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Kneeling Jump Squat

An advanced power drill jumping from a tall-kneeling position into a squat stance, usually with a barbell on the back, to develop explosive hip extension from a dead-start position.

LegsBarbellExplosive hip extension
GoLightWeight mediakneeling-jump-squat

Demonstration coming soon

Primary

GlutesQuadriceps

Secondary

HamstringsHip flexorsCoreCalves

Equipment

Barbell

Pattern

Explosive hip extension

Setup

  1. 01Kneel tall on a thick mat or pad with hips extended and toes pointed back.
  2. 02Place a light barbell across the upper back as in a back squat, or use bodyweight while learning.
  3. 03Set knees about hip width apart and brace the trunk.

Execution

  1. 01Sit the hips back briefly toward the heels to load the glutes.
  2. 02Snap the hips forward and up as explosively as possible.
  3. 03Pull both feet through underneath you as the body rises.
  4. 04Land flat-footed in a squat stance and absorb into a quarter squat.
  5. 05Stand tall, then return to kneeling for the next rep.

Checkpoints

  • -Takeoff comes from violent hip extension, not from rocking momentum alone.
  • -Both feet land flat and simultaneously in a stable squat width.
  • -The torso stays upright through the jump and landing.
  • -The bar stays tight on the back with no bounce.

Common mistakes

  • -Attempting it loaded before owning the bodyweight version.
  • -Landing on the toes or with staggered feet.
  • -Excessive back extension to generate lift instead of hip drive.
  • -Kneeling on a hard floor without padding.

Programming notes

  • -Use 3 to 5 sets of 2 to 4 reps, fully fresh, with long rests of 2 to 3 minutes.
  • -Keep barbell loads very light, roughly 10 to 25 percent of back squat; power drops fast beyond that.
  • -Master the unloaded jump to a clean landing before adding any bar.

Related exercises

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