jumping & plyo

S

SaraFit

Cathlete
I suck at jumping, no joke my feet don't get more than 2 inches off the ground. I watched the new vids twice now and attempted a few moves. I was so scared to try to jump up onto my step :eek: I kind of managed to do it but I think I was moving in slow motion. So anyway the question is, is this something that will improve with practice and strength or will I forever be bad at it? I've been envying Loraine's jumping skills, how high she gets and how wide her legs go on air jacks.
 
You have to keep at it. Bring your step down to just the top, I think that's 2 inches. Make sure when you jump you go down, then up. It's one fluid motion, down to bring power into your legs then push up. ARGHHHH UP!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you start from a full stand you won't get nearly as high. You need to bring the power in from your large leg muscles. If you try to jump from a full stand, it's more of a hop or a jump rope jump coming from your calves.

Nan
 
You have to get down before you can go up, so bend those knees and get power from your legs as you jump up. It takes a lot of practice! If you look at Cedie and Brenda, they are not getting as high or wide as Cathe or Jai and Lorraine. We all have our own range of motion. For the tall box jumps, like spyrosmom said, start with the platform and add a riser at a time when you feel comfortable. When I was working with a trainer, he was having me do tall box jumps with seven risers, and it scared me to death! I didn't think I would make it to the top. He put me in front of a mirror so I could see just how high I was actually jumping, and that made all the difference. I could see that I could make it. I found the key was getting down low and exploding to the top, pulling my knees up hard with my lower abs. So maybe set a mirror in front of you so you can have a visual of where you're going.
 
complik8td said:
:eek::eek::eek: You ARE a warrior!!! :eek: You GO girl! :cool:
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Ha! Well, thanks! I showed up for training one day, and he had NINE risers set up. I told him to just forget it! Seven was my max, thankyouverymuch!
 
I'm fine with two risers for box jumps! :eek:

I have improved greatly at tuck jumps, however. The first time I saw one on DVD, I literally LOL at the absurdity that I would ever accomplish one. But after a ton of practice, I can actually do them now.
 
nkhansen1 said:
When I was working with a trainer, he was having me do tall box jumps with seven risers, and it scared me to death! I didn't think I would make it to the top. He put me in front of a mirror so I could see just how high I was actually jumping, and that made all the difference. I could see that I could make it. I found the key was getting down low and exploding to the top, pulling my knees up hard with my lower abs. So maybe set a mirror in front of you so you can have a visual of where you're going.
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You are indeed a warrior!

Word of warning... this is how I broke my wrist. I tripped jumping up on the step with risers... the step slipped off the risers, I fell backwards and caught myself with my hand outstretched. The result -- broken wrist, 6 weeks in a cast and several months of therapy.

I thought it couldn't happen to me, but it did! Please, please be careful!
 
JeanneMarie said:
You are indeed a warrior!

Word of warning... this is how I broke my wrist. I tripped jumping up on the step with risers... the step slipped off the risers, I fell backwards and caught myself with my hand outstretched. The result -- broken wrist, 6 weeks in a cast and several months of therapy.

I thought it couldn't happen to me, but it did! Please, please be careful!
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Girl, you are preaching to the choir! This is exactly why I refused to jump nine risers. I only use four with Cathe, and that is plenty! Jumping seven was very unnerving, and I would never do it alone. I think I remember when you broke your wrist...was it last year? Anyway, yes! Be very careful when jumping! Higher is not better. :)
 
nkhansen1 said:
Girl, you are preaching to the choir! This is exactly why I refused to jump nine risers. I only use four with Cathe, and that is plenty! Jumping seven was very unnerving, and I would never do it alone. I think I remember when you broke your wrist...was it last year? Anyway, yes! Be very careful when jumping! Higher is not better. :)
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Glad to hear you are being careful!:)

Yes, it was last May when I broke my wrist. What an ordeal that was! Here I am 14 months post break, and doing fine, but there are still twinges when I do certain things (planks, push ups, bicep curls with a barbell.) I wonder if it will ever be 100% again? I'm thankful I've come as far as I have though. I know a lot of people never regain as much flexion and movement as I have. I did it with a LOT of therapy, even continuing at home for months after the OT dismissed me. It was not a fun thing to go through.

(Oh, and I have to admit I haven't done a step workout since....)
 
JeanneMarie said:
Glad to hear you are being careful!:)

Yes, it was last May when I broke my wrist. What an ordeal that was! Here I am 14 months post break, and doing fine, but there are still twinges when I do certain things (planks, push ups, bicep curls with a barbell.) I wonder if it will ever be 100% again? I'm thankful I've come as far as I have though. I know a lot of people never regain as much flexion and movement as I have. I did it with a LOT of therapy, even continuing at home for months after the OT dismissed me. It was not a fun thing to go through.

