Train Like an Athlete: Why Jump Training is a Game-Changer for Women’s Health
Feeling strong, energized, and confident in your body doesn’t have to be reserved for athletes. At The St. James Performance Club, we believe that everyone is an athlete and deserves to train in a way that builds real strength, supports long-term health, and helps you move through life with power and purpose. That’s where jump training comes in. Inspired by how top athletes train but tailored for everyday life, it’s a simple and effective way to boost strength, burn fat, and improve how you feel in your body — all in less time than you might think.
While jump training — also known as plyometrics — is a staple in sports performance programs, it holds remarkable value for women across all fitness levels. Backed by research and rooted in functional movement, it’s a method that builds strength, boosts confidence, and supports lifelong vitality.
What Is Jump Training?
Jump training consists of short bursts of explosive movement like hops, squats, skips, and bounds. These exercises are designed to help the body produce force quickly and absorb impact with control. Athletes use them to improve speed and power, but their benefits extend far beyond the field.
For women, these movements offer a unique combination of muscle activation, joint stability, and cardiovascular engagement — all in a time-efficient format that supports both short-term goals and long-term well-being.
Why Jump Training Matters for Women’s Health
Jump training doesn’t just build physical strength. It enhances the way your body moves, adapts, and protects itself over time. And that makes it one of the most effective tools for women who want to feel strong, capable, and energized — both now and into the future.
According to Matt Rackiewicz, Director of Performance Training at The St. James, "After nearly two decades in the fitness industry, one truth has always stood out: we all need to be able to move and control our bodies with strength, balance, and confidence. For women especially, training like an athlete means preparing for the physical demands of daily life—whether it’s navigating uneven ground, catching yourself from a slip, lifting something overhead, or keeping up with your kids. Functional training, including jump work, builds powerful legs, sharp reflexes, and resilient bodies that are ready for anything.
As Dr. Stacy Sims reminds us, women aren’t small men—our training should reflect the unique way our bodies adapt and perform. This kind of training empowers us to live fully and move fearlessly."
The Benefits: How Jump Training Translates to Real-Life Strength
Training like an athlete isn’t about chasing elite performance — it’s about preparing your body for everything life throws your way. Whether you're managing the physical demands of motherhood, an active lifestyle, or simply seeking to feel more in control of your body, jump training builds the kind of strength that matters. Here’s how it delivers real, measurable benefits for women at every stage of life:
1. Supports Bone Density and Skeletal Strength
Women are at increased risk for low bone density and osteoporosis, especially after menopause. High-impact, weight-bearing exercises like jumping play a vital role in maintaining strong bones. Research published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research found that jumping just 10 to 20 times twice daily significantly improved hip bone density in postmenopausal women.
2. Boosts Metabolism and Cardiovascular Fitness
Jump training elevates your heart rate quickly, improving cardiovascular endurance and promoting fat burn during and after your workout. Because it relies on fast, repetitive movement, it also helps increase your metabolic rate, supporting weight management and energy levels over time.
3. Improves Balance, Coordination, and Functional Strength
Plyometric movements train the body to stabilize and move efficiently. Jumping, landing, and changing direction engage the core, strengthen the joints, and sharpen motor control — skills that make daily tasks like lifting, stepping, or navigating uneven terrain safer and easier.
4. Builds Confidence Through Movement Mastery
Jump training builds more than muscle. It enhances body awareness, control, and confidence. Each landing teaches you how to move with intention. Each repetition helps you feel more connected to your body’s capabilities, creating a sense of empowerment that extends beyond the gym.
Get Started: Try These Jump Training Exercises
At The St. James Performance Club, our expert coaches guide members through customized training programs designed to support personal goals and physical readiness. Here are five foundational exercises, from Matt Rackiewicz, B.S in Exercise Science and Director of Performance Training, that offer maximum benefits for women’s health:
Jump Squats
- Benefits: Builds leg strength and improves core stability
- Prerequisite: Be able to do 3 sets of 10 body weight squats
- How to do it: Lower into a squat, then push through your heels fast enough to leave the ground and jump. Land softly and return to the squat position.
Lateral Step Jumps
- Benefits: Enhances side-to-side balance and joint stability
- Prerequisite: Be able to do 3 sets of 10 body weight lateral lunges
- How to do it: Start with one foot on the floor and one foot on a step or low box. Jump laterally over the low box or step, keeping your knees soft and movements quick.
Jumping Jacks
- Benefits: Increases cardiovascular endurance and full-body coordinationHow to do it: Start from a standing position then jump, swing or reach your hands over head and land with your feet shoulder width apart. Jump again and bring your arms down to your hips and land with your feet together. Repeat in a rhythmic motion.
Skipping in Place
- Benefits: Promotes rhythm, agility, and bone-loading impact
- How to do it: Think of running in place, but with a skipping rhythm. Move your opposite arm and leg together, alternating sides with light, controlled hops to keep the motion smooth and rhythmic.
Single-Leg Hops
- Benefits: Improves ankle strength, balance, and proprioception
- Prerequisite: be able to balance on one leg for 30 seconds.
- How to do it: Stand on one foot and hop in place or forward. Switch legs after a set number of hops.
Each of these movements can be scaled to your experience and fitness level. Low-impact versions are available for those easing into training or recovering from injury. Our trainers and performance coaches ensure every member trains smart, safely, and with purpose.
Train for Life, Not Just a Workout
Training like an athlete means choosing movements that work with your body, not against it. It’s about building strength that supports how you live, move, and feel from the inside out. Jump training reflects this approach by delivering full-body benefits through focused, powerful motion.
Whether your goal is to boost bone health, increase energy, or simply feel stronger and more confident, jump training offers a clear path forward. To help you begin your journey, all new members receive four complimentary personal training sessions. It’s our way of making sure you have the expert support needed to train smarter, feel better, and live stronger from the very start. Reach out to one of our certified trainers today.