Ridiculous claim…
I’ve noticed that every client that has taken a group fitness class jumps like the above picture. If you don’t see what’s wrong with the above picture, excluding the absurd “burn 210kcal in 15 minutes”, take a closer look at her arm positioning during the jump phase. Seriously take a few minutes and try to figure out what’s odd about this jump.
Why?
I’m not quite sure why group fitness instructors and some NYC personal trainers have their clients jump up while pulling their arms DOWN. Regardless of the end goal, the purpose of a squat jump is to jump up, so why not utilize your arms to help increase the jump UP instead of pulling down? This sequence will also allow for more efficient and quicker ‘continuos squat jumps’ = increase in calories burnt off!
For Sports Performance
If a personal trainer or sports performance coach tells you to jump this way, find the nearest door and start running! The trainer or “coach” has no business working with an athlete. The pulling down action during the ascent of a jump diminishes the total potential power output and thus negatively will effect your height and training performance. It potentially can negatively effect motor patterns in other movements such as broad jumps, bounds, sprints etc… where your arm action increases momentum in the direction you’re accelerating to.
Contest
Since you’re nice and alert now, try to find what’s “odd” in this pic too! First person to comment below with the right answer get’s a $5 Starbucks gift card!
Where’s Waldo?