Concurrent Validity and Reliability of the Skyhook Jump Mat for Measuring Countermovement and Abalakov Jump

This study aimed to examine the concurrent validity of the Skyhook jump mat for measuring countermovement jump (CMJ) and Abalakov jump (AJ) height using a force plate as the criterion reference, and to assess its within-session reliability. Fifty-four trained individuals (17 females, 37 males; mean age 20.9 ± 1.7 years) performed CMJ and AJ trials on both the Skyhook jump mat and a force plate across multiple sessions. Skyhook measurements showed an almost perfect association with the force plate (r = 0.997) for both CMJ and AJ. Measurement errors were low (SEE = 1.87), and SEE values were smaller than the corresponding SWC. Linear mixed-effects models indicated a fixed bias, with the Skyhook consistently overestimating jump height by approximately 1.7 cm (p ≤ 0.001), while showing no proportional bias. Reliability analyses demonstrated excellent consistency across repeated trials (CMJ: CV = 1.45%, ICC(3,1) = 0.973; AJ: CV = 1.43%, ICC(3,1) = 0.997). The Skyhook jump mat slightly and systematically overestimates jump height compared with a force plate but demonstrates excellent validity, reliability, and sufficient sensitivity to detect meaningful changes in performance. These characteristics support its use as a practical and cost-effective tool for monitoring jump performance in applied sports settings.