Repeated Jump Anaerobic Power Test: Protocol and How to Interpret It

What if, instead of jumping non-stop for 30 seconds, what you really want to know is how well power output holds up when there are short rest periods between efforts, like in an actual match? That's the focus of the repeated jump anaerobic power test: series of maximal jumps with brief pauses, designed to assess repeated sprint ability applied to jumping (RSA).

What does this test measure?

It assesses the anaerobic capacity to repeat maximal jumps with incomplete recovery, better simulating the demands of intermittent sports (with pauses between explosive actions) than continuous jumping. It shows whether power output stays consistent across sets or progressively declines.

Equipment needed

• Contact mat or force platform
• Stopwatch (or the platform's own software, which usually automates timing)
• Enough space for repeated jumps

Execution protocol

1. The subject stands on the platform, hands on hips
2. Perform a series of maximal vertical jumps (for example, 5 jumps), with a short rest between each jump (5-10 seconds), or grouped into sets with rest between sets (for example, 3 sets of 5 jumps with 30 seconds of rest between sets)
3. The platform records the height of each individual jump
4. Repeat the full structure according to the chosen protocol (the simplest format: 1 jump every 10 seconds for 5-6 repetitions)
5. Calculate the average height of each set and compare across sets

Common mistakes

• Confusing this test with continuous rebound jumps: here there are pauses, which changes the predominant energy system being used
• Not standardizing rest times between jumps and between sets
• Using too many repetitions for the athlete's level, creating fatigue that isn't representative of the actual sport demands
• Not recording the height of each individual jump, losing the decrement curve

How to interpret the result

The main indicator is the percentage decrement between the best jump and the average of the entire series:

$$\% decrement = \left(1 - \frac{\text{Average height of the series}}{\text{Height of the best jump}}\right) \times 100$$

% decrement	Interpretation
< 5%	Excellent ability to repeat explosive efforts
5-10%	Good ability, within the expected range
> 10%	Reduced repeat-effort capacity, work on recovery between short efforts

Related tests

This test pairs naturally with continuous rebound jumps, since both explore "power endurance" but from different angles (continuous vs. with pauses):

• Rebound jump test — the version without pauses, more focused on the continuous reactive component
• CMJ test (Countermovement Jump) — to get a reference value for the "best jump" used to calculate the decrement

Track and monitor

This test is especially useful for intermittent sports, where what matters isn't a single jump but the ability to repeat it throughout an entire match or session. With Movalytics you can record the height of each jump in the series and let the app calculate the percentage decrement, helping you better program recovery times in your power sessions.

Frequently asked questions

How is it different from the continuous rebound jump test? The key difference is the rest periods. This test includes short pauses between jumps or sets, making it more representative of sports with intermittent actions (with pauses) versus the continuous effort of the rebound jump test. How many jumps should the series include? 5-6 jumps with short pauses is a reasonable starting point. The exact number can be adjusted based on the sport and the athlete's level. What should I do if the decrement is very high? A high decrement suggests working on recovery capacity between short explosive efforts, for example with jump series using controlled pauses and gradually reducing those rest times.