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Exercises

Plyometric exercises: jumps, hops and throws for power and speed

Published October 29, 2026

The best plyometric exercises are jump squats, box jumps and frog jumps for two-leg power; skater hops, lateral box jumps and single-leg jumps for speed and change of direction; and explosive push-ups, med ball chest throws and slams for the upper body. Beginners warm up with jump rope, then keep the main jumps to about 30 to 70 landings per session, twice a week, with 48 hours between sessions. Do 3 to 6 reps per set, rest a full minute or more, and stop the set when a rep gets slower or the landing gets louder.

  1. Jump Squat Quads, Glutes
  2. Box Jump Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings
  3. Frog Jump Quads, Glutes, Calves
  4. Skater Hop Glutes, Quads, Abductors
  5. Single-Leg Jump Quads, Glutes, Calves
  6. Lateral Box Jump Quads, Glutes, Abductors
  7. Explosive Push-Up Chest
  8. Med Ball Chest Throw Abs
  9. Medicine Ball Slam Lats, Abs

Low-level hops to start

Plyometrics run on the stretch-shortening cycle: a muscle and tendon stretch on landing and fire straight back. Short, springy contacts on the balls of the feet teach that rhythm with little load, so every session opens with a few minutes of them.

Calves and ankles, low-level hops

Jump Rope

Calves, Quads

Rope jumping is hundreds of short, stiff ankle contacts at a very low load. It warms up the calves and Achilles for bigger jumps and is the gentlest way to start plyometrics.

How to do it

  1. Hold the handles at hip height with the rope behind you.
  2. Turn the rope with your wrists and hop just high enough to clear it.
  3. Keep a steady, easy rhythm.

Cues

  • Small hops on the balls of your feet.
  • Elbows close to your sides.

Common mistakes

  • Jumping high and swinging from the shoulders.

Swap for: Skipping in Place, Jumping Jack

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Calves and hips, rhythm

Skipping in Place

Calves, Quads, Hamstrings

Skipping adds a knee drive and an arm swing to the ankle bounce, which is the coordination sprinting and bounding build on. Use it as a warm-up round before the main jumps.

How to do it

  1. Stand tall with your fists beside your hips as if holding rope handles.
  2. Circle your hands and bounce lightly from one foot to the other, as if skipping over a turning rope.
  3. Keep the bounces low and springy for the whole interval.

Cues

  • Bounce off the balls of your feet
  • Hands circle, elbows close
  • Relaxed shoulders

Common mistakes

  • Stomping on the heels: stay on the front of your feet.
  • Hopping high: a small bounce clears an imaginary rope.

Swap for: High Knees, Jump Rope

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Two-leg jumps for vertical and broad power

These are the base of most programs. The jump squat and box jump train height, the frog jump trains distance. Land softly with your knees over your toes, reset, and jump again; quality beats count.

Quads and glutes, vertical jump

Jump Squat

Quads, Glutes

The jump squat is the first jump most people should learn: no box, no equipment, and the landing teaches you to absorb force through the hips and knees. Get the landing quiet here before adding a box or one-leg jumps.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet about shoulder width and your arms ready.
  2. Dip into a quarter to half squat, then jump straight up, swinging your arms.
  3. Land softly with bent knees and reset before the next jump.

Cues

  • Soft, quiet landing
  • Reset between reps

Common mistakes

  • Landing stiff-legged: let the hips and knees bend to absorb the landing.

Swap for: Box Jump, Bodyweight Squat

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Quads and glutes, jump with a soft landing

Box Jump

Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings

The box cuts the landing height, so you get the full jump effort with far less impact than landing on the floor. Pick a box you land on in the same squat depth you took off from.

How to do it

  1. Stand a short step from a sturdy box.
  2. Dip into a quarter squat and swing the arms back.
  3. Spring onto the box and absorb the landing quietly.
  4. Straighten up on top, then step back down.

Cues

  • Quick dip
  • Soft landing
  • Step down

Common mistakes

  • Using a box so tall you land in a deep squat: lower the box.
  • Jumping tired: keep sets short.

Swap for: Jump Squat, Lateral Box Jump, Single-Leg Box Jump

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Glutes and quads, horizontal power

Frog Jump

Quads, Glutes, Calves

Jumping forward instead of up loads the glutes and hamstrings harder and carries over to sprint starts and broad jumps. Stick each landing for a second before the next jump.

