Even if you have been jumping since you were a child, you must learn the correct technique, otherwise if you land incorrectly you risk hurting your knees and seriously injuring yourself. You can learn the basics of vertical and horizontal leaps, as well as some tips on how to improve your leaps. If you are interested in specific types of jumping, you can read articles on how to jump over obstacles, improve the vertical deadlift, or even jump into a wall.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Vertical Jump
Step 1. Take a running step or two
Even if you want to jump straight into the air, with a few running steps you will reach greater heights. The energy developed with the steps allows you to generate an additional upward thrust, which can increase the height of your deadlift by a few inches.
You will jump higher by taking off with two feet. Use the power of both legs to push on the ground, even if you have a run up
Step 2. Lower yourself into an imaginary chair
To get all the push from your legs and reach maximum height, you need to bend your knees. For many people, it is helpful to imagine sitting in a chair just before jumping. You should keep your legs slightly apart and bend your hips 30 degrees, knees 60 degrees and ankles 25 degrees to generate maximum power without injuring your knees. You should be able to raise your toes while staying in a squat position, balancing on the forefoot.
- Be careful not to point your knees and feet inward. Keep your knees vertically aligned above your feet. Keep your arms at your sides.
- Keep your back completely straight as you jump. Practice in front of a mirror lowering yourself into the imaginary chair and keeping your back straight to avoid injury.
Step 3. Push your body up with your legs
Release with your toes, bringing your arms up for even more push. Some people get better results by imagining pushing through the ground, or trying to push the ground away from the body, trying to straighten their legs with full force. The power and height of the jump comes from the strength of your thrust.
- If you perform the jump correctly, your feet should rotate forward, from heels to toes as you take off the ground. You should feel the pressure on your heels moving towards your toes as you return to standing, similar to standing up, but much more quickly when jumping. When you take off the ground, you need to shift your weight completely to your toes.
- Keep your arms parallel and put them behind your back. Bring them forward as you straighten your body, as if you were stretching a spring.
Step 4. Breathe out as you jump
Just as you do when pushing a weight during an exercise, it is important to exhale as you take off the ground for a vertical jump. While it won't help you reach greater heights, it will make the movement more comfortable and fluid. Think of all the steps as a single, long move.
Step 5. Land on your toes
To avoid falling too hard and hurting yourself, it is important to land on the soles of your feet and roll your weight onto your heels. Finishing a flat-footed jump is the best way to sprain an ankle. When you return to the ground, you must be careful to conduct the kinetic energy in a single plane, from the toes to the ankles, to the knees, to the hips.
- Bend your knees slightly before landing to cushion the impact on your joints. Let the knees absorb the energy, descending into a partial squat position, without exceeding 90 °, so as to cushion the shock. Return to your feet after crouching slightly.
- By bending your knees when you land, you transfer the force of the impact to the muscles and tendons, which are meant to absorb and dissipate force in this way. You can even hold this energy for a few moments and release it by taking another leap.
Method 2 of 3: Long Jump
Step 1. Practice shooting
Long jump is much more like sprint than high jump. If you want to increase the distance of the jumps, you need to work on speed. Practice long-distance running and short sprints. The best long jump athletes are very fast runners.
Step 2. Find out your dominant foot
In the long jump, you will jump with your dominant foot, the one you feel most comfortable with jumping and kicking. It usually corresponds to the same side of the hand you write with, but that's not always the case. If you are unsure, go out into the garden with a ball and try to kick it a couple of times. Which foot are you best on? That is probably your dominant foot and is the one you should use to take off in the long jump.
Step 3. Practice long jump only on equipped slopes
Usually you jump into a pit full of sand and you have to pay attention to the technique to avoid injuries. Never attempt a long jump on normal ground.
If you don't have access to a long jump platform, you need to practice leaps by landing on your feet. This is a great way to improve jump distance, so don't consider it a waste of time
Step 4. Snap up to the stop axis
The take-off line should be well marked; is located before the landing zone, where your jump is measured. When attempting a long jump, it is important to disconnect as close to the line as possible, in order to achieve the greatest distance, but without exceeding it, otherwise the jump will be considered null. Look closely at the line and plant your foot just before it.
