Best Exercises to Improve BBJ

Start with a valid race repetition

Current Singles place Burpee Broad Jumps at station 4 over 80 m. A repetition must satisfy the current chest, hand and foot placement, two-foot take-off and landing requirements. Doubles also covers 80 m with current partner-entry, work-sharing and changeover rules. Practise the published standard before adding speed or fatigue.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27 · HYROX^® Doubles Rulebook 2026/27

Choose exercises by purpose

No five exercises explain a known percentage of improvement. Standing broad jumps can practise horizontal take-off and landing; controlled burpees can practise the floor transition; Romanian deadlifts and other hinges can develop general posterior-chain strength; push-ups can develop pressing capacity; and kettlebell swings can provide ballistic hinge practice. Each is an option for a purpose, not a proven shortcut to a faster BBJ split.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand · Plyometric-jump training umbrella review · Resistance-training specificity meta-analysis

Practise the jump and landing

Use low-volume broad jumps when landings are controlled. Start and land on both feet, choose a distance that permits balance, and stop a set when landing position or take-off coordination deteriorates. Box jumps are a different, more vertical task; use a height that you can land on without excessive knee tuck, and step down when that better controls impact. Neither exercise guarantees race transfer.

Plyometric-jump training umbrella review · Resistance-training specificity meta-analysis

Build the hinge without promising transfer

For a Romanian deadlift, learn the hip hinge, keep the load close and the spine stable, then progress from unloaded practice to a load you can control. The exercise can build strength in a hinge pattern, but a barbell repetition is not biomechanically identical to a broad jump. Strength gains transfer most strongly to the trained task, so valid BBJ practice remains necessary.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand · Resistance-training specificity meta-analysis

Train floor transitions separately

A close-grip or standard push-up may build pressing capacity, but current BBJ rules require chest contact and specified hand/foot positions rather than a conventional full push-up on every repetition. Practise the legal floor-to-feet transition itself. Select an easier variation when trunk position or shoulder comfort cannot be maintained; no elbow position is universally best.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27 · ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand

Use conditioning as context, not proof

Swings, short runs or another chosen effort can raise fatigue before a limited BBJ set, but heart rate alone does not make an exercise specific to station 4. First establish controlled movement while fresh. Later, add one preceding demand at a time and compare valid distance, technique and recovery. A small HYROX^® simulation study describes acute demands but does not validate one universal circuit.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27 · Brandt et al. 2025 HYROX^® simulation study · Resistance-training specificity meta-analysis

Programme examples, not prescriptions

Sets, repetitions, loads, rest periods and weekly frequency should reflect training age, current programme, recovery and impact tolerance. A block may move from technique and modest volume toward limited race-order practice, then reduce fatigue before racing. This is an example of organisation. Evidence does not support a universal eight-week improvement, a mandatory percentage of one-repetition maximum or a guaranteed split gain.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand · Plyometric-jump training umbrella review · Resistance-training specificity meta-analysis

Frequently Asked Questions

Which exercises should I start with?

Start with valid low-fatigue BBJ repetitions, then add one exercise for the capacity that currently limits you.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand · Resistance-training specificity meta-analysis

Are box jumps required?

No. They are an optional vertical jump exercise and do not replace horizontal or race-specific practice.

Plyometric-jump training umbrella review · Resistance-training specificity meta-analysis

Do Romanian deadlifts improve BBJ automatically?

No. They can build hinge strength, while transfer to the race movement still requires specific valid practice.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand · Resistance-training specificity meta-analysis

Should every burpee include a strict push-up?

Follow the current race standard. A separate strict push-up can be an accessory, but it is not the rule definition.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

How heavy should swings or deadlifts be?

Use a load you can control for the intended purpose; there is no universal HYROX^® load or percentage.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand · Resistance-training specificity meta-analysis

When should I add pre-fatigue?

After fresh technique is consistent, add a limited preceding demand and monitor rep validity and recovery.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand · Resistance-training specificity meta-analysis

Marketing text preserved unchanged

Most HYROX^® athletes train hard but train broadly. They run, they do sled work, they hit the gym, but they rarely train the specific movement qualities the Burpee Broad Jump demands in the exact proportions that translate to race-day performance. Repz data across hundreds of athletes identifies five categories of exercise that account for 80% of measurable improvement at the BBJ station: horizontal plyometrics, hip hinge strength, push-up mechanics under load, landing pattern drills, and metabolic conditioning specific to the BBJ cadence.

For the full breakdown of the BBJ station (rules, distance targets, race-day execution) see the HYROX^® Burpee Broad Jump guide.

For a more complete programming framework, see the HYROX^® training plan guide.

For a detailed week-by-week BBJ programming structure, the BBJ training plan provides a complete periodized approach covering both strength and race-specific conditioning.

Training BBJ only when fresh. Athletes who exclusively practice BBJ at the start of a session with a full rest are training themselves to perform in conditions that do not match race day. Incorporate pre-fatigue regularly from the first week. A 400m run followed immediately by BBJ sets is a manageable starting point. The HYROX^® workout guide explains why race-specific fatigue conditioning matters across every station.

Neglecting the push-up component. Most athletes view the burpee as a penalty before the jump. The chest-to-floor press is a demanding movement that accumulates across 20+ reps. If you are not training it specifically, you are building a weakness that will show up in the final 30 meters of the station when your upper body is spent. The BBJ technique guide covers push-up mechanics for HYROX^® in detail.

Tracking only jump distance. Jump distance matters, but cadence consistency over 20+ reps at pre-fatigued heart rate matters more for total station time. Track both. If your distance holds up but your cadence decays, the metabolic conditioning work is underdeveloped. If your cadence holds but your distance drops, the hip power work needs more volume. The BBJ distance tips guide provides specific drills to address distance decay under fatigue.

For a complete resource on improving all aspects of the BBJ, the improve burpee broad jumps guide covers race-day tactics alongside the training principles.