How to do it

  1. Stand with feet wider than your hips and squat until your hands come near the floor.
  2. Jump straight up, driving your arms.
  3. Land softly back in the low squat with your hands reaching toward the floor, pause, and repeat.

Cues

  • Deep load, big jump
  • Land low
  • Reset each rep

Common mistakes

  • Landing with straight legs: sink back into the squat on each landing.
  • Rounding the back at the bottom: chest up.

Swap for: Box Jump, Med Ball Jump, Star Jump

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Single-leg and lateral jumps for speed

Sprinting and cutting happen on one leg, so once two-leg landings are quiet and stable, move here. These carry more load per contact, so count them per leg and keep sets short.

Glutes and abductors, lateral power

Skater Hop

Glutes, Quads, Abductors

The skater hop pushes you sideways off one leg and lands you on the other, the same force you use to cut and change direction in field and court sports.

How to do it

  1. Stand on your right leg with a slight bend in the knee.
  2. Push off sideways and land on your left foot, letting your right leg swing behind you.
  3. Stick the landing, then bound back to the right.

Cues

  • Stick each landing
  • Push sideways, not up

Common mistakes

  • Taking off before you are balanced: pause for a beat on each landing.

Swap for: Lateral Box Jump, Single-Leg Jump

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Quads and glutes, lateral jump onto a box

Lateral Box Jump

Quads, Glutes, Abductors

A lateral jump onto a box trains side-to-side power with a controlled landing on top. It is a step up from skater hops when you want more height and a cleaner landing.

How to do it

  1. Stand beside a low box with your feet at hip width.
  2. Dip quickly into a quarter squat and jump up and sideways onto the box.
  3. Land softly with both feet flat and knees bent, stand up, then step down and reset before the next rep.

Cues

  • Quick dip, big push
  • Land quiet

Common mistakes

  • Choosing a box so high that you land in a deep squat: the landing should look like your takeoff position.

Swap for: Box Jump, Single-Leg Box Jump, Jump Squat

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Quads and glutes, one-leg jump

Single-Leg Box Jump

Quads, Glutes

Taking off and landing on one leg shows any side-to-side gap in power and trains the leg that drives a sprint stride or a one-foot takeoff. Keep the box low.

How to do it

  1. Stand on one leg facing a low box.
  2. Swing your arms back, dip on the standing leg, and jump onto the box.
  3. Land on the same foot with a soft knee, stand tall, step down, and do every rep on one leg before switching.

Cues

  • Arms drive the jump
  • Stick the landing for a second

Common mistakes

  • Rushing reps so each takeoff is weaker than the last: rest a few seconds between jumps, every rep should be your best.

Swap for: Lateral Box Jump, Box Jump, Step-Up

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Calves and quads, one-leg hops

Single-Leg Jump

Quads, Glutes, Calves

Repeated hops on one leg train the quick, stiff ground contact sprinters and runners rely on. Start with small hops in place before you add distance.

How to do it

  1. Stand on one foot with your knee slightly bent.
  2. Hop up off that foot and land on the same foot.
  3. Stabilize, then hop again; switch legs after the set.

Cues

  • Land quiet
  • Knee over toes

Common mistakes

  • Knee folding inward on landing: hop lower until it stays in line with your foot.

Swap for: Skater Hop, Single-Leg Box Jump

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Upper-body plyometrics

For punching, throwing and pressing power. Push-up variations leave the floor, and the medicine ball lets you release the weight at full speed instead of slowing it down at the end of a rep.

Chest and triceps, push-up power

Explosive Push-Up

Chest

Pushing the floor away fast enough for your hands to leave it is the simplest upper-body plyometric. It needs nothing but solid strict push-ups first.

How to do it

  1. Set up in a regular plank, body braced.
  2. Lower under control until your chest nearly reaches the ground.
  3. Push up as hard as you can so your hands lift off the floor.
  4. Land with soft elbows, sink straight into the next rep, and stop the set before the height drops.

Cues

  • Push as fast as possible
  • Land soft
  • Quality over count

Common mistakes

  • Landing with locked elbows: let them bend as your hands touch down.
  • Doing them to fatigue: stop when your hands stop leaving the floor.

