What it measures
Lower-body explosive power plus arm-swing contribution. The Abalakov is closer to sport-specific jumping than the hands-on-hips CMJ.
Equipment
- Jump mat, Vertec, or force plate
- Optional: video for arm-swing standardization
Protocol
- Athlete stands feet shoulder-width apart, arms relaxed at sides.
- Athlete dips and uses a full backward-then-forward arm swing while jumping maximally upward.
- Land softly on both feet on the same spot — uncontrolled landings void the trial.
- 60 s rest between trials. Best of 3.
Scoring
Jump height in cm. The Abalakov is typically 4–8 cm higher than the same athlete's hands-on-hips CMJ; the difference quantifies arm-swing contribution.
Typical ranges
Elite male field sport: 60–80 cm. NCAA male basketball: 65–85 cm. NCAA women's soccer: 40–50 cm.
Practical notes
- Don't mix Abalakov and CMJ scores in the same trend chart unless you flag which version each test was — the difference is real and reproducible.
References
- Bosco C, Luhtanen P, Komi PV (1983). A simple method for measurement of mechanical power in jumping. Eur J Appl Physiol.
Use this test in Performance House
Performance House supports Abalakov Jump (CMJ with Arm Swing) as a built-in test metric — log results from any device, see longitudinal trends, and contribute the result to the athlete's Performance Index automatically. Free for up to 5 athletes on the Starter plan.
Browse the full protocol library for related tests, or jump to one of the related protocols below.