Spring is a superb time to take inventory of how your winter weight loss plan and coaching have progressed. Perhaps your self-examination will reveal that your thighs, calves and buttocks are softer and sagging a bit greater than you need. Even if that is so at the moment, a tighter weight loss plan and centered assault on the decrease physique will flip issues round moderately rapidly. Squat jumps are an effective way to begin this decrease physique evolution. They will generate muscle energy, enhance physique steadiness, agency the thighs, calves and buttocks, and burn energy within the course of. It can also be an awesome train in case you can’t make it to the health club, as a result of you are able to do squat jumps even when there isn't a health club in sight.

Muscle Structure and Function

The squat soar entails many thigh, calf and hip muscle mass, however solely the foremost ones will probably be mentioned right here. The quadriceps femoris muscle group consists of 4 thigh muscle mass.¹ The vastus lateralis muscle covers the lateral a part of the femur bone of the thigh. The vastus medialis muscle is anchored to the medial a part of the femur. The vastus intermedius muscle is hooked up to the central, anterior a part of the femur. The muscle fibers from these three vasti muscle mass connect to the quadriceps tendon. The rectus femoris begins on the hipbones on the iliac crest and above the hip joint and never on the femur.² Its fibers prolong to the patellar tendon together with the three vastus muscle mass to connect to the patella (knee cap). This tendon continues from the patella to the tibia bone of the decrease leg because the patellar ligament. Together, the three vasti and the rectus femoris prolong the leg on the knee.

The gluteus maximus is the foremost muscle of the buttocks.¹ It extends the thigh when you're leaping upwards from the squat place. The fibers of the gluteus medius muscle run between the ileum bone of the hip and the posterior a part of the femur bone of the thigh. It abducts the femur on the hip joint by transferring the femur laterally, away from the midline of the physique. The gluteus medius maintains physique steadiness throughout the takeoff and touchdown of squat jumps.

Together, the lengthy head of the biceps femoris, semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscle mass are the hamstring muscle mass that reside on the posterior thigh. These muscle mass connect to the posterior sides of hip and pelvic bones.¹ They prolong down the posterior aspect of the femur bone to connect both on the medial aspect of the tibia bone of the leg (semitendinosus), the medial aspect of the superior a part of the tibia bone (semimembranosus) or the lateral aspect of the tibia bone just under the knee (biceps femoris). Together, these muscle mass flex the knee. However, when the foot is on the bottom, the hamstrings prolong the hip joint, and subsequently these muscle mass are very energetic throughout the upwards leap in soar squats.

Squat Jumps

You ought to stretch your quadriceps and hamstrings and do a pair minutes of sunshine stationary biking earlier than starting this train.³ This is necessary as a result of squat jumps are moderately explosive as you thrust upwards from the squat place, so the muscle mass and joints ought to first be warmed up appropriately. In addition, your footwear ought to have rubber sole so that you received’t slip on the bench.

1. If you haven't finished these earlier than, begin with a low bench that's about 12 inches excessive.

2. Straddle the bench in order that one foot is on both aspect of it. Your toes ought to be about shoulder-width aside.

3. Squat down till your knees are flexed to an angle of about 90 levels. You might want to elevate your arms in entrance of you to close shoulder stage to enhance your steadiness throughout the jumps.

4. Explosively spring upwards. Bring each toes nearer collectively as you soar in order that each toes concurrently land on high of the bench. Bend your knees to a 90-degree angle and squat when your toes hit the highest of the bench. The squat on the bench will improve the work on your thighs and buttocks and it'll additionally take up the jarring forces which can be generated throughout the soar.

5. Once you might be on the bench, thrust upwards from the squat place and soar off the bench. Widen your stance in order that each toes hit the ground concurrently.

6. Immediately squat as your toes hit the ground. This will each take up the soar downward and likewise put together you for the subsequent soar upwards.

7. Continue for at least 15 repetitions however work as much as 25. Rest a couple of minute, after which repeat the set. You can work as much as 3 units. Once you may have mastered this, choose the next bench (e.g., 18 inches) and step by step work as much as a bench that's 24 inches in peak. Don’t fear, you'll grasp the train rapidly⁴ and end up in search of increased benches very quickly.

The relative diploma of muscle exercise differs among the many quadriceps muscle mass throughout the soar. The stress within the vasti muscle mass diminishes as you strategy the highest portion of the raise (with the knees straightened). Conversely, the rectus femoris is much less energetic on the backside however turns into extra activated when the hip and knee are being prolonged. Since the gluteus maximus muscle and hamstring muscle mass are sturdy extensors of the hip, they're very energetic throughout the soar upwards.

This is a extremely intensive train. The muscle mass of your decrease physique will probably be stretched below your body weight as you soar off the bench throughout every repetition,⁵ which implies your muscle mass can turn out to be sore from this train. When finished appropriately, the squat soar generally is a nice complement to different weight coaching or cardio. Alternatively, squat jumps can work independently to successfully agency your decrease physique, burn quite a lot of energy and provide you with larger leaping capability⁶ or simply deliver a spring to your step.

References:

1. Moore, KL and AF Dalley. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. Fourth version. Baltimore, Lippincott Williams & Williams, 1999; 531-546.

2. Waligora AC, Johanson NA, Hirsch BE. Clinical anatomy of the quadriceps femoris and extensor equipment of the knee. Clin Orthop Relat Res  2009; 467: 3297-3306.

3. Pacheco L, Balius R, Aliste L et al. The acute results of various stretching workouts on soar efficiency. J Strength Cond Res 2011;25:2991-2998.

4. Randell AD, Cronin JB, Keogh JW et al. Reliability of efficiency velocity for soar squats below suggestions and nonfeedback circumstances. J Strength Cond Res 2011;25:3514-3518.

5. Foure A, Nordez A, Cornu C. Effects of plyometric coaching on passive stiffness of gastrocnemii muscle mass and Achilles tendon. Eur J Appl Physiol 2011; in press.

6. Ziv, G , Lidor, R 2009. Vertical soar in feminine and male basketball players-A overview of observational and experimental research. J Sci Med Sport 2010;13, 332-339, 2010.