15 Plyometric Exercises: The Complete List by Level
On this page20
- 01Squat Jump
- 02Ankle Hops (Pogo Jumps)
- 03Lateral Line Hops
- 04Standing Broad Jump
- 05Box Jump (Low Box)
- 06Tuck Jump
- 07Single-Leg Bound
- 08Skater (Lateral) Bound
- 09Split-Squat Jump
- 10Medicine Ball Slam
- 11Depth Jump
- 12Hurdle Hops
- 13Single-Leg Box Jump
- 14Bounding (Repeat)
- 15Clap Push-Up
- 16How We Ranked These 15 Exercises
- 17What Counts as a Plyometric Exercise
- 18Sets, Reps and Weekly Volume
- 19A Simple Two-Day Weekly Plan
- 20Common Mistakes to Avoid
These 15 are ordered by the strength and skill each demands, not by how flashy they look: an exercise ranks higher only when it needs cleaner landing mechanics, a bigger strength base, or more single-leg control than the ones before it. Higher-impact reactive drills sit at the bottom because you earn them, not because they beat the basics.
- Beginner · foundation
Squat Jump
Every other plyo inherits the squat jump's dip-and-drive: a quarter-squat load, a straight-up launch, and a soft landing back into the same shallow squat. It ranks first because it is the lowest-skill way to feel the stretch-shortening cycle work — you learn to convert a fast dip into height before any impact or single-leg demand is added.
Do 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps with full recovery between sets. If the landing is loud or the knees cave in, fix that here before adding anything faster, because this is the pattern that carries into how to jump higher.
Level: Beginner · Sets × reps: 3 × 6–8 · Cue: land into the same shallow squat, quietly
- Beginner · ankle spring
Ankle Hops (Pogo Jumps)
Ankle hops rank just above the squat jump because they isolate a spring most programs skip: with knees nearly locked, you bounce off the balls of your feet using ankle stiffness alone, keeping ground contact as short as possible. It is low height but high frequency, which trains the reactive lower leg that sprinting and rebounding depend on.
Do 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 quick hops. Chase minimal ground-contact time, not height — the moment your heels start slamming down, the set is done.
Level: Beginner · Sets × reps: 2–3 × 15–20 · Cue: stay tall, knees nearly straight, bounce off the toes
- Beginner · lateral
Lateral Line Hops
This is the first entry to add a sideways demand, which is why it sits above the pure-vertical drills above it. Hop side to side over a line or tape, feet together, landing lightly and rebounding instantly, and you build the ankle stiffness and frontal-plane quickness that field and court sports live on.
Do 3 sets of 20 to 30 seconds. Impact stays very low, so it is a safe place to train quick feet before the single-leg lateral work higher on this list.
Level: Beginner · Sets × reps: 3 × 20–30s · Cue: light, fast contacts — think hot floor, not high hops
- Beginner · horizontal power
Standing Broad Jump
The broad jump ranks above the line hop because it asks for maximal effort: swing the arms back, drive forward off both feet for distance, and stick a soft athletic landing. Horizontal power transfers directly into vertical takeoff, and the jump doubles as a simple test — measure the distance every few weeks to track progress.
Do 3 sets of 4 to 5 reps, resetting fully between each. These are max-intent reps, so treat them like sprints, not conditioning.
Level: Beginner · Sets × reps: 3 × 4–5 · Cue: full arm swing, land soft and balanced, reset before the next
- Beginner · box, capstone
Box Jump (Low Box)
The box jump caps the beginner tier because the elevated landing cuts impact — you jump onto a knee- to mid-thigh box, land in a partial squat, and step down rather than jumping down. That makes it the safest way to rehearse a full explosive jump, which is why it ranks above the floor drills yet below anything with true landing impact.
Do 3 to 4 sets of 5 to 6 reps, and never jump off the box. Progress height gradually with a structured box jump workout rather than chasing a scary number.
