Straight Jump
The straight jump is a basic gymnastics skill that forms the foundation for more advanced jumping techniques. It focuses on jumping straight up while keeping the body aligned, with arms reaching overhead and legs squeezed tightly together. It can be introduced in the early years and used to develop more advanced gymnastics jumping skills in the upper primary years.
Teaching cues
- Bend and swing: bend your knees and swing your arms back.
- Jump and squeeze: jump and swing your arms up straight to squeeze your ears, legs together.
- Motorbike landing: land softly with bent knees and arms in front to balance.
Teaching strategies
- Introduce and reinforce the Motorbike Landing position.
- Practice jumping on the spot, focusing on bending the knees and landing softly.
- Encourage children to focus on keeping their body tall ("like a straight pencil") during the jump.
- Set up a soft landing area for children to practice jumping and landing in with control (e.g., a soft mat, sand or grassed area).
- Create jumping challenges to encourage children to perform their straight jump with more height.
- Incorporate straight jumps into movement sequences or routines.
- Set up a landing challenge where children need to land softly and balance for a few seconds after each jump.
- Have children perform a straight jump dismount from a low height (e.g., jump and land from a step or small box).
Skill criteria
- Arms swing back before jumping and straight up overhead during the jump.
- Legs stay together, and body remains tall throughout the jump.
- Soft landing with knees slightly bent and arms in front for balance.
Common errors
- Jumping with legs apart or not keeping them together.
- Landing too hard, without bending the knees to absorb the impact.
- Not keeping arms straight overhead, or swinging them incorrectly during the jump.