Swap for: Clap Push-Up, Push-Up, Med Ball Chest Throw

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Chest and triceps, push-up with flight time

Clap Push-Up

Chest

The clap forces you to push hard enough to stay in the air for a moment. Use it after explosive push-ups feel easy, and stop the set when the clap gets rushed.

How to do it

  1. Set up in a push-up position with hands a little wider than your shoulders and your body in one straight line.
  2. Lower your chest close to the floor under control.
  3. Push up explosively so your hands leave the floor, clap once, and catch with soft elbows.
  4. Reset for a breath at the top if needed so every rep is fast.

Cues

  • Push the floor away hard
  • Land soft, then go again
  • Body stays one plank

Common mistakes

  • Doing them tired and slow: stop the set as soon as the hands barely leave the floor.
  • Sagging at the hips on landing: tighten your glutes before each rep.

Swap for: Explosive Push-Up, Push-Up, Med Ball Chest Throw

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Chest and core, horizontal throw

Med Ball Chest Throw

Abs

You let go of the ball at full speed, so every rep is all acceleration. It is the closest gym match to a punch, a shove or a pass, and it is easy on the shoulders.

How to do it

  1. Lie on your back near a wall, holding a medicine ball at your chest.
  2. Throw the ball hard against the wall with both hands.
  3. Catch it at your chest, reset, and throw again.

Cues

  • Throw from the chest
  • Reset each rep

Common mistakes

  • Using a ball too heavy to throw fast: speed is the point.

Swap for: Explosive Push-Up, Push-Up, Medicine Ball Slam

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Lats and core, overhead-to-floor power

Medicine Ball Slam

Lats, Abs

The slam trains fast hip and trunk flexion with the lats pulling hard, and there is no landing to absorb. It suits beginners because the ball takes the impact, not your joints.

How to do it

  1. Stand with feet about shoulder-width holding a medicine ball.
  2. Reach the ball overhead and rise onto your toes.
  3. Slam it into the floor in front of you as hard as you can, bending the hips and knees.
  4. Pick it up and repeat.

Cues

  • Reach tall
  • Slam with the whole body
  • Exhale hard

Common mistakes

  • Slamming with the arms only: hinge the hips into it.
  • Using a bouncy ball: use a slam ball that stays down.

Swap for: Med Ball Rotational Throw, Battle Rope Slam, Kettlebell Swing

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Core and hips, rotational power

Med Ball Rotational Throw

Abs

Rotational throws build the hip-to-shoulder turn behind swinging, throwing and striking. Throw into a wall and catch the rebound, then turn and throw again.

How to do it

  1. Stand side-on to a wall in your hitting stance, holding a medicine ball at your back hip.
  2. Load into the back leg as you would before a swing.
  3. Turn the hips hard and throw the ball into the wall.
  4. Catch, reset, and repeat. Train both sides.

Cues

  • Load, then turn
  • Hips lead the arms
  • Throw through the wall

Common mistakes

  • Throwing only with the arms: start with the back hip.
  • Training only your dominant side: do both directions.

Swap for: Med Ball Woodchop, Landmine Rotational Press, Cable Woodchop

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

First 6 weeks of plyometrics, two days a week

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets26 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentJump Rope, Plyo Box, Medicine Ball

You lift or play recreationally, you have never trained jumps on purpose, and you want more spring without beat-up knees.

After the rope or skipping warm-up, each day has about 25 to 35 jump landings plus throws, a low count that leaves room to learn the landing. Two days a week gives 48 hours or more to recover between jump sessions.