Accelerate and keep pushing all the way to the line. You must reach maximum speed at the end of the runway. Inertia will carry you forward in the jump, more than your strength
Step 5. Disconnect
Plant your dominant foot before the line and try to cover as much distance as possible with your jump, bringing your hips forward. Let inertia carry you over the line and drop you to the furthest possible point in the sand. Push your hips forward so you can fly farther.
Step 6. Push forward with your arms and legs before landing
When you think you've made it to the top of the jump and start falling, push your feet and arms forward to prepare for the landing and gain a few extra inches. The jump is measured from the farthest point you hit the ground after the take-off line, so it's important to get your feet in front of you.
Step 7. Land as gently as possible
In a good long jump, the landing isn't as graceful as the deadlift. The fall directly follows the jumping technique, but you can avoid injury by bending your knees slightly, keeping your ankles straight and not shielding yourself with your wrists. Let the sand do the work for you.
Method 3 of 3: Improving the Jumps
Step 1. Get stronger
Technique and physical preparation are the two most important components of a jump. First, you need to know how to move your body correctly to achieve the desired movement. Then, you need to train your muscles and joints to withstand the strain you put on them and assist you in covering greater distances. This means you need to do weight training, aerobic and flexibility training.
Step 2. Improve flexibility with regular stretch
Athletes and dancers who jump with the most power are the most flexible throughout the body. If you jump over an obstacle, it helps to be able to move your front leg where you want, so that you lose as little inertia as possible.
The best jumpers have a 3: 2 strength ratio between quadriceps and hamstrings. If you are not flexible, you will have a tendency to develop an imbalance between the muscles which will limit your ability to jump. Do regular stretches to improve and maintain flexibility in your ankles, knees, and hips
Step 3. Strengthen your internal abs
Just because they don't make you turtle doesn't mean you should neglect the internal abdominals (the transversus abdominis). These muscles play an important role in all power movements, including jumping. To strengthen them, pull your belly in with a deep breath, hold the position for 20 seconds, then relax your muscles. Repeat 4 times, for 3-4 sessions per week.
Step 4. Strengthen the muscles that allow dorsiflexion of the ankle
These muscles serve to reduce the angle between the foot and the leg (i.e. when you bring your toes closer to the shins). When you jump, you have to do the "opposite" movement (plantar flexion, the movement you make when you step on the accelerator while driving) to push on the ground. So why is it important to boost them? Because each of our muscles is only as strong as the opposite ones. Your ability to "push" your foot down is limited by your ability to "pull" it up because the dorsiflexion muscles act as stabilizers. One way to exercise those muscles is to walk on your heels, without touching the ground with your toes, until you feel them burn.
Step 5. Work on your toes
You may think that the only ones who need to build those muscles are ballet dancers, but in reality the pointe adds power to the push you can get with your feet. In a correct jump, they are the last part of the body that leaves the ground, and a slight extra push with your fingers can increase the distance of your jumps. To strengthen your toe muscles, close them and open them repeatedly, or stand on your toes and hold the position for at least 10 seconds.
Advice
- Choose footwear with adequate cushioning and support.
- Don't jump when you feel bad; you may feel dizzy and risk falling and injuring yourself.
- Don't be afraid and don't hesitate or you risk getting very hurt.
- Wear stretchy clothing to make it harder to hurt yourself.
Warnings
- Don't overdo the workouts. To get better at jumping, you need to make short, high-quality efforts rather than long, low-intensity efforts.
- Don't lock your knees. Avoid excessive impacts. By bending the knees, the leg muscles act as shock absorbers.
- Don't push yourself beyond the limits. Pain is a message from your body telling you to stop and you should listen to it. If your muscles ache after a workout, it means that you have worked harder than you are used to. In those cases, avoid trying too hard. If the pain is severe, go to the doctor. You may have suffered a strain or a sprain.
- Watch out for commercial programs to improve in jumping. It is vital that you do your research before purchasing one.
- Take a good look before you jump; you could hit someone or something dangerous.
