The broad jump, also known as the standing long jump, is one of the oldest and most reliable athletic performance tests available. A single measurement that requires no equipment beyond a tape measure and a flat surface, it captures the horizontal explosive power of both legs in a way that correlates strongly with sprint speed, athletic agility, and overall lower body power.
But a broad jump result on its own tells you very little. The meaningful question is not how far you jumped but how far you jumped relative to your age, sex, training background, and sport. This guide provides the complete benchmark picture alongside the specific factors that determine broad jump performance and the most effective training interventions for improving it.
What the Broad Jump Measures
The standing broad jump (or standing long jump) measures the maximum horizontal distance an athlete can cover from a two-leg standing start, landing on both feet. It is a measure of bilateral horizontal explosive power, combining the concentric force production of the legs, the elastic energy return of the stretch-shortening cycle, and the coordination of the arm swing and body position during flight.
Why horizontal power is athletically relevant:
Horizontal force production is the primary driver of sprint acceleration. The first 10 to 20 metres of a sprint are determined almost entirely by the athlete’s ability to produce force in the horizontal direction. The broad jump directly measures this quality in a simple, standardised test.
Broad jump versus vertical jump:
The vertical jump measures vertical force production. The broad jump measures horizontal force production. These are related but distinct qualities. Athletes who are strong in both directions are genuinely well-rounded in their explosive power. Athletes who test well in one but not the other have a directional power asymmetry worth addressing.
Research has found that the broad jump correlates more strongly with sprint times over 10 to 30 metres than the vertical jump does, making it arguably the more athletically relevant test for most field and court sports.
How to Test the Broad Jump
Equipment needed: A tape measure, a non-slip flat surface, and a clearly marked start line.
Standard protocol:
- Stand with the toes behind the start line, feet approximately hip-width apart
- Swing the arms backward and bend the knees simultaneously
- Drive the arms forward and upward explosively while extending the hips, knees, and ankles
- Jump forward as far as possible
- Land on both feet simultaneously
- Measure from the start line to the nearest point of body contact on landing (typically the heel of the back foot if the feet are not parallel)
- Perform 3 trials and record the best result
Valid versus invalid jumps:
- A jump where one foot lands significantly in front of the other is recorded to the back foot
- A jump where the athlete falls backward after landing is recorded to the nearest body part contact point
- A jump where the toes cross the start line before takeoff is a foul
Testing consistency requirements:
Always test on the same surface type. Indoor rubber flooring, grass, and concrete produce different results for the same athlete due to traction differences. Testing on the same surface at every assessment ensures meaningful comparison.
Average Broad Jump by Age and Sex
The following norms are drawn from published athletic testing data and research studies. Values represent the standing broad jump from a two-leg standing start.
Males:
Age 10 to 12:
- Below average: under 120cm
- Average: 120 to 150cm
- Above average: 150 to 175cm
- Excellent: above 175cm
Age 13 to 15:
- Below average: under 150cm
- Average: 150 to 185cm
- Above average: 185 to 215cm
- Excellent: above 215cm
Age 16 to 19:
- Below average: under 175cm
- Average: 175 to 210cm
- Above average: 210 to 240cm
- Excellent: above 240cm
Age 20 to 35 (adult):
- Below average: under 180cm
- Average: 180 to 215cm
- Above average: 215 to 250cm
- Excellent: above 250cm
Age 36 to 50:
- Below average: under 160cm
- Average: 160 to 195cm
- Above average: 195 to 225cm
- Excellent: above 225cm
Females:
Age 10 to 12:
- Below average: under 105cm
- Average: 105 to 130cm
- Above average: 130 to 155cm
- Excellent: above 155cm
Age 13 to 15:
- Below average: under 120cm
- Average: 120 to 150cm
- Above average: 150 to 175cm
- Excellent: above 175cm
Age 16 to 19:
- Below average: under 130cm
- Average: 130 to 160cm
- Above average: 160 to 185cm
- Excellent: above 185cm
Age 20 to 35 (adult):
- Below average: under 135cm
- Average: 135 to 165cm
- Above average: 165 to 195cm
- Excellent: above 195cm
Age 36 to 50:
- Below average: under 120cm
- Average: 120 to 150cm
- Above average: 150 to 175cm
- Excellent: above 175cm
Average Broad Jump by Athletic Level and Sport
Sport-specific norms provide the most relevant benchmarks for athletes. The following values represent typical broad jump distances for competitive athletes at each level.
