The broad jump is an explosive plyometric exercise designed to improve lower body power, coordination, and agility. It primarily targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, while also engaging the core muscles to stabilise the body throughout the movement. The broad jump is often prescribed to enhance athletic performance, particularly in sports requiring sprinting, jumping, and quick changes in direction. It also helps in improving overall body control and proprioception.
Instructions:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward, and your arms relaxed at your sides.
- Bend your knees and hips into a quarter squat position, keeping your chest up and core engaged.
- Swing your arms back as you load your legs by shifting your weight into your heels.
- Explosively extend through your legs, hips, and arms, jumping forward as far as possible.
- Land softly on both feet, with knees slightly bent to absorb the impact. Ensure your hips are back and chest is lifted to maintain balance.
- Reset and repeat the movement.
- Complete repetitions as prescribed by your physiotherapist.
Common Errors:
- Not using the arms effectively to generate momentum.
- Landing with stiff or straight legs, which increases the risk of injury.
- Allowing the knees to cave inward during the jump or landing.
- Failing to absorb the impact by landing on the toes or heels instead of the whole foot.
Progressions:
- To make the exercise more challenging, you can:
- Add distance markers to increase the length of your jump.
- Perform consecutive broad jumps without resetting between jumps.
- Hold a light weight plate or medicine ball to increase resistance.
Regressions:
- To make the exercise easier, you can:
- Start by performing a smaller jump, focusing on technique rather than distance.
- Reduce the depth of the squat during the takeoff.
- Perform the jump from a seated or half-squat position to reduce the load on the legs.
All exercises are provided as an educational resource and should only be completed under the guidance of your physiotherapist.