Seated Box Jump

ExtrasBoxBW

A concentric-only jump variant starting from a dead seated position on a low box or bench, removing the stretch-shortening cycle. Isolates pure concentric leg power without any countermovement or eccentric preload.

Demo: NSCA education series

Sets

4

Reps

3-5

Rest

1:30

Contraindications

Avoid with acute knee or hip pain. Fine for most lifters since impact is low relative to depth jumps.

Setup

Sit on a low box/bench with feet flat, shins near vertical, hands free or at sides. Target box/landing area positioned in front.

Execution

  1. 1Sit tall with feet flat, no forward lean or rocking
  2. 2From a dead stop, explosively extend hips and knees to launch upward and forward
  3. 3Drive arms forward to assist
  4. 4Land softly on the target box or floor in an athletic position
  5. 5Reset by returning to the seated start — no bouncing

Key cues

  • No rocking, no countermovement
  • Explode from a dead stop
  • Drive arms hard to assist the jump
  • Land soft and stable

Common faults

  • Rocking forward before the jump (turns it into a countermovement jump)
  • Using hands to push off the box/bench
  • Poor landing mechanics — collapsing forward
  • Choosing a seat too low or too high for a clean hip angle

Tweaks

  • Add a weighted vest for extra concentric overload
  • Hold light dumbbells at sides for loaded seated jump
  • Perform onto a slightly elevated box to add a landing target

Regressions

Squat Jump (Bodyweight)

Progressions

Box Jump (Standard)Depth Jump (to Box or Floor)

Muscles

Primary: Quadriceps, Glutes

Secondary: Hip Flexors, Calves, Core

Notes

Primary energy system: alactic. Used by Cal Dietz to isolate the concentric phase of the triphasic model — removes eccentric and isometric components entirely.

Sources

Attribution: Cal Dietz / Triphasic Training methodology