JUMPS

Tips on All Jumps

1) You should stretch before you begin any cheerleading related activities, (I sound so professional, LoL) but definitely make sure you stretch before you begin jumps. Stretching makes the difference between doing a perfect jump or pulling a muscle when landing. Stretch in a straddle, and the splits or just attempting the splits really help.

2) Practice your jumps all the time! Work on bringing your legs higher off the ground. You can also practice your jumps on a trampoline. It gives you spring and height and also time to do a good jump and land with your feet together. You can perfect your jumps on the trampoline first before perfecting them on the ground.

3) Keep your toes pointed throughout the jump. It sounds weird, but our coach always tells us to to practice pointing our toes. Like when you sitting watching TV, point your toes so you get used to it.

4) Keep your back straight! If you're all hunched over, it doesn't give the jump a very nice look. Keep your chest up & your back straight.

5) When you're landing, you should land with your feet & legs together, and you knees slightly (just a tiny bit!) bent. Also, try to land lightly.

6) You have something called the prep you always do before a jump. It's a routine you always do. If you don't have your own, you can use the prep my squad uses: Start with your hands by your sides, then bring your hands up to your chest in a clasp, then hit a high V, then swing your arms around,go up on your toes and perform the jump. In most jumps in the air, your arms should hit a T.

7) There are numerous things you can do to get your jumps higher but I have a few tips. There's this thing my coach calls 'Jump Starters' and what you do is stand on the ground with you hands at your sides, and then jump extending your legs slightly and then land with your feet together. The object isn't to get high, it's to land with your feet together. Another is to sit on the ground in a straddle position and then raise your legs in a toe touch position, and reach for your toes. It's pretty much a toe touch on the ground. It really helped me! Or, be careful, but you can jump off a bed or a chair, whatever, you stand on it, and then do a jump off it. It gives you time to execute a good high jump, and land with your feet together. Be VERY careful though!

8) Sit on the floor in the position of the jump. Like sit with one leg out to the side and one leg bent to the side of you, like a herkie on the ground. It will help you get used to the feel.

9) Practice in front of a mirror! This is very helpful because you can see what you're doing wrong, or what you need to work on. Also, practice your jumps in front of others. Sometimes our coach makes us line up, and one by one we go up and do whatever she calls. She calls a toe touch. So you walk up, do your toe touch, and she tells you if anything what you need to work on. Try this with your team.

10) And of course, always SMILE! :D