Tuck Jump

ExtrasBW

A vertical jump where the knees are actively driven up toward the chest at peak height, emphasizing hip flexor power, core control, and rapid triple extension. Common in ACL injury-prevention programs and vertical jump training.

Demo: Strength coaching / injury prevention channel

Sets

4

Reps

8-10

Rest

1:15

Contraindications

Avoid with knee pain, patellar tendinopathy, or history of ACL injury without medical clearance. Widely used in ACL prevention protocols but requires clean landing mechanics first.

Setup

Stand feet hip-to-shoulder width, soft knee bend, arms at sides ready to swing.

Execution

  1. 1Initiate with a small counter-movement (mini squat / hip hinge)
  2. 2Explosively triple-extend (ankle, knee, hip) while swinging arms up
  3. 3Drive both knees up toward the chest at peak height
  4. 4Extend legs back down to land in the same stable athletic position
  5. 5Absorb the landing with soft knees before the next rep

Key cues

  • Load like drawing a bowstring, then explode
  • Knees to chest at the top
  • Land in the same athletic position you started in
  • No knee cave on landing

Common faults

  • Knee valgus (inward collapse) on takeoff or landing — the primary ACL injury risk factor
  • Traveling forward across reps instead of jumping straight up
  • Insufficient landing knee/hip flexion (stiff landing)
  • Rushing reps and sacrificing form as fatigue sets in

Tweaks

  • Cap reps at 10-12 due to high intensity (per NASM/coaching guidance)
  • Add a rotational tuck jump (quarter turn) for advanced variation
  • Combine with burpee for a tuck-jump burpee conditioning finisher

Regressions

Squat Jump (Bodyweight)

Muscles

Primary: Hip Flexors, Quadriceps, Glutes

Secondary: Core, Calves, Hamstrings

Notes

Primary energy system: alactic. A core component of ACL injury prevention programs (e.g., Sportsmetrics) due to its emphasis on landing mechanics under fatigue.

Sources

Attribution: NASM / NSCA