Hypothesis testPower & Plyometrics

Counter-Movement Jump

The counter-movement jump (CMJ) is a simple, field-friendly test of lower-body explosive power in which the athlete stands on a force plate, descends into a shallow squat (counter-movement phase), and explosively extends to jump as high as possible. Pioneered by Bosco and Komi (1983), the CMJ captures the integrated function of strength, rate of force development, and elastic energy utilization. Jump height (measured via flight time from force plate or motion capture) and peak power are reported. The CMJ is among the most widely used tests in sports science, athlete monitoring, and research due to simplicity, objectivity, and relevance to explosive power in nearly all sports.

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Sources

  1. Bosco, C., Luhtanen, P., & Komi, P. V. (1983). A simple method for measurement of mechanical power in jumping. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 50(2), 273-282. DOI: 10.1007/BF00422166
  2. Linthorne, N. P. (2001). Analysis of standing vertical jumps using a force platform. American Journal of Physics, 69(11), 1198-1204. DOI: 10.1119/1.1397460
  3. Cormie, P., McBride, J. M., & McCaulley, G. O. (2010). Validation of power measurement techniques in dynamic lower body resistance exercises. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 23(2), 103-118. DOI: 10.1123/jab.23.2.103

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Referenced by

ScholarGateCounter-Movement Jump (Counter-Movement Jump and Lower Body Power Assessment). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/sports-science/counter-movement-jump