|
How to Improve Your Jumping Skill |
Athletes and dancers are always looking for ways to improve themselves and further hone their skills. These are important things to do because of the amount of competition out there. Every skill, sport and specialty has hundreds and sometimes thousands competing for the top spot, and you need to do your very best to push yourself to the top. One skill that most athletes and dancers need is jumping. The ability to jump high is not just a necessity for the high jump competition. Being able to jump higher than the next person will help you in most sports, including track and field activities. Most forms of competitive dancing also use jumping, and the higher and stronger you can jump, the better.
How can you improve on your jumping abilities? There are a few exercises you can practice with that will improve your skill:
- Strengthen you core: Don’t worry if you don’t have a six pack; you just need to have strong abs to help you push yourself off of the ground. You can improve your ab strength by doing cardio, aerobics, crunches and sit ups.
- Improve your flexibility: The more flexible and supple you are, the easier it will be to contort your body to the position it needs to be in for the kind of jump you want to do. Stretch every day, twice a day if you can, to get the results you need.
- Work your feet: This one is obvious. Your feet are the base of any jump, and if they are not in shape and ready to lift you off the ground, you will not be able to jump very high. Flex your toes and exercise your dorsi-flexors by walking around on your heels, without letting any other parts of your feet touch the floor.
- Strengthen your legs with weights: Most gyms out there will have a few fitness weight machines that focus on legs. Work your way up slowly, and don’t try to lift too much at first.
- Practice: You can’t improve on anything without practicing at it, and jumping is not exempt from this rule. One thing to watch for while jumping is what you do with your legs. Even if you are not going to be doing this kind of jumping, I recommend practicing the high jump and learning to curl your legs behind you so you can jump higher. This will further strengthen your legs and feet and make it easier to perform higher jumps in any other sport or activity.
Don’t be fooled by ads and commercials that tell you what you wear on your feet can improve your jump. Footwear is important, but only as a support. There is no magic pair of shoes that will make you jump better or higher. Only exercise and practice can help you achieve the results you are looking for. Make sure you have a good trainer as well, and the right equipment with you when you jump to prevent injury. Jumping doesn’t hurt you, but landing can hurt, so always land on something soft! |