NFL Combine (professional American football):
The NFL Combine standing broad jump is one of the most widely referenced athletic performance benchmarks globally.
- Average across all positions: approximately 270cm
- Elite (top 10 percent): above 305cm
- Record: approximately 335cm (recorded at combines)
- Offensive and defensive linemen (larger athletes): 245 to 275cm
- Wide receivers and defensive backs (speed athletes): 285 to 320cm
NBA Draft Combine:
- Average: approximately 255 to 270cm
- Elite: above 285cm
Elite sprinters:
- World-class male sprinters: 310 to 360cm
- World-class female sprinters: 250 to 290cm
Elite football (soccer) players:
- Male outfield players: 230 to 270cm
- Elite level: above 265cm
Elite rugby players:
- Forwards: 230 to 260cm
- Backs: 255 to 290cm
General athletic population (university level):
- Male athletes across sports: 220 to 265cm
- Female athletes across sports: 175 to 215cm
Recreationally active adults (non-athletes):
- Males: 175 to 210cm
- Females: 135 to 165cm
What Your Broad Jump Score Means Athletically
Raw distance is only part of the picture. Normalising broad jump performance to body height provides a more meaningful comparison across athletes of different sizes.
Broad jump to height ratio:
Males:
- Below average: less than 1.0 x height
- Average: 1.0 to 1.2 x height
- Athletic: 1.2 to 1.4 x height
- Excellent: 1.4 to 1.6 x height
- Elite: above 1.6 x height
Females:
- Below average: less than 0.85 x height
- Average: 0.85 to 1.0 x height
- Athletic: 1.0 to 1.2 x height
- Excellent: 1.2 to 1.4 x height
- Elite: above 1.4 x height
Example: A 180cm male athlete who broad jumps 230cm has a ratio of 1.28, which falls in the athletic range. A 180cm male athlete who broad jumps 180cm has a ratio of 1.0, which is average for the general population but below the standard expected for most competitive sports.
What below-average broad jump performance indicates:
A broad jump below 1.0 x height in a male adult indicates either:
- Insufficient lower body explosive power
- Poor arm swing and jump mechanics
- Limited hip extensor strength
- Reduced Achilles tendon stiffness and elastic energy return
Each of these has a specific training solution. Understanding which is the primary limiter guides training priorities.
Factors That Determine Broad Jump Distance
Horizontal force production: The ability to direct ground reaction force horizontally rather than vertically is the primary determinant of broad jump distance. Athletes who generate large vertical forces relative to horizontal forces will jump high but not far. Horizontal force production is developed through sprint training, bounding, and horizontal plyometric exercises.
Take-off angle: The optimal take-off angle for maximum distance in a projectile motion is 45 degrees. In practice, athletes tend to take off at 20 to 30 degrees because producing force at 45 degrees from a standing position is mechanically inefficient. Training the optimal take-off angle through repeated broad jump practice and coaching feedback improves distance without any physical change.
Arm swing: The arm swing contributes to broad jump distance by adding forward momentum and allowing greater trunk extension at takeoff. Athletes who do not use their arm swing effectively lose 10 to 15 percent of potential distance.
Elastic energy return: The countermovement (swinging the arms and bending the knees before the jump) stores elastic energy in the tendons that is returned during the jump. Achilles tendon stiffness and lower limb plyometric training improve this elastic energy return.
Body composition: Excess body mass that does not contribute to force production reduces the distance:bodyweight ratio. This is why broad jump norms are most meaningful when normalised to bodyweight or height.
How to Improve Your Broad Jump
Technique improvements (immediate effect):
The broad jump technique refinements that produce the most immediate distance improvement without any change in physical conditioning:
Arm swing timing: Swing both arms backward deeply as the knees bend, then drive them forcefully forward and upward at the moment of takeoff. The arm drive should feel like pulling the body forward rather than just swinging the arms.
Hip hinge depth: Lower the hips into a quarter to half squat position during the countermovement. Insufficient depth reduces the elastic energy stored. Excessive depth (full squat) also reduces the explosive recoil.
Forward lean at takeoff: Lean the trunk forward at takeoff so the body launches at a more horizontal angle. This is one of the most common technique errors in recreational athletes who jump more upward than forward.
Landing position: Pull the knees toward the chest during flight and reach the feet forward before landing. This increases the measured distance by positioning the feet further from the takeoff point at the moment of ground contact.
