The straddle jump or side split jumps are common leaps used in gymnastics, Acro, cheerleading, and also in contemporary and jazz dancing.
Straddle jumps are most appealing when you can jump high while keeping your toes pointed and your back and legs straight. They also look impressive if the dancer is flexible and can open the legs into a wide second position.
Ideas To Perfect Those Straddle Jumps
To help you improve your straddle jump, perform exercises to improve form, flexibility, and jump height.
Practice your center split by sitting on a chair with your legs spread wide apart. Focus on performing your center split with your back straight, toes pointed and your legs fully extended.
Use a ballet barre or the back of a sturdy chair, or a chair with a heavy object placed on the seat so that the chair does not fall or move to practice your jumps. While using this as leverage, jump up and down as high as you can. When ready, incorporate the entire split into your jump.
You can practice your straddle jump on a trampoline for added height without too much effort. As a result, you can focus more on the form of your jump rather than how high you can jump. If a trampoline is not available, a diving board serves a similar purpose.
Have a friend or teacher place her hands on your waist as you jump. His can help improve your jump height and form.
To prevent injury, such as groin or hamstring strains, always stretch and warm up before practicing your straddle jump.
How To Get An Explosive Straddle Jump Every Time
Here are some more ideas to get those straddle jumps perfect.
Sit on the floor with your hands behind you. Extend your legs in front of you in fifth position, with your feet pointed and the right leg on top.
Lift your right leg to passé (foot in front of the knee with the leg turned out).
Now développé your right leg to seconde. Don’t crunch your back! Pull up out of your hips and brace with your arms so you don’t lean back. Take your right leg back to the beginning in fifth.
Lift your right leg to passé again, and as you extend it to seconde, battement your left leg out to seconde (the other side) simultaneously. Your legs should hit the final straddle position at the same time. (This is both legs straight and open in seconde with the legs off the floor)
Return to fifth and repeat on the left side.
This exercise will help you find your true second, which is the position you should be hitting in the air.
Even though it’s a side leap, your legs aren’t directly to the side, they’re to your turnout. Aim for the corners. Then, once you find your turnout, you can try to open it up a little more.
Start standing in a wide fourth position with your right leg back.
Brush your right foot through first position and relevé as you arrive in attitude à la seconde. Keep your arms slightly forward, so your rib cage doesn’t open up. Turn out your right leg as much as possible. Make sure your hips stay square to the front.
Return to fourth position, coming back through first.
Repeat four times and switch sides.
Repeat the exercise, but this time, when you brush your working leg to attitude, push off your standing leg into a jump. To build strength, focus on pointing and turning out your bottom leg. The working leg should be in the same place it was in relevé.
Across the floor:
Now you’re ready to leap with this building exercise.
Start with pas de chats, then open them up, then let them go. You have to push up off the floor with each jump.
Tombé, pas de bourrée, glissade and pas de chat. Focus on hitting the diamond position of the pas de chat in the air.
Glissade again, and jump into an open pas de chat, with your legs making right angles and your feet pointing directly down at the floor. Keep your back and neck long, and open your legs from the hips. Your arms should be in seconde position.
Glissade again, and go for the full side leap. Remember to reach your toes to the corners of the room instead of straight to the side, and to hit seconde position with both legs at the same time.
Another thing to think about is your facial expressions on your leaps. To avoid sticking out your tongue, try pressing it to the roof of your mouth. Think about having big eyes and exhaling on the leap instead of holding your breath.
Thank you for this comprehensive guide on perfecting the straddle jump! As a dancer, I’ve always found mastering this move to be both challenging and rewarding. Your breakdown of exercises targeting form, flexibility, and jump height is incredibly helpful. I particularly appreciate the emphasis on proper technique, such as maintaining a straight back, pointed toes, and hitting the true second position in the air. Additionally, your tips on maintaining facial expressions during leaps are a subtle yet crucial aspect often overlooked. It’s amazing how small adjustments like exhaling on the leap and focusing on facial expressions can enhance the overall performance.
Overall, this article provides valuable insights and practical advice for dancers of all levels looking to perfect their straddle jumps. Thank you for sharing your expertise!
Thank you for stopping by Elena, and I like to post as much information as I can, as you can never get enough information when it comes to perfecting your dancing skills.
Hi, it looks like this requires some time to increase flexibility. I know from practicing yoga that it became easier after a few weeks, but I just remained patient while waiting, not trying to force it for my legs in particular. And that’s the key keep doing the proper technique and it won’t take too long.
Like anything it does take time and practise, but doing it often and stretching goes a long way to improving your straddle jump.
Straddle jumps are a fundamental and dynamic movement in dance that require strength, flexibility, and coordination. Dancers often incorporate straddle jumps into their routines to showcase their athleticism and agility. These jumps involve jumping into the air and extending both legs out to the sides in a straddle position before landing back on the ground. Mastering the technique of straddle jumps can help dancers improve their overall performance by enhancing their leg strength, flexibility, and control.
Great article thanks for the good read!
There’s a lot to consider when first attempting a straddle jump, particularly for anyone not familiar with the technicalities of it. It is definitely an impressive jump to master, but of course warming up those muscles is paramount, and you’ve made sure to advise that. You’ve included a lot of step-by-step information here. Great post – well done!!