Level: Beginner · Sets × reps: 3–4 × 5–6 · Cue: land quiet in a partial squat, step down every rep
- Intermediate · knee drive
Tuck Jump
The tuck jump opens the intermediate tier because it adds a coordination demand the beginner list never asks for: jump straight up, drive both knees toward the chest, and still land soft with a quick reset. It trains fast hip flexion and a snappy ground contact, but only if you prioritize quickness over how high the knees come up.
Do 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps. Keep contact time short — sloppy, slow tucks are just fatigue, not power.
Level: Intermediate · Sets × reps: 3 × 8–10 · Cue: knees to chest, land soft, rebound fast
- Intermediate · single-leg
Single-Leg Bound
Bounds rank above the tuck jump because they remove the safety of two feet. You push off one leg driving forward and up, swing the opposite knee high, then land and immediately push off the other side — which exposes the left-right imbalances two-footed jumps hide.
That unilateral honesty makes them a staple of both plyometric exercises for runners and plyometric exercises for baseball. Do 3 sets of 5 to 6 bounds per leg, keeping each contact powerful rather than rushed.
Level: Intermediate · Sets × reps: 3 × 5–6/leg · Cue: drive the swing knee high, cover ground per bound
- Intermediate · frontal plane
Skater (Lateral) Bound
The skater bound ranks above the forward bound because most game jumps happen off one leg at an angle, and this is the drill that trains that: push off one foot, jump sideways onto the other, absorb the landing with a bent knee, then rebound the opposite way.
That frontal-plane, single-leg power is why it anchors our court-specific plyometric exercises for tennis and field set of plyometric exercises for soccer. Do 3 sets of 6 to 8 per side, sticking each landing before the next push.
Level: Intermediate · Sets × reps: 3 × 6–8/side · Cue: bend the landing knee, then explode the other way
- Intermediate · split stance
Split-Squat Jump
This one earns its spot with an in-air switch: from a staggered lunge you drop shallow, jump explosively, swap legs mid-flight, and land soft in the opposite stance. It builds single-leg power alongside the hip stability needed to control a fast landing in a split position — a harder ask than the standing single-leg bounds below it in effort, if not in travel.
Do 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps per leg. Keep the dip shallow; a deep lunge turns it into a slow strength move.
Level: Intermediate · Sets × reps: 3 × 6–8/leg · Cue: shallow dip, switch in the air, land balanced
- Intermediate · upper body
Medicine Ball Slam
The slam caps the intermediate tier as the list's first true upper-body plyometric: lift a medicine ball overhead, fire it into the floor with the whole torso, catch the bounce, and repeat. It brings the stretch-shortening cycle to the trunk and shoulders that lower-body jumps leave untrained.
Do 3 sets of 8 to 10 explosive reps. Every rep should be maximal intent — a lazy slam trains nothing. Pair it with lower-body work for balanced vertical jump strength training.
Level: Intermediate · Sets × reps: 3 × 8–10 · Cue: whole-body throw, not just arms; catch and reset
- Advanced · reactive
Depth Jump
The depth jump opens the advanced tier and is the highest-yield reactive drill on the list: step off a 12- to 18-inch box, land on both feet, and the instant you touch the ground explode straight up with the shortest possible contact time. It ranks here, not earlier, because that ground impact demands a real strength base and clean landing mechanics first.
It is a direct route to a higher vertical for anyone working on how to dunk a basketball. Do 3 sets of 4 to 5 reps, and stop the set the moment contact time lengthens.
Level: Advanced · Box: 12–18 in · Sets × reps: 3 × 4–5 · Cue: minimize ground time, explode up not out
- Advanced · continuous
Hurdle Hops
Hurdle hops rank alongside the depth jump but add fatigue and rhythm: clear a row of low hurdles with both feet, landing and rebounding instantly on stiff, springy ankles. Stringing several together trains reactive power when you are tired — closer to how sport actually demands it than a single fresh rebound.
