LLive to be 100 but have felt terrible for the past 40 years? This is not a good way to age yourself. If you want to exercise now and Aging like fine wine, box jumping is part of it. This high-energy move (explosively jumping from the floor to an elevated surface as solid as a strengthening box) not only builds strength and power in the short term, it also keeps your body agile and resilient as you age.
Ready to take the leap toward a longer, healthier life? Next, we’ll detail how box jumping can support your long-term health, improve balance, and even slow down the aging process.
How to perform box jumps with perfect form every time
- Stand a foot or so in front of a box, bench, or other sturdy elevated surface, with your feet hip-width apart.
- Bend your knees and push your hips back as you swing your arms behind you.
- Launch through the balls of your feet and jump as you swing your arms up and forward.
- Land on the box as gently as possible in a small squat, allowing your knees and hips to bend slightly to help absorb the impact of your landing.
- Then carefully step off the box (without jumping) onto the floor. This is a repeat.
Your fitness level and box height will determine how many box jumps you can perform with good form, says Grayson Wickham, DPT, CSCS, physical therapist and founder of Movement Vault. A good start is three to five sets of 10 to 15 reps, Wickham says. Add them to a leg day, full-body workout or even a HIIT class because they’re perfect for getting your heart pumping.
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5 Ways Box Jumps Support Healthy Aging
There is no secret to aging gracefully. It’s actually pretty simple: Healthy habits like eating nutritious food, getting good sleep, managing stress, and regular exercise are key. While all types of exercise are good for long-term health, box jumping tops the list. Here’s how they can help you stay strong and active as the years pass.
1. They strengthen bones
Time is not kind to your bones. You tend to lose bone mass and density as you age (especially after menopause). According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), if you lose too much, it’s called osteoporosis (a disease that affects 10 million Americans and makes bones more likely to break).
Weight-bearing exercise puts stress on the body’s connective tissues, including bones, and over time the bones adapt by becoming stronger and denser.
The good news: You can slow down (or even prevent) many of these bad things with weight-bearing exercises. Weight-bearing exercise puts stress on the body’s connective tissue, including bones, which adapt over time by becoming stronger and denser, Wickham said. You can increase the stress by lifting heavier weights or performing explosive exercises like box jumps. During a box jump, your body absorbs a lot of force when you land, which strengthens your muscles and bones while improving lower-body control and stability, he says.
2. They increase explosive power
Have you ever had to sprint to catch the bus or plane? That’s the “relative” explosive power in action, Wickham said. Being able to move quickly without getting injured is something that everyone should be able to do, regardless of their age.
If you want to be able to perform at your best in your golden years, start doing box jumps. Because of its plyometric component, box jumps allow your muscles to accelerate (and decelerate) quickly, so it can help improve your power, Wickham says.
He added that power training not only strengthens skeletal muscles but also improves endurance and cardiovascular fitness. Have everything you need to live a long and healthy life.
3. They support mitochondrial health
Feeling tired all the time? Your mitochondria might need a little help. Wickham says the health of your mitochondria determines your energy levels. Think of mitochondria as little power plants in the cell. They are the engine that keeps you going.
According to research from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, getting older (and many age-related diseases) can disrupt the quality of your mitochondria. But exercise, especially weight lifting and box jumps, is a great way to improve it. Wickham says box jumping triggers the production of new mitochondria and helps them produce ATP (the muscle’s energy source) more efficiently. The result: better endurance between workouts and faster recovery times.
4. They stimulate stem cell proliferation
Life is about breakdowns and repairs. “If you cannot effectively replace damaged cells and tissues, you will age faster and face health problems,” Wickham said. Stem cells aid in this repair process.
You can boost your body’s stem cell production through certain types of exercise. Yes, you guessed it: box jumping. Plyometric exercises like weightlifting and box jumps cause microscopic muscle damage, triggering an inflammatory response that awakens satellite cells, the body’s muscle-repair stem cells, Wickham said. These cells then fuse with the damaged muscle or create new fibers.
Additionally, he adds, such exercise also stimulates the release of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a hormone that plays an important role in muscle repair and cell activation.
5. Improve balance and coordination
If you want to keep your feet stable (and independent) as you age, start prioritizing balance training today. Balance may seem like NBD when you’re younger, but it can actually be your lifesaver. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four older adults falls each year, and one in five of those falls results in a serious injury, such as a broken bone or head trauma.
“Box jumps build strength and stability in your core, hips, knees and ankles, which are key to balance and coordination,” says Wickham. Because box jumps involve jumping and landing, they challenge your ability to control each joint throughout the movement. The more control you have over your body, the better your balance will be (and the less likely you’ll be to fall).
