Exercise guide
Tuck Jump
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Lower legs
- Upper legs
The tuck jump is a high-intensity plyometric exercise that builds explosive lower-body power and core strength through rapid hip flexion. It effectively engages the entire posterior chain and abdominals while significantly elevating the heart rate.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms relaxed at your sides.
- Engage your core and maintain an upright posture with your shoulders back.
- Position your hands in front of you at chest height, palms facing down, to serve as a target for your knees.
How to do it
- Perform a quick quarter-squat, then explosively drive through the balls of your feet to jump vertically as high as possible.
- Exhale sharply as you pull your knees toward your chest, attempting to tap them against your palms.
- Quickly extend your legs back down to prepare for landing.
- Land softly on the balls of your feet, immediately bending your knees to absorb the impact and transition into the next rep.
Form checklist
- Land with 'quiet feet' to ensure your joints are absorbing the impact correctly.
- Keep your chest upright; avoid rounding your spine or leaning forward to meet your knees.
- Drive your knees upward toward your torso rather than kicking your heels back toward your glutes.
- Ensure your knees stay aligned with your toes and do not cave inward during takeoff or landing.
Pro tips
- Swing your arms vigorously upward during the takeoff to generate maximum vertical momentum.
- Focus on 'reactive' power by minimizing the time your feet spend on the ground between consecutive jumps.
Make it harder
- Perform Burpee Tuck Jumps by adding a full push-up and a sprawl between every jump.
- Hold a light medicine ball against your chest to increase the resistance and core demand.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the tuck jump work?
- The tuck jump primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the serratus anterior as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the tuck jump?
- The tuck jump requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the tuck jump good for beginners?
- The tuck jump is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
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