WhatWorksWhat.
Glutes

Broad Jump

Maximum hip extension power converted into horizontal distance — the legs and hips, not the arms, create the projection.

Complexity · Lowplyometricintermediate+Bodyweight
  • Calves
  • Glutes
  • Glutes - Glute max
  • Hamstrings
  • Quads
  • Glute max
  • Side glute
  • Deep glute

PrimarySecondary

What it hits

Parts of the target muscle.

  • Glute max

    Hit

    Gluteus maximus - hip extension, squats, hinges, thrusts.

  • Side glute

    Not hit

    Gluteus medius - hip abduction, single-leg work, banded steps.

  • Deep glute

    Not hit

    Gluteus minimus - stabilizer for single-leg and abduction.

The movement

Get it right, not roughly right.

Optimal form

6:00· Overtime Athletes

How to Master the Broad Jump for Maximum Distance

Feet shoulder-width. Hinge the hips and swing the arms back. Explosively drive the arms forward and push through the floor to project your body as far forward as possible. Both feet leave the ground simultaneously. Land with both feet at the same time, bending the knees deeply to absorb impact. Mark distance from your toes to your heels on landing.

Common mistakes

  • Not using the arm swing — you lose 10–15% of horizontal distance.
  • Landing with feet together and knees locked — the knee joint takes the full brunt.
  • Pushing off one leg harder than the other — reveals hip extension asymmetry worth addressing.

Where you should feel it

Maximum hip extension power converted into horizontal distance — the legs and hips, not the arms, create the projection.

Injury risk · 2/10

SafetyLand in a stable position before stepping away — do not step forward to catch your balance mid-landing.

Progression

Step back, or step up.

Same movement family, different rung. Harder versions sit above, easier versions below — tap a rung to land there.

  1. Progress toWeighted vest broad jumpAdds load without altering the horizontal movement pattern.
  2. Progress toBox jumpAdds a vertical component and height as a measurable target.
  3. You're hereBroad Jump
  4. Step back toJump squatSame power development without the horizontal direction — easier landing.

Variations

Same movement, moved emphasis.

Ranked by how directly each variation still trains glutes. 80%+ means the target barely changes. Below 60%, the emphasis has meaningfully shifted — useful for variety, but less precise for the specific part. The label calls it at a glance.

  • Triple broad jump

    Three consecutive jumps; mark total distance as a power metric.

    90% on target

    On target

    Same target, minor adjustment.

  • Single-leg broad jump

    Tests unilateral explosive power and reveals side-to-side asymmetry.

    80% on target

    On target

    Same target, minor adjustment.

Compare with another exercise

Cool-down

Worked it. Walk it back down.

A couple of minutes here pays back in soreness avoided tomorrow. Browse the full library.

  • Couch Stretch

    Rear foot up on a bench, front leg in a 90/90 lunge. Squeeze the glute of the rear leg, tall torso. 60s per side.

    QuadsGlutes

  • Pigeon Pose

    From all fours, bring one knee forward at ~45° with the shin angled across the body. Extend the back leg straight. Lower the chest over the front shin. 60s per side.

    Glutes

  • Supine Figure-4

    On the back, one ankle crossed over the opposite knee. Reach through and pull the back of the bottom thigh toward the chest. 45s per side.

    Glutes

Coach note

Horizontal power is undertrained in most programmes that emphasise vertical lifts. Broad jump distance is a reliable field marker of posterior chain explosive strength — a meaningful number to track alongside squat and deadlift PRs.

Evidence