Explosive Leg Power
Jump Test
Muscular strength is important at all ages. Lack of muscular strength leads to all sorts of age related diseases such as sarcopenia, osteoporosis and falls, all of which can lead to serious health issues.
Muscle bulk also helps burn fat. If you have come to the gym to reduce your weight, then you need to add muscle first. Exercising on a treadmill for 30 minutes helps to increase your metabolic rate, but the exercise itself only burns the same amount of calories as consumed in a small packet of crisps. However, muscle burns calories 24/7 as it is living tissue that needs energy, even when not being used. The more muscle you have, the more energy you need (even when you’re asleep).
There are many ways to measure muscle strength and each has their advantages. For practical reasons, FitQuest calculates your lower body strength from the Jump test.
Getting the best jump height results
It’s all about technique. To obtain consistent results, FitQuest ask you to perform the test with your hands on your hips. If you use your arms, then your results may fluctuate from test to test. Remember, this is not meant to be a competition, but a tool to see where you need to improve and to track your progress.
The best technique is to quickly bob down until your knees are at approximately 90 degrees and then immediately push up as fast as possible in one smooth movement. Landing lightly reduces the stress on your joints.
Don’t start the test prematurely. Wait until FitQuest says "GO" otherwise you may not get any result at all. FitQuest will only measure the better of the two jumps you make. If you are unhappy with your jump, you can always try again.
What affects my jump height?
There are many aspects that affect your jump height including your weight, your explosive muscle power and your jump technique. FitQuest takes into account your body mass and jump height when calculating your explosive muscle power.
If you have a poor jump height, that does not mean that you have poor muscle power; it depends on your body mass. Therefore, your explosive muscle power is more important than your actual jump height.
How do I improve my jump height?
There are numerous exercises to improve explosive muscle power. It is important to warm up first so as to prevent any injuries. One of the easiest to start off with is to perform some jumps up onto a raised step. These can be two legged jumps at first, progressing to single leg jumps later or even whilst holding dumbbells.
Ask your personal trainer for advice and guidance which exercises are most suitable for you and, as always, don’t be afraid to tell them what exercises you don’t like doing. They will definitely want you to enjoy your experience.
Balance
Jump
Press Ups
Step Test
Heart Rate Recovery
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