Many athletes use the barbell squat jump as an exercise to develop lower body power. The barbell squat jump is almost identical to the back squat however the aim of the exercise is to jump as high as possible. Aiming to jump as high as possible will recruit fast twitch muscle fibres required for explosive power and allows the athlete to accelerate throughout the movement. Typically the weight of the bar is determined as a percentage of 1RM (the maximum amount of weight that can be lifted for one repetition) for a back squat. Research has suggested that the load required to elicit peak power is between 30-60% 1RM depending on training status and goals.

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