Side Standing Long Jump

intermediate · jump

Setup

Stand in an athletic stance with your feet hip-width apart, head and chest up, knees and hips slightly bent. Pick flat, non-slip ground and clear 2-3 meters in the direction you are jumping, with no wall, weights or step in the landing area.

Execution

Lean your body to the right, preparing to jump in that direction.
Exhale sharply and extend your hips, knees and ankles to jump as far right as you can.
Swing both arms hard in the direction of the jump, then block them right at takeoff so that momentum goes into the jump.
Land softly on both feet at once, hip-width apart, knees slightly bent to absorb the impact.
Stand steady, rest fully, then repeat jumping to the left to balance both sides.
Do 4-6 reps a set, split evenly between the two sides, with 90 seconds of rest between sets, because every rep is a maximal jump for distance.
If you need an extra step to stay balanced, the knee caves in or the landing thuds, shorten the jump; once the landings stop being controlled, end the set.

Breathing

Exhale sharply right as you jump, inhale as you set up. Do not hold your breath before jumping.

Quick cues

Fully extend hips, knees and ankles.
Land soft on both feet together.
Rest fully between jumps.
Work both sides evenly.

Common faults

Fault: Landing unstable and needing an extra step to stay balanced
Fix: Reduce the jump distance to a level you can stick on the first landing.
Fault: Jumping to one side much more than the other
Fix: Always do an equal number of jumps in both directions.
Fault: Landing with stiff, locked legs
Fix: Keep a slight bend ready in the knees to absorb the impact right on contact.

Equipment

bodyweight

Muscle groups

legs, calves, glutes