Best foot position
Ready when: Cushion squats (b1) started.
What you are learning
Finding the foot position that feels steadiest, by jumping and landing, then squatting at different widths. Lifters squat and land in the same stance, usually about shoulder-width with the toes slightly out.
Words on this card Stick, Squat, Stance, Landing, Clean
- Stick
- A light pole used to learn technique with no weight.
- Squat
- Bending the knees and hips to sit down low and standing up again; with a bar on the back of the shoulders, on the front, or held overhead.
- Stance
- How wide the feet are and where the toes point.
- Landing
- Coming down from a jump with bent knees and holding still.
- Clean
- Lifting the bar to the shoulders; pushing it from the shoulders to overhead; the two together.
Set up
A start line; tape marks 0.5 to 1 m away; a broom handle.
Weather: any weather
Show it first for the one teaching
- From the line, bend the knees, swing the arms and jump onto a mark; land with bent knees and freeze.
- Try the next jump landing with the feet wider, then narrower.
- With a broom handle resting on the shoulders (no weight), squat deep at each width, knees following the feet.
Your part while they practise
Mark the feet; ask which felt steadiest.
Step by step
- Jump from the line onto the marks, bending the knees and swinging the arms; land still.
- Try different foot widths.
- Broom handle on the shoulders: 6 deep squats per foot width, knees following the feet.
- Finish with 6 in the steadiest one.
How much: 6 jumps and 18 squats 10 min a session 2 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Freeze and push
After each landing the parent gives a gentle push; stay still to score.
Who plays: the child against their own best; you push.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Jump onto a mark and freeze
- You give a gentle push on the shoulder from one side
- If the feet do not move, score
- 8 jumps, trying different widths
- Fair play
- Push gently, the same each time.
- Points
- 1 point for each landing held after the push.
- Fouls
- No point
- Landing with straight legs
- Knees and toes pointing different ways
- Stepping before the push
- Winning
- Beat your best from 8 jumps.
- 3 points for 1 star
- 5 points for 2 stars
- 8 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
Shorter jump.
4 seconds down, then stand up on "go".
What you will see, and what to say
- knees and toes disagree
Knees follow the toes
Same direction. - a wobbly landing
Land and freeze
Statue.
Self-check
The child names the steadiest position and does 6 clean squats in it.
Stop and get a coach when
Knee pain.
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 squat stance, landing.
awiseathlete.com/sports/weightlifting/weightlifting-b2