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Split jumps are a plyometric exercise that strengthens the glutes and leg muscles and provides cardiovascular benefits. A plyometric exercise uses explosive movements to build strength and to condition the muscles and heart.

If you learn how to do split jumps, you will have a basic plyometric move in your routine that only requires a few repetitions to be effective for great cardio benefits and a high calorie burn!

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Table of Contents

How To Do Split Jumps:

Here’s how to do a split jump:

  1. Stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart. Hands are in front of the chest, hand on fist.
  2. Take a large step forward with one foot and lower your body toward the floor. Both legs should be bent at a 90-degree angle at the bottom of the lunge.
  3. Lower the back knee slightly and jump to switch feet.  While in the air, the front foot comes back and the back foot comes to the front. Land in a bent knee lunge. Repeat.

Split Jump Benefits

Chris Freytag demonstrating Split Jumps

There are many reasons you should incorporate split jumps into your workouts. Here are just a few:

High-Intensity Interval Benefits

No matter how you look at it, split jumps are going to get you breathing heavy! You will undoubtedly reach your anaerobic state, meaning breathing only through your mouth and needing a break after about 20-30 seconds.

This makes the split jump perfect for high-intensity interval training! It’s a crazy-good move that accomplishes in seconds what takes other exercises several minutes.

Work Your Lower Body & Core

Your legs are moving and getting stronger with split jumps. Quads, glutes, hamstrings and calves…every muscle is put to the test. The key is to get a full range of motion. Don’t cut it short! You should go deep and make sure both knees bend.

Different than a lot of cardio moves, the key to getting more intensity is range of motion INSTEAD of speed. In addition, you need to use your core in order to keep this movement efficient and easy on the joints, so it’s a great way to train those core stabilizers.

Cardio Exercise at Home

The cardio benefits of split jumps are amazing, but even better is the fact that you can do this move right at home. No need to go to a gym or head into bad weather for your workout. Just find some space and get moving.

Some short burst of high intensity moves like this can get you an awesome workout in less than 20 minutes!

Easy Ways to Incorporate Split Jumps into Your Workouts

Split jumps are an amazing cardio exercise all on their own! However, you could also incorporate split jumps into other workouts to mix them up. Here are some ideas to make that happen:

Use Split Jumps in a Bodyweight-Only Cardio Workout

You don’t need to go running or ride a bike to get your cardio in. You don’t even need to be in a gym or outside. Using basic bodyweight moves you can get a complete cardio workout that is simple, easy to do anywhere, and super effective. Try this:

10-Minute Bodyweight-Only Cardio Challenge

Start with a one-minute jog in place to warm up, then do each of the following for 45 seconds, with 15 seconds rest in between:

Repeat all 5.

Use Split Jumps in Your Circuit Training

Circuits are a fun way to exercise and get your strength and cardio in all at the same time. The idea behind circuits is to go from one move, or one “station”, to the next with little or no rest in between. Check this out:

Fat Blasting Circuit Training Workout

Move directly from one exercise to the next with little to no break in between. Rest for 1 minute at the end, then repeat the sequence.

Rest 1 minute. Repeat. Stretch.

Use Split Jumps in Your HIIT Training

High Intensity Intervals are all the rage because they get the job done in record time. Go as hard as you can for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds and then go hard again. Here’s a super easy way to kick butt!

HOT HIIT WORKOUT

Do each move for 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds in between moves. 

Go through this sequence 4 times.

Here are 3 more workouts that incorporate split jumps into your workout:

Lastly, if you like the idea of getting a great cardio move right in the comfort of your own home with no equipment needed, try these moves too!