Box Jumps - Working up to 24"

Practice by doing jump tucks. Jumping up on platforms requires that you bring your knees up higher and jump tucks can teach you how to do that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDA3DERQKFk&feature=fvwp&NR=1

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Agree with the tuck jumps. Also build up slowly.

For most people, it's more of a fear issue than lack of ability. Get comfortable and move up slowly.

My question is: Why do you need to do a 24 inch box jump? There are many other ways to get your exercise.

If you don't feel safe attempting such a high jump, don't let a coach or trainer push you into it. Your safety and ability to stay injury free so you can exercise is MUCH more important than reaching a goal a trainer set for you.

My question for you is why you feel the need to discourage people from pushing themselves.

Because when people push themselves too hard, that often leads to injury -- which can take you out of the game for weeks, if not months!

Your muscles need time to adjust. Keep going hard and when you feel comfortable enough, then move up.

That's very good advice. If and when you decide to try jumping on the higher box, make sure that you are really ready for the challenge, and aren't just doing it because the coach is pushing you to attempt it or to keep up with others in the class.

If someone is ready and wants to do high box jumps, that's one thing. But when they put them into a circuit where everyone thinks they HAVE to do them to get to the next station, that's when things start getting dangerous. Any circuit that includes box jumps should have all kinds of options for those who are not ready to do them.

That's fine if people have a choice and are not feeling pressured to try jumping on the high box before they feel ready.

I see the poster asking for advice to WORK UP to 24 not jumping 24 right away because they have to. So instead of judging her for asking the question or implying her trainer or coach is pushing her why not offer advice on how to safely work up to them. For the initial poster it does take time to work up to them. Im still on a twelve, I started at my crossfit gym doing 4's then 8's then 10's and so on. You can work out and work up to it with other exercises but one huge key is confidence. If you tell yourself its super hard then youve made it hard from the start. I told myself at my height and weight Id never be able to jump on the box, Id be doing the little weights forever. But my trainer told me to have faith in myself and just keep trying it once every so often. I didnt do it the first few times but I got closer and closer. Once I saw I was getting closer with every attempt after every few days I suddenly could do it because I wasnt psyching myself out before each jump. Just stick with the 12's, work them until comfortable then move to the next few until you get to the 24's. I watch this one guy at my gym do the 24 with 4 inch weights stacked to 32 or 36 and Im in awe. Maybe Ill never do that but I can do the 24's and so can you!

While some Crossfit coaches are probably reasonable, Crossfit as an organization has a bad reputation for being extreme and pushing people to force their bodies to perform beyond reasonable limits during their workouts. I am not a fan of that organization, and wish people would stop throwing so much money into Crossfit's pocket when there are plenty of good locally owned gyms to select from.

And I wish people would stop judging what I spend my money on. Its my choice to blow my money from my job on Crossfit. I did the normal gym. It didn't work. I didn't enjoy Zumba or running on a treadmill or being stared at when I was in the weight area. Crossfit is fun. I LIKE going to the classes. It makes me WANT to workout. Judging all of Crossfit by the ones who take it to extremes is ridiculous. Its not to your taste. Fine. But that doesn't make it your place to say I'm throwing my money away in Crossfit. Its my choice and quite frankly if it gets me moving, lifting, running and losing where nothing else did then its worth the extra money I pay every month. If the OP likes Crossfit and enjoys their workouts then you, and I, have no place to judge her. She didn't say she was being pushed. She didn't say she was pushed beyond limits. She actually said she did the smaller jump, though was a little wobbly, she was unsure about the jump she would eventually build up to and wanted exercises and advice from people how to do that properly. So where does that equate to being extreme or being pushed beyond reasonable limits? It doesn't. Its actually showing her trainers are taking it carefully, starting her small and having her work up to the 24 inch. You're putting your bias against Crossfit on her comments.