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How To Do Jump Squats To Work Your Lower Body & Lungs

Author:

Sarah Regan

February 26, 2021

mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor

By Sarah Regan

mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor

Sarah Regan is a Spirituality & Relationships Editor, and a registered yoga instructor. She received her bachelor's in broadcasting and mass communication from SUNY Oswego, and lives in Buffalo, New York.

February 26, 2021

Squats are a staple in so many fitness routines—particular leg or glute workouts. To add a level of cardio or plyometrics to this class move, consider dialing things up with a little jump—aka jump squats.

Jump squats couldn't be simpler, but they're by no means "easy." This intense move is sure to get your entire lower body working, stat. Learn how to do it correctly, as demonstrated by certified fitness instructor CJ Frogozo.

How to do a jump squat:

Begin standing with feet hip-width apart.
Hinge at the hips and send them back, lowering until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor.
From there, jump straight up out of the squat as high as you can.
Land with a bit of slack in your knees, and then immediately get back into your squat position. Jump out again, and continue squatting and jumping.
Complete three sets of 10 squat jumps.

Tips & modifications:

In your squat, try to keep a neutral spine by tilting the pelvis slightly forward and engaging your core to prevent pressure in the low back.
Hold your squat for a microsecond, feeling your quads and glutes light up.
If you have any knee problems, the jumping may be too much. In this case, you can stick with regular squats.
Jump by pressing all four corners of the feet down, as opposed to jumping on your toes.
In your squat, keep the shoulders behind the knees, using your solid legs as your foundation.

What are the benefits?

A strong lower body is the foundation of so many moves and exercises. And with proper form, jump squats will increase power in the quads, glutes, and core.

What's more, this plyometric exercise offers a nice challenge for your lungs and heart, too—all in a matter of reps. Jump squats fit seamlessly into different workouts, such as HIIT—or you can bust them out on their own, for a quick, low-body burn.

So whether you're including them on your next leg day or taking a few rounds just to get the heart pumping—you can be sure your lower body will be feeling it.