Day 1: Jump and land
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Jump RopeSeconds per round. 3 × 30–45 3 1 min
Jump Squat 3 × 5 3 90 s
Box Jump 3 × 4–5 3 90 s
Explosive Push-Up 3 × 4–6 3 90 s
Medicine Ball Slam 3 × 6–8 3 1 min

Open Day 1: Jump and land in the session builder

Day 2: Forward and sideways
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Skipping in PlaceSeconds per round. 2 × 30–45 3 1 min
Frog Jump 3 × 3–4 3 90 s
Skater HopPer side. 3 × 4–6 3 90 s
Med Ball Chest Throw 3 × 6–8 3 1 min

Open Day 2: Forward and sideways in the session builder

How to run it
Do the session at the start of a workout, after a warm-up, on two non-consecutive days such as Monday and Thursday. Lift afterwards if you want, but not heavy legs on the same day for the first weeks.
How to progress
Keep reps the same and make each one better: higher, quieter landing. After 3 weeks, add 1 rep to each set. After 6 weeks, add a third set to the jumps and move to single-leg work. Weighted throws progress by ball weight once all reps are fast.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Athlete off-season: jump higher and sprint faster

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets30 a week
  • Per workout~40 min
  • EquipmentJump Rope, Plyo Box, Medicine Ball

You play a field or court sport, you already squat and deadlift, and you want a higher vertical and a quicker first step before the season.

Two days split vertical and horizontal-lateral jumps, about 40 to 60 high-intensity landings each, all of them taken fresh. Single-leg work gets as many sets as two-leg work because sprinting and cutting are one-leg tasks.

Day 1: Vertical
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Jump RopeSeconds per round. 2 × 45–60 3 1 min
Box Jump 4 × 3 3 2 min
Single-Leg Box JumpPer leg. 3 × 3 3 90 s
Jump Squat 3 × 4 3 90 s
Clap Push-Up 3 × 4–5 3 90 s

Open Day 1: Vertical in the session builder

Day 2: Horizontal and lateral
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Skipping in PlaceSeconds per round. 2 × 30–45 3 1 min
Frog Jump 4 × 3 3 2 min
Single-Leg JumpPer leg. 3 × 4–5 3 90 s
Lateral Box JumpPer side. 3 × 3 3 90 s
Med Ball Rotational ThrowPer side. 3 × 5 3 90 s

Open Day 2: Horizontal and lateral in the session builder

How to run it
Do these first in the session, before lifting, when you are fresh. Keep at least two days between them and away from your hardest conditioning days.
How to progress
Add height or distance before reps: a higher box, a longer frog jump. When every rep looks the same, add one set per jump. Cut the volume in half in the two weeks before the season starts.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

At home, no box, 20 minutes

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets28 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentJump Rope

You train in a living room or garage with no box and no medicine ball and want the jumps to fit in 20 minutes.

One short routine, twice a week, with about 60 to 70 landings after the rope. With no box to cut the landing height, every one of them comes down on the floor, so the surface matters and sets end as soon as landings get loud.

Home plyometrics
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Jump RopeSeconds per round. Jump in place without a rope if you have none. 3 × 30–60 3 45 s
Jump Squat 3 × 5–6 3 75 s
Skater HopPer side. 3 × 5–6 3 75 s
Single-Leg JumpPer leg. 2 × 4–5 3 75 s
Explosive Push-Up 3 × 5–6 3 75 s
How to run it
Twice a week on non-running or non-leg days. Use a mat, grass or a wood floor, never concrete, and wear shoes with some cushioning.
How to progress
Each week, add 1 rep to one exercise until every set reaches the top of its range, then add a set. Once single-leg jumps feel easy, jump a little farther each rep instead of adding reps.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What are plyometric exercises?

Plyometric exercises are fast jumps, hops, bounds and throws where a muscle stretches and then contracts right away, like landing and jumping again. They train power and speed rather than maximum strength.

What plyometrics improve speed and agility?

Single-leg jumps, frog jumps and skater hops carry over best to sprinting and cutting because they push you forward and sideways off one leg. Lateral box jumps add a controlled side-to-side landing.

What are some examples of upper-body plyometrics?

Explosive and clap push-ups, medicine ball chest throws, slams and rotational throws. The ball versions let you release the weight at full speed.

How often should beginners do plyometrics?

One or two sessions a week with 48 to 72 hours between them. Start with 30 to 70 landings from low jumps and spend the first weeks on two-leg jumps and landings.

Can plyometrics help you lose belly fat?

They burn energy like any hard exercise, but no exercise burns fat from one spot. Fat comes off through overall loss, and plyometrics are better used for power than as a fat-loss tool.

Should I do plyometrics before or after lifting?

Before. Jumps need a fresh nervous system, and tired jumps are slower and land worse. Lift right after the jumps or on a separate day.