Legs · Bodyweight
Jump Step-up
How to do the jump step-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Lunge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand in front of a sturdy box or bench with one foot planted on top. Explosively drive through that foot to jump up and switch legs in the air, landing softly with the opposite foot now on the box, and repeat alternating sides.
- 1Quads and glutes exploding to launch you up off the box
- 2Soft, controlled landing absorbing through the lead leg
- 3Tall torso and braced core through each jump
Common mistakes
- Landing stiff or with a loud, heavy foot
- Letting the knee cave inward on takeoff or landing
- Leaning forward or hunching; stay upright
Muscles worked
The jump step-up mainly works the quads and glutes, with the hamstrings and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
- Tibialis AnteriorMinor
Kovo programs the jump step-up for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band thruster
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
Last reviewed June 2026.