Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Preparing for the jump
• Part 2 of 3: Performing the jump
• Part 3 of 3: Getting your body in shape
• Tips
• Warnings

Jumping is an essential part of sports and fitness. Knowing how to land properly after a jump can mean the difference between failure and success in a sports competition. Knowing how to jump from a higher place isn't just about competitions, though. It could be a matter of life or death that calls for a good jump. Knowing the ins and outs of a good jump and keeping your body in good shape will help maximize your success in the future.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Preparing for the jump

1. Consider height safety. While height is just one of the factors that dictate the safety of a fall (along with the drop surface and jump style), it is something to consider when planning your jump. Falling from a height of 10 meters or more can cause serious, lifelong injuries or even death.
   • If you participate in a sport that requires you to jump from a great height, work gradually and take all necessary safety precautions. You should also be aware that repeatedly landing jumps from great heights can be just as damaging to your spine as a blow to your head can be to your brain.
   • There are a few recorded cases of people who fell hundreds of meters and survived. However, don't take this as an example. These events are considered miraculous exceptions, and for good reason.
2. Find a soft surface on which to land. Whether you're jumping down for fun or dealing with an emergency, the surface you land on will have a huge effect on the landing itself. Softer surfaces are always preferable to hard ones as they will help you absorb some of the impact from landing.
   • Grass, sand and mud are good places to stand out. Concrete, on the other hand, is about as unforgivable as it can be.
   • Surfaces with protrusions can pose an additional threat. Landing in an otherwise soft area, but speckled with pine needles, could cause a different (but just as intense) kind of pain.
3. Wear shock-absorbing shoes. When you have time to prepare for your jump, make sure you wear something on your feet that will help dampen the power. If you're aiming for a good landing on your feet, you run the risk of injuring them when there's nothing to cushion the shock. Most athletic shoes contain this technology in some form or another.
   • Shoes with a strong grip will help if there is any risk of slipping during your fall.
4. Try to relax. While it may seem counterintuitive when preparing for a big jump, it's important to relax as much as possible. If you become unnecessarily frustrated, your joints will become tense. This increases the risk of possible injury. If you have the time, take a look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that everything will be fine.
5. Low yourself bags as much as possible. There can be unfortunate circumstances where you have to jump from a height in an emergency and fail to do it for the athletic sport. If so, then you need to be as practical as possible. Look around and try to see if there are opportunities to get yourself lower to the ground.
   • Letting yourself hang from a ledge can get you six feet closer to the ground. This height difference can mean a lot with regard to possible injuries.
6. Have someone pay attention. It's helpful to have someone nearby who can watch your jump and tell you what it looks like. It goes without saying that it is more useful if they already have some fitness knowledge. Perhaps more importantly, the presence of someone nearby will ensure that medical attention is available quickly if you need it, for whatever reason.
7. Warm up before jumping. Crouching and stretching should be done in the minutes before your jump. Even if you don't have enough time to exercise, a little bit of movement will loosen your joints and get your body in the right dynamics for physical exertion.
8. Find the right place to land. If you are about to jump, find a place where you want to land. A specific landing spot below you will increase your stability. If you only aim for a wide area, you are more likely to lose your concentration.

