Broad Jump

The Broad Jump

Ways to Build Explosive Power Without Olympic Lifting

Broad jumping is my favorite power exercise for developing posterior chain power. There is something I love about coiling my entire torso followed by the violent forward explosion of my arms, chest, hips, and then legs on the kick. The broad jump has the phases I call the load, explode, and transition. 

Setup with feet about shoulder width apart in an athletic stance with arms up at chest height. The load starts with a quick downward arm swing as you coil your torso down to the tops of your thighs. Shift your weight forward over your toes and on to the balls of your feet in preparation to project your body weight forward, not up.

Once loaded, explode by violently swinging your arms out in front of you, driving your hips forward, and springing off of your toes. Open your chest to your target and think explosive extension at the hips and ankles. After this initial explosion you will hang in the air for a moment before a second explosion of hip and spinal flexion, bringing your feet far in front of you for landing.

The transition is the final phase when you go from landing heels first in a bent-knee pike position to shifting your weight back onto the balls of your feet to take off again for another rep as quickly as possible. 

Broad jumping develops power through the posterior-chain in much the same was as a snatch. It also has benefits to athleticism beyond what O-lifts can offer because the quick succession of repetition trains your body to contract and relax very quickly.