Monday, October 24, 2011

How To Do Lateral Box Jumps

by

healthy_blogging

Last week I introduced you to box jumps, a plyometric exercise that increases strength and power throughout the entire power. Today I'm going to show you how to do lateral box jumps. The lateral box jump has many benefits including:

  • neuromuscular coordination
  • strong quads
  • strong calves
  • strong glutes
  • strong bones
  • strong joints



This is a challenging exercise so you shouldn't attempt it until you've mastered the basic box jump.

How To Do Lateral Box Jumps

You'll need a sturdy box, aerobic steps or bench for this exercise. Stand to the right of the box with your feet parallel to it. Bend your knees to a 30 degree angle. Make sure to tighten your quads, hamstrings and glutes. Now jump laterally i.e. sideways over the box. Once you land on the other side of the box, jump over it again returning to your starting position. That's one repetition. Repeat this for a total of fifteen reps then take a short break, then go again for a total of three sets of lateral box jumps.


You can increase the difficulty of the exercise by increasing the height of the box. The lateral box jump is challenging because you must clear a hurdle, you're not allowed to land on the box at any point during the exercise. It takes a tremendous amount of physical strength the jump over an object, and it requires good concentration and coordination to perform a sideways jump.

Plyometrics also strengthen the bones and joints. Walking, running, jogging and dancing are all examples of plyometrics. Landing on a surface from a given height is absorption of kinetic energy. The greater the height, the greater the energy that is generated and absorbed. Strong bones and joints can absorb more kinetic energy than weak bones. Practicing box jumps can make these organs stronger and more durable.

If you do box jumps on a regular basis, your muscles will become much stronger, enabling you to jump higher. You'll have carryover to squats, deadlifts, overhead lifts (with clean and press), and even benching, thus making this a very valuable exercise.

You want a stronger, healthier and sexier body. You've got to work hard to get it. The time is now.

"Great Chest and Whole Body Workouts: How To Do Lateral Box Jumps" copyright 2011 Great Chest and Whole Body Workouts. All Rights Reserved.