Update 02.01.2015: Regardless of usefulness here is one with 142kg (315 lbs).
(Original Post from 07.12.2012)
Check out Simon Brandhuber doing Kneeling Jumps with a 90kg barbell on his back.
BTW, he was 4th in the U23 69kg with a 141kg Snatch (3rd) and 165kg (6th) Clean & Jerk.
I don’t want to bash the 315 kneeling jumper but I went onto his Instagram expecting to find 500lb Cleans and the only other lifts I saw where a 185lbs-ish snatch and a 245ish overhead squat. So my two takeaways where that this guy has massive balls and heroic levels of stupid crazy to kneeling jump what’s probably his 1RM Squat. But there’s obviously not necessarily much carryover. I imagine his athleticism exceeds his conventional lifting and he’s wicked fast and good at more than just this one weird trick.
I’m not sure what people expect. Not everyone aspires to be an elite level lifter. He’s probably the type of guy who needs variety in his training in order to stay motivated. Where’s the link to your Instagram account?
Well…now he puts up a 345 Overhead Squat on instagram. His 245 was pretty recent but it’s pretty clear now that he’s just making huge gains. The kneeling jump doesn’t seem quite as out of whack anymore.
So what happens if you miss?
something gets hurt…badly…
The first video is from the balls of his feet, taking away the actual hip extension mechanism. the second video is much more applicable. Shameless plug, my IG (jeffleemoon) shows a body weight version of this. mechanically speaking, it’s a parlor trick, if you create enough up upward momentum, well, newtons laws. I prefer the kneeling height jumps (also on my IG) as a more effective plyometric movement.
Great energy from that first video though!
Doing this exercise off the balls of your feet is like going a qtr way in a squat and thinking you went atg.
Second vid is done the way the exercises should be done. The hip extension launches you up not the toe off.
Why would one do this?