Functional Fitness · Conditioning · Calisthenics · Gymnastics
Tuck Jump
The tuck jump is a vertical jump with your knees drawn toward your chest in midair. It trains explosive leg power and landing control.
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Moderate injury risk
- Rest 1 min 30 sec
How to do it
- Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.
- Dip into a shallow squat with your arms behind you.
- Jump straight upward using an upward arm swing.
- Draw your knees toward your chest while airborne.
- Extend your legs beneath you before reaching the floor.
- Land on both feet with your hips and knees bending to absorb the impact.
- Settle into a balanced standing position before your next repetition.
Form cues
- Push evenly through both feet.
- Keep your knees tracking over your toes.
- Look ahead, not down.
Common mistakes
- Folding your chest toward your kneesKeep your torso upright instead of bending forward to make the tuck look higher.
- Drifting across the floorAim to land where you took off rather than covering distance.
- Tucking before finishing takeoffComplete your push from the floor before pulling your knees upward.
Safety
Hard or off-balance landings can strain your ankles, knees, or back. Fatigue and forcing a tuck beyond your available jump height make these landings more likely.
- Use a level, nonslip surface with clear floor space and overhead clearance.
- Warm up with shallow squats and a few low jumps.
- Start with a modest tuck that leaves enough time to prepare for landing.
- End the set when landings become loud or unstable.
Choose a lower-impact option or seek advice from a physiotherapist first if you have joint pain, a recent lower-body injury, or difficulty controlling a basic jump landing.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
No equipment needed.
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 3–5 reps
- Rest
- 1 min 30 sec
Treat these as short power sets rather than an all-out endurance drill.