Forward Hop: Short Jumps That Teach a Quiet Landing
A small two-footed hop forward, landed softly and held still. It builds the landing a full broad jump needs.
2 min read
Why it works: Chapter 13, Why stretching your hamstrings will not loosen them
How to do it
- 1
Get ready
Feet hip-width apart. A small hinge, hips back, arms swinging behind you.
- 2
Hop out a short way
Swing your arms through and hop forward off both feet, a foot length or two. This is not your longest jump.
- 3
Land quietly
Land on both whole feet, knees and hips bending together, knees over your toes.
- 4
Freeze
Hold the landing still for two seconds before you stand up. The stop is the point.
- 5
The test
Every landing is quiet and still and your knees stay over your toes. When a landing wobbles, hop shorter.
Watch for
- Landing with straight legs. The stop goes into your knees and back instead of your hips.
- Knees caving in on the landing. Push them out over your toes.
- Hopping as far as you can. That is the forward leap; this step is about the landing.
Questions
How do you land a jump safely?
On both whole feet, with knees and hips bending together and knees over your toes. Practise short hops until you can freeze every landing.
Is a forward hop the same as a broad jump?
It is a short, easy broad jump. You hop a little way so you can practise stopping, then build to the full forward leap.