TECHNIQUE

How Deep Should the Countermovement Be in a CMJ?

Deeper is not better. Research points to a natural, fluid dip around 90–100° of knee flexion — and speed matters more than depth.

August 5, 20265 min read

Athletes obsess over countermovement depth as if deeper automatically meant higher. The research says the opposite: there is an optimal range, and your self-selected depth is usually close to it.

The optimal range

Most athletes naturally dip to around 90–100° of knee flexion — and research suggests this is near-optimal. A fast, fluid dip in that range maximizes elastic storage without sacrificing force application.

Too shallow vs too deep

Both ends of the range cost you height, for different reasons:

Too shallow (under ~45°): shorter force application means less impulse.
Too deep (over ~120°): elastic energy storage efficiency drops and some energy dissipates as heat.

Speed is the hidden variable

A fast countermovement maximizes elastic storage and reuse. If you pause at the bottom of the dip, you have turned a CMJ into a squat jump — the SSC contribution disappears. The dip-to-takeoff transition must be quick.

How to check yours

Film yourself from the side. Look for two things: an unnatural pause at the bottom, and excessive sinking. If neither is present, stop micromanaging the depth and train the jump.

Key takeaways

A natural dip around 90–100° is near-optimal for most athletes.
Too shallow costs impulse; too deep costs elastic efficiency.
A pause at the bottom turns the CMJ into an SJ — keep the transition fast.

References

Bobbert et al. (1996) Med Sci Sports Exerc
Van Hooren & Zolotarjova (2017) Sports Med

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