Why I’ll encourage Jumping in My HIIT Class

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If you’ve ever come to my weekly HIIT class, you already know this: I love to get people jumping. Whether it’s long jumps, lateral hops, or plyo lunges or  jump squat — there’s usually some kind of plyometric work in the mix. But I also always offer a no-jump option. Why? Because not every body is ready to jump yet. 
But I’m still going to encourage you to build towards it. Here’s why.

It’s Not Just About the Burn — It’s About the Bones
Jumping (also known as plyometric training) isn’t just about sweating harder or getting your heart rate up — though it definitely does that too. One of the biggest benefits is how good it is for your bones. Please note the bones are site specific in response  jump squats will improve the strength or the legs, hips, spine but not the wrists or arms. Plyo push ups  will improve wrists and shoulders and arms. 

As we age past 35, our bone mineral density (BMD) naturally starts to decline. This makes us more vulnerable to fractures and osteoporosis. (  For women, this process speeds up post-menopause. )
The good news? We can slow, stop, and even possibly reverse this loss — with the right kind of movement stress.  

Running is often the go-to for people trying to stay fit. But running only loads the body in one direction: forward.  as we age we need to load the body in multiple directions — forwards, backwards, sideways, twisting, landing, and pushing off again to create more stress. 

But You Can’t Just Start Jumping…
Before you start jumping like tiga, we need to build a strong foundation of balance awareness and alignment. The exact things we work on in the standing yoga postures or technique focuses weight classes like power pump.  

Plyometric work puts a lot of stress on the joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. If your knees collapse in a squat, your balance is off during a lunge, or your ankles aren’t stable — jumping could actually do more harm than good.

That’s why in my HIIT classes, we focus on:
• Form first: You’ll master the movement before we add height, speed, or impact.
• Progression: You’ll get options — from no jump, to mini jump, to full plyo.
• Balance and control: These are non-negotiables. Your joints need to be stable before they’re explosive.

Summary :
Why I’ll Always Encourage You to Jump (When You’re Ready)
• Bone health matters, especially as we age.
• Multidirectional impact can be more beneficial in improving and maintaining bone strength (site specific) .
• Form and joint stability come first — we build a strong foundation before adding impact.
• Everyone gets options in class, because not everyone is at the same place — and that’s perfectly okay. Be wise with your needs.  

What if you cant jump? more reps is NOT the goal, explosive power is the goal. Go for lower reps and sets or/and add resistance. Take more recovery so you can perform each set with maximum effort and not transition into a cv/ endurance style of workout. Instead you could ensure you are doing some Pure strength based resistance sessions a week.