It’s that time of year, where the conditioning and foundation has been laid and now the fine tuning begins for the big show, the reason we do this…the competition. When going into the best part of the season, “Championship” time, all you are trying to do is dot your i’s and cross your t’s. And when its on, its on. The work has been done and now it is all about performing.
The BIG THREE
Consistent Runway
Like selling a house location! Location! Location! Consistency! Consistency! Consistency! It is imperative for the success of the jump. The more consistent an athlete is on the runway, the easier it is going to be for them to trust their mark, feel confident and get fair jumps. None of this matter if an athlete fouls. Dial it in, practice it, don’t neglect it.
Takeoff
The takeoff controls the travel. The last 4 to 6 steps of the jump will dictate which way the jump will go, with tall rigid posture and optimal hip displacement from the board will and athlete should be able to feel a takeoff in proper position that is essential to the start of the magic. Cuing to an athlete “Out not up” could be very helpful in this scenario. So many jumpers tend to slow down at the board, which puts them in poor position for takeoff making the travel up not out. Emphasize feeling the take off with high knees and hips right under their shoulders.
Landing
The fun part of the party! Patience is the key word here. It takes a while to travel far. Knee drive and dorsal flexion in the air will allow for control and extension. The more the hip is underneath their body the easier it is to drive the knee forward and extend the legs for impact. Basic landing drills in the sand off a box can help simulate the jump and allow “time” to extend the legs out in front of the body.
If you can cue in on these three things once a week, the athlete should be prepared to have a successful season. Good luck and here's to jumping far!
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