Vertical jump test

The vertical jump test measures jump height as a field estimate of lower-body muscular power.^{1Ozemek et al., ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 12th ed., p. 246.},^{2International Sports Sciences Association, Strength and Conditioning, p. 208.} ACSM describes the countermovement jump as a common surrogate for power in younger people, for whom impact loading is less of a concern.^{1Ozemek et al., ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 12th ed., p. 246.} The NSCA’s program design guide describes it as perhaps the most popular field test of anaerobic power, easy to perform and specific to jumping sports.^{3Hoffman, NSCA’s Guide to Program Design, p. 51.} ISSA considers it a reliable and valid test of lower-body explosive strength.^{2International Sports Sciences Association, Strength and Conditioning, p. 208.}

For the wall-and-chalk method, the client chalks the dominant hand’s fingertips and stands with that shoulder about 6 inches (15 cm) from the wall, reaching as high as possible to mark it.^{4Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 284.} The client then makes a quick countermovement jump without a preparatory step and marks the wall at the highest point.^{4Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 284.} Record the distance between marks, taking the best of three trials.^{4Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 284.}

In practice

• The NSCA uses a warm-up of three to five practice jumps at about 50% of perceived maximal effort.^{5Schoenfeld and Snarr (eds.), NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training, 3rd ed., p. 242.}
• For reliable retesting, ISSA calls for the same time of day, location, warm-up, equipment, procedure, foot placement, shoes and surface, with no heavy lifting for two days beforehand.^{2International Sports Sciences Association, Strength and Conditioning, p. 208.}
• Jump height isn’t power itself: the NSCA’s program design guide identifies this as the test’s main drawback, though a formula can estimate peak power from height and body mass.^{3Hoffman, NSCA’s Guide to Program Design, p. 51.}
• ACSM notes that standardized field power tests for older adults, with norms and no specialized equipment, haven’t been established.^{1Ozemek et al., ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 12th ed., p. 246.}

Rest between attempts

After its practice jumps, the NSCA spaces at least three attempts about 60 seconds apart.^{5Schoenfeld and Snarr (eds.), NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training, 3rd ed., p. 242.} ISSA uses two warm-up jumps 60 seconds apart, then three attempts with 90 seconds of rest.^{2International Sports Sciences Association, Strength and Conditioning, p. 208.}