ready to swing: either clasped in front of your chest or ready to pump like a runner's arms.
How to do the Split Squat Jump
- From your lunge stance, lower straight down until your rear knee lightly touches the floor. If you are new to this, stop a few centimetres short.
- At the bottom, keep your chest tall and your front shin roughly upright, with your weight mostly through the middle and heel of your front foot.
- Drive hard through the whole of your front foot and jump straight up, swinging your arms to help.
- At the top of the jump, scissor your legs so the back leg comes forward and the front leg goes back.
- Land softly on the balls of your feet, letting your heels settle, and sink straight into the next lunge with the opposite leg forward.
- Go straight into the next jump, keeping the pace fast. Count every jump as one rep.
Form tips
- Think of jumping up, not forwards. Your feet should land in roughly the same spot you took off from.
- Push the floor away through your front foot and squeeze your glutes as you take off, to get more height.
- Land quietly. If you hear a thud, slow down and bend your knees and hips more as you land.
- Keep your ribs stacked over your hips so you don't lean forwards or arch your lower back.
- Make sure you can do 10 controlled split squats on each leg before adding the jump.
Common mistakes
Landing stiff-legged
Land on the balls of your feet and let your hips and knees bend straight away to absorb the impact. Aim to land as quietly as you can.
Front knee caving inwards
Point your front knee in line with your middle toes on every landing and lowering. If it keeps drifting in, stop the jumps and go back to slow split squats.
Short, shallow jumps
Each rep should be a full effort. Sink into the lunge, then drive up as hard and as high as you can. Rest between sets instead of letting the quality drop.
Leaning forwards or letting the stance shrink
Keep your chest tall and your feet far enough apart that your front shin stays roughly upright at the bottom. Reset your stance if your feet drift closer together.
Sets and reps
| Build strength and power | 3-4 sets of 6-8 jumps, with maximum height on every rep and 90-120 seconds rest. Stop the set when your jump height drops. |
|---|---|
| Build muscle | 3 sets of 10-14 jumps, at a controlled but quick pace, with 60-90 seconds rest. Pair with slower leg work such as split squats. |
| Fat loss and fitness | 4-6 rounds of 30 seconds of jumps, then 30 seconds rest, as part of a circuit. Slow down or stop a round early if your landings get heavy. |
Pick a weight where the last rep or two of each set is hard but your form stays clean. When every set feels easy, it's time to go up.
Split Squat Jump alternatives
Machine taken, or want some variety? These work the same main muscles.
Split Squat Jump FAQs
Are split squat jumps good for beginners?
They are a more advanced exercise because of the impact and balance needed. Start with bodyweight split squats and lunges, and move on to jumps once you can do those smoothly. If you feel pain, stop and get it checked.
Do I have to touch my knee to the floor?
No. A light touch gives a consistent depth, but you can stop a few centimetres above the floor if you are less flexible or newer to the exercise. Pick a depth you can control and keep your front heel down.
Which muscles do split squat jumps work?
They mainly work your quadriceps and glutes, which drive you out of the lunge and into the air. Your hamstrings and calves also help with take-off and landing.
Track your Split Squat Jump progress
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