Tip: Do This Before Heavy Squats

This exercise fires up the CNS and recruits a ton of muscle fibers. It's a great primer exercise that'll prepare any lifter for a big squat session.

The Goblet Jump Squat

The most common types of jump squats come with their own set of problems that you won't have with this version:

1. The barbell jump squat often results in compromised mechanics because of the bar that lands on the spine, which can cause the knees to cave at the bottom of the rep. Even landing properly with a barbell on your back leads to unnecessary stress with each jump.
2. Holding the dumbbells by your side is the most common dumbbell squat jump but it comes with some problems. When you hold the dumbbells by your sides you end up internally rotating your legs to provide room for the dumbbells. Then the knees cave in slightly at the bottom of each rep. This becomes an even bigger issue as you progress to heavier (larger) dumbbells.

The Goblet Jump Squat is Better

You could load goblet jump squats with any size dumbbell without compromising your mechanics. The front-loading also takes stress off the spine.

Weighted jumps are crucial for explosive athletes. Try 3 sets of 5 before your next leg day.