Do 3 sets of 5 to 6 hurdles. Keep them low; the goal is fast, continuous contacts, not maximal clearance height.
Level: Advanced · Sets × reps: 3 × 5–6 hurdles · Cue: stiff ankles, land-and-go, keep hurdles low
- Advanced · single-leg impact
Single-Leg Box Jump
This ranks above the two-footed advanced drills because it stacks single-leg control on top of an elevated takeoff: jump onto a low box off one leg, land balanced, and step down. The margin for error is small, so the box stays low and the reps stay few.
Do 3 sets of 4 reps per leg. For more variations that build up to it, work through our plyometric box jump exercises progressions before loading heavy volume.
Level: Advanced · Sets × reps: 3 × 4/leg · Cue: land balanced on one leg, step down, keep the box low
- Advanced · sprint carryover
Bounding (Repeat)
Repeat bounding sits near the top because it is continuous, maximal, and single-leg all at once: string together exaggerated running strides, driving each knee high and covering as much ground per step as possible. Few drills carry over to sprint speed and jumping power as directly.
That is why it anchors our field-specific plyometric exercises for football. Do 3 sets of 20 to 30 meters, walking back to full recovery between runs.
Level: Advanced · Sets × reps: 3 × 20–30 m · Cue: big knee drive, maximum ground per stride, full rest
- Advanced · upper-body reactive
Clap Push-Up
The clap push-up closes the list as the upper-body equivalent of a depth jump: drop into a push-up, push hard enough to leave the floor, clap, then catch yourself soft on bent arms. It ranks last because that landing loads the shoulders and wrists reactively, which only makes sense once your pushing strength and mechanics are solid.
Do 3 sets of 5 to 8 reps. Absorb the catch with bent arms every time — a stiff-armed landing is how wrists and elbows get hurt.
Level: Advanced · Sets × reps: 3 × 5–8 · Cue: explosive push, soft bent-arm catch, stop when the pop fades
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- Squat Jump
- Ankle Hops (Pogo Jumps)
- Lateral Line Hops
- Standing Broad Jump
- Box Jump (Low Box)
- Tuck Jump
- Single-Leg Bound
- Skater (Lateral) Bound
- Split-Squat Jump
- Medicine Ball Slam
- Depth Jump
- Hurdle Hops
- Single-Leg Box Jump
- Bounding (Repeat)
- Clap Push-Up
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How everyone ranked them
Built from reader rankings using position-based points.
The 15 exercises above are the list. This section explains how they were ordered and how to turn them into a program without overreaching.
How We Ranked These 15 Exercises
The order is by demand, not by hype. An exercise ranks higher only when it needs cleaner landing mechanics, a larger strength base, or more single-leg control than the ones before it. That is why floor-based two-footed jumps sit at the top of the list and reactive, single-leg, or impact-heavy drills sit at the bottom — the depth jump is more useful than a squat jump for building a vertical, but you cannot do it safely until the squat jump’s landing pattern is automatic.
We grouped the 15 into three tiers that map onto training age:
- Beginner (1–5): two-footed, low-impact, technique-first. The goal is a soft, quiet, controlled landing, not height.
- Intermediate (6–10): adds single-leg demands, in-air coordination, lateral power, and the first upper-body option.
- Advanced (11–15): the highest ground-reaction forces on the list. These are earned with a solid strength base and clean intermediate technique.
What Counts as a Plyometric Exercise
A plyometric is any movement that loads a muscle with a rapid stretch and then fires it explosively, using the stretch-shortening cycle. The quick dip before a jump, the landing before a rebound, the countermovement before a throw — each stores elastic energy and releases it as usable force. Regular lifting builds how much force you can produce; plyometrics train how fast you produce it, which is why the two belong together rather than as substitutes.
