Medicine Ball Squat Jump

1. Stand with feet shoulder width apart, holding a 3 to 6 kg medicine ball tight against your chest with both hands.
2. Brace your core, keep your chest up and pull your shoulders back so the ball stays close to your body.
3. Sink into a squat by pushing your hips back and bending your knees until your thighs are near parallel.
4. Without pausing, drive through the whole foot and jump straight up, extending your hips, knees and ankles fully.
5. Keep the ball pinned to your chest in the air rather than letting it drift up.
6. Land softly on the balls of your feet, knees tracking over your toes, and sink straight into the next squat.
7. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps, resting 60 to 90 seconds so every jump stays powerful.

Common Mistakes

• Landing stiff legged: Hard, straight leg landings hammer the knees and lower back. Bend the knees and hips to absorb every landing.
• Knees caving in: Knees collapsing inward on takeoff or landing is a common injury pattern. Push them out in line with the toes.
• Ball floating away from the chest: A loose ball pulls your torso forward and out of position. Keep it hugged tight to the sternum.
• Rushing the reps: Bouncing through sloppy jumps trades power for fatigue. Reset your stance and jump with intent each time.