Part 2 of 3: Performing the jump

1. Simulate a jump. While you should be warmed up by now, you can simulate a jump right before making the actual jump. Many athletic jumpers use this just before the actual jump, as a way to build proper dynamics. You should do the same when counting down to the jump. Use these last moments as an opportunity to control everything you do as you prepare for the jump.
2. Jump towards your target. In a jump to a lower place you should not jump much higher than you already are. Apply just enough force to get into the correct posture and dynamics. Keep your elbows close to your body and your chin close to your neck. Get down on your knees and jump forward as far as necessary. All of this will minimize the potential injury.
   • To keep your body straight, keep your eyes forward. This will keep your body from becoming unbalanced in the middle of the jump.
   • Some people can have an anxiety attack if they see themselves falling far enough, so if this makes you uncomfortable, it is better not to look at the floor.
3. Keep holding your shape. A good athletic jump should end in the same stance it started. Do your best to keep your body straight. Even in free fall, it is important to keep your posture upright and stable. Letting your limbs move freely will increase the risk of injury.
   • Keep your feet and knees together as you jump. This maximizes the chance of landing on both feet.
   • While you want to keep your body from moving too much, you need to leave room for flexibility when your body hits the ground.
4. Leave room to move with. Giving your body the freedom to adjust when you hit the ground is essential to preventing injury. At no point should you lock your knees, and give your muscles the flexibility they need to counter the force of landing.
   • Bending the knees will reduce the shock. Make sure your legs are bent no more than 90 degrees.
   • Practicing squats will help your body adjust to this change when needed.
5. Let your body go limp. If your body is "soft" (instead of tense), you will be able to respond naturally to a landing. This is a natural way to minimize potential damage in a fall. This aside, it's a good idea to try to get yourself as relaxed as possible before jumping.
   • Try to find a balance between keeping yourself limp and sticking to the correct form.
6. Land on both feet. With any type of jump, landing on one foot effectively doubles the amount of pressure on that foot. Do your best to keep your legs and feet together throughout the jump. This maximizes the chance of your feet hitting the ground at the same time. Landing on both feet is more important if your jump is from a great height. An unbalanced fall can lead to serious injury.
   • Don't try to break your fall with your hands. Hands can cushion some of the shock to your feet, but they can generally only withstand a fraction of the pressure your feet can handle.
   • When you land, try to land on the front of your feet, shoulder-width apart.
7. Perfect a landing roll. It's not just a thing for action movies. A landing roll may be the best way to absorb the shock of a fall. If you land from a ramp, aim for a diagonal roll. If you push yourself in a rolling motion with one foot, you avoid putting too much strain on your spine. While landing, point one of your shoulders toward the ground in the direction you want to roll. When you roll, hit the ground with one foot to give you the extra power you need to complete the roll.
   • Rolling is difficult to control and should be left to trained athletes. It is only indicated as a more technically tricky alternative to landing on both feet.
   • Learn to roll to both sides. It's good practice for athletic versatility, and you may prefer one side over the other.
   • For practice, regular "gymnastic rolls" (without a jump) can get you used to the experience of rolling. They are relatively easy to do, provided you have a degree of fitness and flexibility. If you want to practice with diagonal rolls, a playground (with a soft surface) is a good place to start.
   • Rolls easily turn into a continuous movement. This is why they are so recommended for sports like parkour.

Part 3 of 3: Getting your body in shape

1. Do squats. Squats are a great standard exercise. Relatively cheap and easy to do anywhere, they target a lot of muscles that are not normally trained. To do squats, bend your knees as low as possible while keeping your back perfectly straight. Hold for 30 seconds, then come back up and try again.
   • Squats are remarkably challenging at first if you never do them. However, it will quickly condition your body.
2. Include plyometrics in your training schedule. Plyometry refers to a series of exercises designed to balance the use of muscles in your legs. Because people usually work while sitting down, the sedentary behavior trains the legs to depend on knees instead of glutes. Plyometrics aims to reverse this.
   • Do a series of small jumps just inches off the ground. Try to make your landings as quiet and soft as possible.
   • Shift the weight from your body to your heels and keep your knees behind your toes for the entire movement.
3. Get plenty of sleep. Most people want to get by with five or six hours of sleep a night. This is too little for the recommended 7-9 hours. Athletes should probably sleep for 9-10 hours to accommodate all the wear and tear the body goes through from regular exercise. If you don't give yourself enough sleep, you put a big hold on your jumping potential.
4. Make sure you get enough fluids. Water is necessary for the body to function, and you need more of it when you exercise. In the case of jumping, water is essential to keep the joints supple and limber. Have a refillable water bottle handy when you plan to exercise or jump. Drink it when you take a break.
   • Don't drink so much water that you feel bloated. The feeling doesn't last forever, but it's uncomfortable and limits your workout for a while.
5. Exercise slowly. If you are lucky enough to be able to train on jumping because you like it, rather than out of necessity, then you should take advantage of the fact that you can learn at your own pace. Start with small heights and gradually work your way up. The process may not be as impressive as trying to take the biggest leaps from the start, but it's more effective when you just want to get better at it.
6. Keep practicing. Jumping can be a lot of fun. Even if you consider yourself well trained at some point, it is valuable to keep practicing. Since something like jumping depends on many different factors such as distance, height and weight, the specifics will be different every time you try it. Over time, you will gain a better understanding of how best to use your body while taking a leap.

Tips

• If you injure yourself, give yourself plenty of time to heal. If your body is injured, it is best to rest.

Warnings

• Keep your mouth closed during a jump. Otherwise, the shock of the landing can put you at risk of biting your tongue if your jaws suddenly close.
• Don't jump from a high place if you don't have to. For example, jumping from the door of a truck can cause a shock of up to seven times your body weight.