Physical development (medium to long-term effect):
The most effective training methods for improving broad jump distance are covered in detail in related articles on this site:
Plyometric exercises: Bounding, broad jump repetitions, and horizontal plyometric exercises are the most direct training tools. Performing 3 to 5 maximum-effort broad jumps with full recovery between each as a regular component of training sessions produces consistent distance improvements within 4 to 6 weeks.
Reactive strength development: Depth jumps and pogo jumps develop the Achilles tendon stiffness and fast SSC performance that improves elastic energy return during the jump. See the depth jumps and pogo jump exercise articles on this site.
Strength training: Hip thrust, Romanian deadlift, and Bulgarian split squat develop the posterior chain strength that drives the hip extension of the takeoff. Heavy strength training combined with plyometric training consistently produces greater broad jump improvements than either alone.
Sprint training: Sprint acceleration training develops the horizontal force production that directly transfers to broad jump performance. Short sprint work of 10 to 30 metres with full recovery is the most specific sprint stimulus for broad jump improvement.
Tracking Broad Jump Progress
Testing frequency: Test every 4 to 6 weeks during a training block aimed at explosive power development.
What constitutes meaningful improvement:
- A 5 percent increase (approximately 10 to 12cm for an athlete jumping 200 to 240cm) within a single training block indicates effective training
- An improvement of 10 percent or more within 8 to 12 weeks of consistent plyometric and strength training is achievable for athletes who start significantly below their genetic ceiling
Consistent testing conditions: Always test at the same time of day, on the same surface, and after the same warm-up protocol. The broad jump is sensitive to warming up, with distances typically 5 to 8 percent greater after an appropriate dynamic warm-up than when tested cold.
How the Broad Jump Compares to Other Performance Tests
Broad jump versus vertical jump: The broad jump and vertical jump measure different directions of explosive power. Athletes who test significantly better in one direction than the other have directional power asymmetries. Most sport performance benefits from developing both, though the sport-specific demands determine which is more important. For sprinters and field sport athletes, the broad jump is typically more relevant. For basketball and volleyball players, the vertical jump is typically more relevant.
Broad jump versus 10m sprint time: Research has found significant correlations between broad jump distance and 10m sprint time, with longer broad jumps consistently associated with faster 10m sprint times. The broad jump is sometimes used as a proxy measure of acceleration capacity when timing equipment is not available.
Broad jump versus reactive strength index: The RSI measured from depth jumps captures the reactive quality of explosive power. The broad jump captures the concentric and elastic quality from a standing start. Both measure aspects of explosive power but through different mechanisms. A strong broad jump with poor RSI indicates good maximal power with weak reactive qualities. Strong RSI with a modest broad jump may indicate excellent reactive strength developed through plyometric training that has not yet transferred to maximum distance efforts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good broad jump for a 16-year-old male?
For a 16-year-old male, a broad jump of 185 to 215cm is average, 215 to 240cm is above average, and above 240cm is excellent. Athletes involved in competitive sport should aim for the above-average range as a minimum performance standard.
Is the broad jump the same as the standing long jump?
Yes. Broad jump and standing long jump refer to the same test. The standing long jump is the more formal athletic terminology used in track and field. Broad jump is the more common term in sports science and strength and conditioning settings.
Why is my broad jump so much shorter than my peers even though I feel explosive?
The most common reason is technique rather than a physical deficit. Specifically, athletes who jump more upward than forward, who do not use their arm swing effectively, or who do not reach their feet forward during flight consistently underperform their physical capacity. Addressing technique through the refinements in this guide typically produces significant improvement without any change in training.
How does the NFL Combine broad jump compare to average?
NFL Combine athletes are among the most explosive athletes in the world. Their average broad jump of approximately 270cm is well above the excellent range for the general population (above 250cm for adult males) and approximately 25 to 30 percent above the average adult male recreational athlete. The top performers at the combine exceed 300cm, which represents genuinely exceptional horizontal explosive power by any standard.
Can flexibility affect broad jump distance?
Yes. Hip flexor tightness limits the takeoff extension behind the body, reducing the push-off force. Ankle dorsiflexion restriction limits the depth of the countermovement, reducing elastic energy storage. Addressing hip flexor and ankle flexibility as part of a broader athletic development programme contributes to broad jump improvement alongside the physical and technical work described above.