Double Jump Squat

Body Part: Plyometrics

Muscle: Other

Equipment: Body Weight

Double Jump Squat is a bodyweight plyometric drill built around two quick jumps in one rep. From a controlled squat, you spring up, land softly, and rebound into a second jump before standing tall again. The movement trains lower-body power, reactivity, and landing control at the same time, so it is useful when you want more than a basic squat jump without adding external load.

The exercise puts most of the work on the quads, glutes, and calves while the trunk keeps the torso organized through each landing. Because the rep is short and explosive, the quality of the setup matters more than how many jumps you can cram into a set. A stable foot tripod, a tall chest, and knees tracking over the toes help you keep force moving straight up instead of leaking into side-to-side wobble.

Start from an athletic stance with the feet about shoulder-width apart and the hands held in front of the chest. Drop into a deep but controlled squat, then drive through the floor for the first jump. Land quietly, absorb back into the squat, and use that stretch-recoil to launch the second jump with the same body line rather than standing up between jumps.

Double Jump Squat is especially useful in warm-ups, power circuits, and conditioning blocks where you want to wake up the lower body without heavy equipment. It is also a practical way to teach athletes how to decelerate and re-accelerate from a squat position. Keep the floor dry and non-slippery, and treat every landing as a reset point for the next rep.

Because the movement is plyometric, the limiting factor is usually landing quality, not muscular strength. Stop the set when the second jump becomes noisy, the chest dives forward, or the knees start collapsing inward. If you need a regression, shorten the jump height or use a single squat jump until you can land and rebound with the same rhythm on every rep.

Instructions

• Stand on a flat, dry floor with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out, and your hands held in front of your chest.
• Brace your trunk, keep your chest tall, and sit back and down into a squat until your thighs are near parallel or slightly below if your mobility allows.
• Keep your heels planted and pressure spread across the whole foot as you load the bottom of the squat.
• Drive up fast into the first jump by extending your hips, knees, and ankles together.
• Leave the floor with both feet at the same time and keep your torso stacked instead of folding forward.
• Land softly, bend right back into the squat, and absorb the impact with your hips and knees.
• Rebound into the second jump from that same squat position without pausing at the bottom.
• Finish with a controlled landing, stand tall to reset, and repeat for the planned reps.

Tips & Tricks

• Make the jumps small enough that you can land in the same squat depth twice without losing balance.
• Think quiet feet; loud landings usually mean you are dropping too hard or losing midfoot pressure.
• If your heels pop up before the first jump, your squat is too deep for your mobility or your stance is too narrow.
• Keep your hands fixed at the chest if arm swing makes the second landing unstable.
• Let your knees open in line with the second toes on both landings instead of letting them cave inward.
• Use a low rep count because fatigue quickly turns the second jump into a sloppy bounce.
• A rubber gym floor works better than a soft mat, which can kill the rebound.
• If your calves cramp, shorten the range and make the jump more vertical instead of trying to spring forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Double Jump Squat work?

It primarily hits the quads, glutes, and calves, with the core helping you stay stacked through both landings.

Is Double Jump Squat good for beginners?

Yes, but only if you can squat and land quietly first. Beginners often do better with a single squat jump until the rebound feels controlled.

Why do I land back in a squat before the second jump?

That middle landing stores and reuses elastic energy, which is what makes the second jump feel snappy instead of dead.

Should my feet stay flat the whole time?

Not during the jump itself, but they should reconnect cleanly on each landing so you can load through the whole foot again.

How deep should the squat be?

Deep enough to load the legs, but not so deep that your heels lift or your chest folds forward. Parallel is a good target for most people.

What's the most common mistake?

Trying to jump too high and losing the second landing, which usually shows up as noisy feet, knee collapse, or forward torso drift.

Can I replace it with something lower impact?

Yes, use a single squat jump, small pogo hops, or a fast bodyweight squat if you need to reduce impact.

How many reps should I do?

Keep it low, usually 3-6 quality reps per set, because power output drops fast once the landing gets heavy.