A jump squat is a squat followed by a jump straight up, landing back into the next squat. It trains the thighs and buttocks to produce force quickly and to absorb it again on landing, with the calves helping at take-off. It is a high impact exercise, so it usually comes late in a rehab program, once ordinary squats feel strong and pain free.

How to do the jump squats

Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, in supportive shoes on a floor that is not slippery. Rest your hands lightly behind your head as in the video, without pulling on your neck, or hold them in front of your chest.
Bend your hips and knees to lower into a squat. Keep your chest up and your knees in line with your toes.
Push hard through both feet and jump straight up, straightening your hips and knees.
Land softly on the balls of your feet, then let your heels come down as your hips and knees bend to absorb the landing.
Sink straight into the next squat and repeat. Keep breathing, and rest between sets.

What you should feel

Hard work in the thighs and buttocks, with your heart rate and breathing climbing quickly.

Common mistakes

Landing stiff-legged or loudly, instead of softly with bent knees.
Knees falling inward on the landing or the take-off.
Carrying on once you are tired. Stop the set when your landings stop being quiet and controlled.
Pulling on your neck with your hands as you jump.

How often

Many programs start with 2 to 3 sets of 5 to 10 jumps, with a full rest between sets, on 2 or 3 days a week with a rest day in between. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

Chest pain or pressure, dizziness or feeling faint, a racing or irregular heartbeat, or being far more out of breath than the effort should cause.
Sharp pain in a knee or ankle, or a knee that gives way.
Leaking urine, or a heavy or dragging feeling in the pelvis.
A sudden pop or snap at the back of your ankle or heel, a feeling that someone kicked you there, or sudden pain there after which you cannot push off or rise onto your toes on that leg. Stop, take the weight off that leg carefully and go to an urgent care center or emergency department the same day, even if you can still walk, as this can be a torn Achilles tendon.

From the clinic

Get the ordinary squat solid before you add the jump. If you are working your way back to jumping, small bounces such as pogo hops let you practice landing without much height.

Every landing sends force up through your joints, your bones and your pelvic floor. Check with your physio before you start if you leak urine when you cough, sneeze or exercise, if you have osteoporosis, or if you are coming back from a leg injury.

If you have had a hip or knee replacement, get the go-ahead from your surgeon before you try jump squats. Many surgeons advise against jumping and hopping after a joint replacement for good, not just for the first months, because each landing sends high impact through the new joint. If you are pregnant or have had a baby in the past months, talk to your midwife or physio first. With a heart condition or high blood pressure, get your doctor's advice before starting.

If chest pain, pressure or tightness does not ease quickly when you rest, spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or comes with sweating, feeling sick, feeling light-headed or being short of breath, call emergency services straight away, as this can be a heart attack. If it eases quickly and none of these happen, get medical advice the same day, and do not exercise again until you have been checked. If you faint while exercising, call emergency services, even if you feel fine again quickly.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-28.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Jump squats