Momentum-Based Load Prescription Profiling for Weighted Jumps in Men's and Women's Collegiate Basketball Players

Harry, JR, Agnew, C, and Park, S. Momentum-based load prescription profiling for weighted jumps in men's and women's collegiate basketball players. J Strength Cond Res 40(7): e746-e754, 2026-The jump squat exercise is a useful exercise for stimulating jump-related adaptations in basketball players. However, it is difficult to determine the ideal load an athlete should use during jump squats. The momentum-based approach for jump squat load selection is promising, but different populations present with different momentum profiles across jump squat loads, challenging application of empirical data to basketball players. The purpose of this technical report was to explain the utility and practical implications of momentum-based profiling and provide jump squat momentum profiles for 22 NCAA Division 1 Men's ( n = 12; 20 ± 1 year; 1.93 ± 0.08 m; 91.45 ± 14.00 kg) and Women's ( n = 10; 21 ± 2 years; 1.78 ± 0.08 m; 76.67 ± 10.04 kg) basketball players. Each player performed three jump squat trials on a dual force platform system with a hexagonal barbell using the following loads relative to their estimated 1 repetition maximum (1RM) back squat: 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60%. The data indicated on average that men's and women's players should consider using 45% of the 1RM back squat when performing jump squats, as 58% of the men's players and 83% of the women's players created the most momentum with that load (men's: 245 ± 70.42 kgm·s -1 ; women's: 192 ± 73.13 kgm·s -1 ). The 15% load coincided with the greatest momentum created in three men's players. One men's and one women's player did so with 30%. Eight men's and one women's player did so with the 45% load, whereas one men's and one women's player did so with the 60% loaded jumps. Each of the loads explored here should produce positive jump adaptations because each player created more momentum with those loads compared with their 0% jumps. For practitioners without access to appropriate tracking technologies, jump squats with a load equal to 45% of the 1RM back squat seems to be an ideal starting place for the average men's and women's basketball player. However, the inconsistency across player-specific momentum profiles suggests that each player's ideal training load can only be determined by assessing their own profile instead of the group average results.