(Oh, and I have to admit I haven't done a step workout since....)
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I have fallen a couple times doing step and sprained my ankle. I don't do step or heavy legs on certain days of my cycle when my progesterone is high and my joints are loose. I just steer clear of those days! I bet your wrist will continue to improve. My daughter broke her wrist in three places (falling off monkey bars), and it was about three years before she didn't have any stiffness or discomfort. Thats such a tough spot to heal. All the best to you!
 
I lower my step for safety and have a lot more fun completing the workouts with modifications getting a great sweaty workout. Cathe workouts are not only the best, they are also so much fun!
 
diane4131 said:
I lower my step for safety and have a lot more fun completing the workouts with modifications getting a great sweaty workout. Cathe workouts are not only the best, they are also so much fun!
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This is so true! I find just as much satisfaction out of doing IMAX 3 or Body Max 2 (or what have you) with one riser or with just the platform. I still get an incredible workout without overdoing it. Some days are strong days, and two risers it is! But we need to let go of our egos and allow ourselves to take it down a notch. It's all good!
 
Thank you guys for the tips, the mirror really helped, I actually do get a little bit higher than I thought. And the getting down low to start totally made a difference, I guess I just kind of forget since I haven't jumped since I was a kid.
 
nkhansen1 said:
Girl, you are preaching to the choir! This is exactly why I refused to jump nine risers. I only use four with Cathe, and that is plenty! Jumping seven was very unnerving, and I would never do it alone. I think I remember when you broke your wrist...was it last year? Anyway, yes! Be very careful when jumping! Higher is not better. :)
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why why why do we need more than 4? 4 is a good number. Do enough at 4 your booty will be kicked in plenty of time! :rolleyes:

Sometimes I think we try to be extreme just because we are bored and it is to our own peril. Being able to jump 4 risers is plenty to be more fit than the average population!
 
tralaiven said:
why why why do we need more than 4? 4 is a good number. Do enough at 4 your booty will be kicked in plenty of time! :rolleyes:

Sometimes I think we try to be extreme just because we are bored and it is to our own peril. Being able to jump 4 risers is plenty to be more fit than the average population!
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Oh, I wasn't jumping seven risers for fun or to try and beat boredom! It was because I was working with a trainer, and it was HIS idea. I thought it was stupid! I wouldn't do it without him spotting me behind in case I fell. I did it because it was part of his training, but I refused when we wanted me to do nine. There is no reason to jump more than four risers, and if you're shorter, than there's no reason to jump more than two or three. I totally agree.
 
nkhansen1 said:
Oh, I wasn't jumping seven risers for fun or to try and beat boredom! It was because I was working with a trainer, and it was HIS idea. I thought it was stupid! I wouldn't do it without him spotting me behind in case I fell. I did it because it was part of his training, but I refused when we wanted me to do nine. There is no reason to jump more than four risers, and if you're shorter, than there's no reason to jump more than two or three. I totally agree.
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:) O please do not think I was criticizing your use of 7 :) I would probably do what the trainer said too! I was agreeing with your conclusion :eek::)
 
tralaiven said:
:) O please do not think I was criticizing your use of 7 :) I would probably do what the trainer said too! I was agreeing with your conclusion :eek::)
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You're sweet to say so. Sometimes it's hard to tell "tone" on the forums. :) But I've had enough conversation with you to know you're awesome! I just don't want anyone to misunderstand about the perils of the tall box jump!
 
AuntNi said:
I'm fine with two risers for box jumps! :eek:

I have improved greatly at tuck jumps, however. The first time I saw one on DVD, I literally LOL at the absurdity that I would ever accomplish one. But after a ton of practice, I can actually do them now.
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Yes, with jumping & plyo, practice makes perfect :)

I remember when I found Cathe last year, I saw the amazing things she could do; how high she could jump on her step, how far apart her legs were during air jacks, how fast and fluid her tuck jumps were. I said to myself "hmmm, she must be really tall...ya that's why she can do it but I can't :confused:". Nope, I think she's only 5'2, so 1 inch taller than me :eek:. Since then I have mastered all the jumping and plyo moves that I previously struggled with, but Rome was not built in a day! It takes lots of hours of practice to safely and effectively do them. Take your time, don't put pressure on yourself, and in the end it's progress not perfection. You're still doing wonders for your body with the simple act of getting up and moving.

Good luck!

Natasha
 
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