Sets, Reps and Weekly Volume
Keep plyometric reps low and rest long, because these exercises depend on a fully firing nervous system.
| Level | Total ground contacts / session | Rest between sets | Sessions / week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 40–60 | 60–90s | 2 |
| Intermediate | 60–100 | 60–90s | 2–3 |
| Advanced | 80–120 | 90s+ | 2–3 |
Train on non-consecutive days, and end any set the instant jumps slow down or landings turn heavy — past that point it is conditioning, not power. For jump-specific programming, our list of the best plyometric exercises for vertical jump sequences many of these into a plan, our ranked guide to plyometric leg exercises breaks down the highest-payoff lower-body moves, and our list of plyometric exercises for explosive power ranks moves by explosiveness built per rep.
A Simple Two-Day Weekly Plan
Two sessions a week is enough to progress without overreaching:
- Day 1 (lower body): squat jumps, box jumps, single-leg bounds, ankle hops
- Day 2: rest or light strength work
- Day 3 (mixed): tuck jumps, skater bounds, medicine ball slams, and one advanced drill once you are ready
Warm up with dynamic movement and a few submaximal jumps first, and reassess your jump height every three to four weeks.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most common error is chasing volume: once jumps slow or form breaks, the set has become conditioning, not plyometrics, so stop early. The second is skipping the strength base and jumping straight to depth jumps, which loads joints your tissues are not ready for. Beginners also tend to land loud and stiff-kneed — a sign of poor force absorption rather than power. Land soft and quiet every time, step down off boxes instead of jumping down, and never train the same jump pattern two days in a row.
Plyometrics are high-impact by design, so anyone new to training, returning from injury, or with a joint or medical condition should check with a coach or physician before starting. This article is general training information, not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best plyometric exercises for beginners?+
Squat jumps, ankle hops, lateral line hops and low box jumps are the best starting plyometrics because they teach soft landings and short ground contact at low impact. Master a controlled, quiet landing on each before adding height, speed or single-leg versions. Two sessions a week of 40 to 60 total jumps is plenty at first, with full rest between sets so every rep stays fast.
What is the difference between plyometric and regular exercises?+
Regular strength exercises like squats build how much force a muscle can produce; plyometric exercises train how fast it produces that force. Plyos use the stretch-shortening cycle, a rapid stretch immediately followed by a powerful contraction, such as the quick dip before a jump. That reactive speed is what slow, heavy lifting does not train on its own, which is why the two work best side by side.
How many plyometric exercises should I do in one workout?+
Pick three to five plyometric exercises per session and keep total ground contacts between 60 and 120 for trained athletes, less for beginners. Quality matters more than quantity, so stop a set the moment jumps slow down or landings get sloppy. Two to three sessions a week on non-consecutive days is the standard most coaches recommend, and mixing levels within a session is fine once your technique is clean.
Do you need equipment for plyometric exercises?+
Most plyometrics need no equipment at all. Squat jumps, tuck jumps, broad jumps, skater bounds and clap push-ups use only bodyweight and floor space. A sturdy, non-slip box helps for box jumps and depth jumps, and a medicine ball adds upper-body options, but you can build a complete program with none of it. If you do use a box, make sure it will not tip or slide on landing.
Are plyometric exercises safe to do every day?+
Daily plyometric training is not recommended because the exercises are high-impact and rely on a fully recovered nervous system to stay explosive. Training the same jump patterns without rest raises injury risk and produces slower, sloppier reps. Leave at least one full day between sessions, cut volume if landings feel heavy or joints ache, and never chase soreness — with plyometrics, more is not better.
Which plyometric exercises build the highest vertical jump?+
Depth jumps, box jumps and single-leg bounds are the highest-yield plyometrics for vertical jump because they train reactive strength: the ability to absorb force and redirect it upward almost instantly. They work best layered on top of a squat and deadlift base rather than replacing it. Beginners should build technique with squat jumps and low box jumps for several weeks before attempting depth jumps.
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