Exercise description of the jump lunges.  Learn about the jump lunges with video and pictures.  Also learn how the jump lunges can improve your sports performance.

Primary muscles worked:  Quads, Glutes

Synergist Muscles:  Hamstrings

Mechanics:  Compound

Equipment:  Dumbbells

How to perform the exercise:  The athlete can perform jump lunges by first getting in to the low position of a traditional lunge. One foot should be forward ahead of the other. The knees should be bent so that the front knee is at a 90 degree angle and the back knee is about one to two inches from the floor. The front knee should not be extended beyond the toes. Once in position, the athlete will jump up pushing from the quads trying to get as high up in the air as possible. When the athlete is returning to the ground, the athlete will switch the front and back feet. The athlete will quickly return to the bottom position of the lunge and push back up again quickly to get as high off the ground as possible. The athlete will continue jumping and switching their lead leg until the desired number of jumps has been reached.

Spotting the exercise:  The spotter's primary goal during jump lunges is to watch the athlete's knees and make sure that they do not extend beyond the toes. If the athlete does allow their knees to do this, the spotter should instruct the athlete to watch their knee position. If the athlete still has difficulty with knee position, the athlete should perform the reps slower and more controlled until the correct knee position is maintained.

Sport specific application:  Jump lunges allow athletes to work both running and jumping mechanics all in one exercise. These movements are practically found in all sports which makes the jump lunge a versatile exercise in athlete training.