Squat Jump vs Countermovement Jump: What the Gap Means | Starke Industries

Most force plate testing starts with the countermovement jump (CMJ): stand tall, dip, and jump. A second jump that gets less attention is the squat jump (SJ). The athlete sinks into a squat, holds it briefly, and jumps from that position without dipping first.

Almost every athlete jumps higher in the CMJ. The size of that gap, and what it means, is where things get interesting.

Why the countermovement helps

The quick dip before a CMJ is a stretch-shortening cycle: muscles lengthen under load and then shorten. It's the same pattern behind sprinting, bounding, and change of direction.

For years the common explanation was elastic energy: tendons stretch like springs and give the energy back. A 2017 review by Van Hooren and Zolotarjova looked at the mechanisms behind the CMJ-SJ difference. It concluded the difference may be mainly related to greater uptake of muscle slack and the buildup of muscle stimulation during the countermovement, with elastic energy likely playing a smaller role [1].

That matters for coaches. If you assume the gap is purely "springiness," you might over-interpret it.

The eccentric utilization ratio

One way to express the comparison is the eccentric utilization ratio (EUR): CMJ result divided by SJ result. A ratio of 1.10 means the CMJ was 10% higher than the SJ.

McGuigan and colleagues measured EUR in 142 athletes across rugby union, Australian Rules football, soccer, softball, and field hockey [2]. Athletes in sports with more reliance on stretch-shortening activities (soccer, rugby, Australian football) tended to have higher EUR values than athletes in softball. The authors also reported EUR changed between off-season and preseason in field hockey, suggesting it may be useful for tracking changes across training phases [2].

What the gap can and can't tell you

The Van Hooren review makes a key caution: a larger CMJ-SJ difference is not necessarily a better indicator of high-intensity sports performance [1]. A big gap could reflect good use of the countermovement. It could also reflect a weak squat jump, or a technique issue, such as an athlete who can't start from a static position without a small dip.

So the gap is something to look at, not a score to chase. Treat it as one piece of context alongside other jump metrics from a force-plate session, not as a score to chase.

A few patterns coaches look at:

• Small gap, both jumps low. The athlete may simply need more strength and power overall.

• Large gap, SJ low. Starting force from a static position may be a limiter. Concentric strength and power work may be worth emphasizing.

• Small gap, SJ relatively high. The athlete may not be using the countermovement well. Plyometric and reactive work may help.

These are hypotheses to test with training and re-testing, not diagnoses.

Getting a clean squat jump

The SJ is harder to standardize than the CMJ. A few common rules:

1. Set the depth. Use a consistent squat depth each time, often around a 90-degree knee angle. Some coaches use a box or marker. 2. Pause. Hold the bottom position briefly, typically around two to three seconds, before jumping. 3. No dip. Force plates can show a small countermovement at the start of the jump. If one appears, the trial isn't a true squat jump. 4. Hands on hips. Removing the arm swing keeps the jumps comparable, same as a standard CMJ.

Testing over time

Like any metric, a CMJ-SJ comparison is only meaningful if you know the normal test-to-test variation for that athlete and that setup. A small shift between two sessions may be noise. A consistent change across several re-tests is more convincing.

Questions coaches ask

Should every athlete do both jumps? Not necessarily. The CMJ is the core test. The squat jump is most useful once an athlete can hold a stable squat position and jump without dipping, and when the comparison will actually change programming decisions.

Should we calculate EUR from jump height or peak power? McGuigan and colleagues reported that the two methods gave significantly different results in some groups [2]. Pick one method, document it, and use it every time.

How many trials per jump? Several, with enough rest between them. Use a consistent rule for which trial counts, such as the best or the average.

Where the squat jump fits in a testing day

Run the squat jump after the warm-up and the CMJ trials, with enough rest between sets. Keep the order the same every session. A changed order can change the results, which makes comparisons less meaningful.

Record the setup, including squat depth, pause length, and which trial counted, so the next tester can repeat it exactly. Small details like these make the difference between data you can trust and numbers you can't compare.

The bottom line

The squat jump gives the CMJ context. Comparing them can help you think about where an athlete's power comes from, but it's a coaching tool, not a verdict.

Related reading

• Summer Off-Season Training for High School Athletes: How to Plan the Break
• Training in the Heat: Heat Illness Basics for Summer Workouts
• countermovement jump
• force plate
• strength and power
• re-testing

References

• Van Hooren B, Zolotarjova J. The difference between countermovement and squat jump performances: a review of underlying mechanisms with practical applications. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(7):2011–2020. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001913 (published Jul 2017)
• McGuigan MR, et al. Eccentric utilization ratio: effect of sport and phase of training. J Strength Cond Res. 2006;20(4):992–995. https://doi.org/10.1519/R-19165.1 (published 2006)
• ---

Fill out our quick contact form at starkeit.com/contact, or call or text (847) 750-3025. Starke Industries is in Palatine, IL.