Scissors high jump
Ready when: Jump and reach (b9) done.
What you are learning
A safe first high jump: a curved run-up, a take-off from the foot farther from the bar, and the legs swung over one after the other like scissors, landing on the feet. The head stays above the hips. Jumping back first (the flop) is only for a club.
Words on this card Run-up, Take-off, High jump, Scissors
- Run-up
- The run before a jump or throw.
- Take-off
- The moment the foot leaves the ground to jump.
- High jump
- Jumping over a bar or an elastic onto a thick mat.
- Scissors
- A high jump where the legs swing over one after the other, landing on the feet.
Set up
An elastic between two stands at knee height in front of a crash mat; a curved approach of 5 steps marked with chalk.
Weather: dry floor
Show it first for the one teaching
- Start to one side and run a gentle curve of 5 steps toward the elastic.
- Take off from the foot farther from the elastic.
- Swing the near leg up and over, then the other leg after it, like scissors.
- Land on your feet on the mat, sitting up.
Your part while they practise
Hold or set the elastic; call "go" only when the mat is clear.
Step by step
- Run in on the gentle curve.
- Take off from the foot farther from the elastic.
- Swing the near leg up and over, then the other, in a scissor action.
- Land on the feet on the mat. 8 jumps from each side.
How much: 8 jumps from each side 15 min a session 1 day a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Team height
The team chooses an elastic height and makes as many clean jumps as it can in 2 minutes.
Who plays: 1 to 6 jumpers as one team; you set the elastic and time.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- The team chooses the height
- Start 2 minutes on the clock
- Jumpers take turns, one at a time, each starting only when the mat is clear and you say "go"
- Count the clean jumps
- Fair play
- A younger jumper may jump at knee height while others jump higher.
- Points
- 1 point for each clean jump.
- Fouls
- The jump does not count
- The elastic is knocked off
- Taking off from the near foot
- Going over head first
- Starting the run-up before "go"
- Winning
- Beat the team's record at that height.
- 4 jumps for 1 star
- 7 jumps for 2 stars
- 10 jumps for 3 stars
Easier or harder
No elastic, just the scissor action onto the mat.
Raise the elastic a hand's width.
What you will see, and what to say
- the child takes off from the near foot
Jump from the far foot
The foot farther from the elastic pushes off. - the child dives head first
Feet go over first
The legs lead; the head stays up.
Self-check
4 jumps in a row from the same take-off foot, landing on the feet.
Stop and get a coach when
Before any back-first (flop) style over a real bar.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains curved run-up, one-foot take-off, the scissor action.
awiseathlete.com/sports/athletics/athletics-i9