The seated vertical jump eliminates the assistance of a countermovement and the pre-tension of a paused starting position to maximize training of rate of force development. It produces the same effect as the seated box jump without the risk or fear involved with jumping onto another box, and allowing a more balanced drive through the foot.
 
Sit on a small box and place your feet in your jumping stance close to the base. With as little rocking of the body as possible, jump directly up from the seated position into a maximal vertical jump. Rocking can be best minimized by leaning forward as needed to feel balanced on the feet and using this as the starting position. Make sure to jump slightly forward to ensure a safe landing in front of the box.
 
The starting box height should be chosen to place you in the desired depth—most common will be thighs approximately horizontal.
 
Demand on actual leg and hip power can be increased by removing the swinging of the arms—hold the hands loosely at the chest.
 
Purpose
The seated vertical jump is a way to train jumping with concentric-only motion— by removing a countermovement and the pre-tension that would exist if just pausing at the bottom of a countermovement, the assistance of elasticity is eliminated, so rate of force development must be greater. It produces the same effect as the seated box jump without the risk or fear involved with jumping onto another box, and allowing a more balanced drive through the foot.
 
Programming
Seated box jumps should be performed at the end of a training session with 3-6 sets of 3-5 reps.
 
Variations
This jump can be done without a countermovement, with a full squat countermovement, from the bottom of a squat and/or without arm swing.