PaceSetter Book

Jumping Activities 5

WEB COPY ©EVEQUE 1m

The diagram illustrates two effective drills: 1 The young athlete strides out over a two-way plastice hurdle to feel the sensation of jumping for height as well as distance.

2 A 'Jump Aid' is held out by the coach and the young athlete tries to touch it to feel the sensation of reach and tall posture during flight.

5.3.2.2 The Flight

The next practice for the young athletes should be the flight phase movement from a one-footed take-off with the other leg able to swing free. The sequence of learning can progress from short approach 'pops' and landing in a lunge position to in-air walking landing in a lunge on the other leg. The idea is to keep a good full stride in the air and to avoid 'foot flutter' during the jump. Once this has been mastered, progress can then be made to four-stride, six-stride and eight-stride approaches. The ‘in flight’ action illustrated in the diagram shows the legs being swung forward through the flight and towards the landing. This action is counter-balanced by swinging the arms forward above the head. The landing pose, if started too early, results in forward rotation of the body so that the young athlete pitches forwards at landing. Therefore, keeping the body as long as possible in the air for as great a period of time as possible delays the rotation. WEB COPY ©EVEQUE

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