[madanyang]

Hi,

In the Alpine Combine Test (TFNA 177-178), the box jump is one of the exercises to be tested. Yet neither the Killer Routine nor the Max Strength exercises has the box jumping element involved. So my questions are why are we testing it and why isn’t it included in one of the routines.

Thanks

Topic

[LindsayTroy]

LindsayTroy on March 14, 2017 at 12:29 pm #4254

Can I jump on this question and ask what height the box jumps are supposed to be? I’ve been using a 24″ box but its measuring different things for me to be jumping 24″ at 5’6″ vs my husband who is 6′.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on March 14, 2017 at 3:39 pm #4259

Madanyang:

The box jump is used as basic fitness assessment and gives an indication of muscular endurance (aerobic and anaerobic). It is not included in the strength training program because the several qualities it incorporates are trained in the over all program. Do the test, do the prescribed training and then redo the test after the individual qualities have improved and you will see that the box jump results also improve. Training the fundamental qualities will almost always improve the specific event unless the athlete is at a very high level. So, if you are an incredibly good box jumper then you will probably only be able to improve you box jump by doing variations of the box jump. However if, as is more likely, you are not a world class box jumper you can make substantial gains in that event performance by training its fundamental qualities. In this case those fundamental qualities also transfer over very well to climbing mountains.

I hope this helps.
Scott

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on March 14, 2017 at 3:41 pm #4260

Lindsay:

Use a box 75% of the height of you knee as a good starting place. For most folks this will be around 14-18″. A 24″ box is a big step and its fine to use one that big but I think you’d agree that it is not a very representative step size for climbing up mountains.

Scott

[Aaron]

Aaron on March 14, 2017 at 3:45 pm #4261

I’ve been doing lightly weighted(barbells) one leg box jumps lately as part of a max strength routine and liking them along with heavily weighted step ups, split squats and squats.

[brett]

brett on March 19, 2018 at 11:52 am #8728

Should climbing boots be worn for the box jump?

[Steve House]

Steve House on March 26, 2018 at 12:32 pm #8878

It’s up to you. We don’t advocate or specify that so the ‘benchmarks’ we reference in the Training for the New Alpinism book are with a normal shoe you’d use in the gym.