A tuck jump is a jump straight up where you pull both knees toward your chest while you are in the air, then land softly with bent knees. It is high impact. Your thighs, buttocks and calves push you off the floor and then absorb the landing, while the stomach and front of the hips lift the knees. It usually belongs in the later stages of sports rehab or in fitness training, well after squats and simple jumps feel easy.

How to do the tuck jumps

Wear supportive shoes on a firm, non-slip floor with clear space and plenty of headroom. Stand with your feet about hip width apart and your arms held out in front of you at chest height, as in the video.
Bend your hips and knees into a quick, shallow squat, then push hard through both feet and jump straight up.
As you leave the floor, pull both knees up toward your chest. Keep your upper body fairly upright and your arms forward.
Let your legs drop back down before you land. Touch down on the balls of your feet, then let your heels settle as your knees and hips bend to soak up the landing, knees in line with your toes.
Reset your feet and your balance, then jump again. Once your landings are quiet and steady, you can link the jumps with a short rebound.

What you should feel

Hard work in your thighs, buttocks and calves, and in the front of your hips and stomach as you tuck. Your heart rate and breathing will rise quickly.

Common mistakes

Landing with stiff, straight legs or flat feet and a heavy thud.
Knees falling in toward each other on landing.
Kicking the feet back behind you instead of bringing the knees up in front.
Rounding forward and bringing the chest down to meet the knees.
Keeping going once you are tired and your landings get noisy.

How often

Many programs start with 2 to 4 sets of 5 to 8 jumps, with a full recovery between sets, on no more than 2 or 3 days a week, with at least one rest day between sessions. 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.
A knee that gives way on landing, or sharp pain in your knee, ankle, hip or lower back.
You leak urine, or feel heaviness or a dragging sensation in your 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

Build up through jump squats and pogo hops first, and practice the landing on its own: a small jump, then a soft, quiet landing held for a second. An easier version is to jump and bring the knees only partway up. Clear the area around you and keep a wall or sturdy counter close by for your first sessions. After a fall in the last year, or if you often feel unsteady, wait until your physio says you are ready.

The higher you jump, the more force each landing sends through your knees, hips, spine and pelvic floor. If you leak urine when you cough, sneeze or exercise, have osteoporosis, or are coming back from a knee, ankle or hip injury, check with your physio before you start. If you are pregnant, ask your midwife or physio first. After having a baby, postnatal guidance usually leaves jumping until at least 3 months after the birth, once a pelvic floor check shows you are ready.

If you have had a hip or knee replacement, get the go-ahead from your surgeon before you try tuck jumps. 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.

With a heart condition or high blood pressure, check with your doctor before you start. 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.

Tuck jumps