Girevik Magazine- Gravity Bound?

Gravity Bound? . . . . .

Brett Jones RKC, CSCS

Gravity can be defined as 32 feet per second squared, or that annoying glue that keeps most of us tied to the earth and out of the air. Basketball players seem to defy it and others seem to feel the "pull" of it more. The vertical leap is the act of trying to break the pull of gravity by jumping. Considered one of the best tests of lower body power by researchers, vertical leap is one of the benchmarks of athletic ability. So, how do we go about improving our ability to defy gravity?

At the February 2002 RKC seminar, I surprised myself and everyone in attendance (I "don't look springy," thanks Rob L.) when, for the first time ever, I jumped and was able to reach the top of a regulation basketball rim. Prior to that moment, I was gravity-bound. I would estimate that previously I could get maybe halfway up the net. Suddenly, there I was, reaching what had previously been unattainable. How?

About two or three months before the seminar, I started on the KB ballistics. The dumbbell at first, and then the KB when the 24kg arrived at Christmas. Snatches were the exercise of choice. This helped to ingrain the most essential element of the vertical leap, the triple extension of the hip, knee and ankle.

Just as in the KB ballistics, the first move in the VL is back and down with the hips. This starts the countermovement or loading portion of the jump. Imagine you are using your hip flexors to pull yourself into the hole. As the hips travel back, the knees bend and the "spring" is loaded. The neurological efficiency developed by the ballistic drills makes for a fluid countermovement. Once loaded, the idea is to reverse the movement fluidly by extending the hip, knee and finally the ankle. This should be shockingly similar to the hip snap of the KB drills.

What really brought the hip snap and the clenching of the glutes home was Pavel's use of "body hardening". I volunteered to help Pavel demonstrate this at the seminar. Body hardening is a technique used to help a victim tense/flex an area of their body. This is accomplished by having the victim flex the area and then you make sure they have it maximally flexed by applying a few well placed kicks, chops or punches. Note: you are trying to help the victim not hurt them - So easy does it Comrades! A painful experience (and I had the bruise to prove it) I assure you. However, my clenching the glutes to maximum tension was now assured. My first KB swing after the body hardening nearly flew out of my hand and started me thinking about the VL.

The next step is to take the brake off your extensors by stretching your hip flexors. As Pavel has pointed out, your body hates trying to step on the gas and the brake at the same time. Therefore, you can increase the ability of your extensors to contract by stretching the hip flexors. Pavel has already laid out these stretches in RIS, so I will not repeat them here. Simply pick your stretch and take the brake off.

Bruce Lee taught that a tight muscle is a slow muscle. Just as you pressurize and focus your force to a specific phase of a ballistic KB movement, you must remain fluid until the appropriate moment. Then, everything arrives at the same time. So "flow like water."

A point of safety, your landing should be soft. As in the catch portion of the KB ballistics, you need to absorb the impact by re-bending the hips and knees. No landing on straight legs, Comrades! Of course, anything you want to improve upon, you need to practice. But use some sense and don't overdo it. The repetitive impact of too much jumping will catch up with you.

Looking back, I was as surprised as anyone when my hand reached the rim. Neurological carryover from kettlebell ballistics and a few well-placed kicks seem to have provided the "lift" needed to break gravity's hold on me.

Brett Jones is a Senior Russian Kettlebell instructor based near Pittsburgh, PA. He found In Motion Athletics, which is a group and individual conditioning service utilizing movement based solutions to release the athlete inside of you. You can check out his website at www.inmotionathletics.com.



		Gravity Bound? . . . . . Brett Jones RKC, CSCS Gravity can be defined as 32 feet per second squared, or that annoying glue that keeps most of us tied to the earth and out of the air. Basketball players seem to defy it and others seem to feel the "pull" of it more. The vertical leap is the act of trying to break the pull of gravity by jumping. Considered one of the best tests of lower body power by researchers, vertical leap is one of the benchmarks of athletic ability. So, how do we go about improving our ability to defy gravity? At the February 2002 RKC seminar, I surprised myself and everyone in attendance (I "don't look springy," thanks Rob L.) when, for the first time ever, I jumped and was able to reach the top of a regulation basketball rim. Prior to that moment, I was gravity-bound. I would estimate that previously I could get maybe halfway up the net. Suddenly, there I was, reaching what had previously been unattainable. How? About two or three months before the seminar, I started on the KB ballistics. The dumbbell at first, and then the KB when the 24kg arrived at Christmas. Snatches were the exercise of choice. This helped to ingrain the most essential element of the vertical leap, the triple extension of the hip, knee and ankle. Just as in the KB ballistics, the first move in the VL is back and down with the hips. This starts the countermovement or loading portion of the jump. Imagine you are using your hip flexors to pull yourself into the hole. As the hips travel back, the knees bend and the "spring" is loaded. The neurological efficiency developed by the ballistic drills makes for a fluid countermovement. Once loaded, the idea is to reverse the movement fluidly by extending the hip, knee and finally the ankle. This should be shockingly similar to the hip snap of the KB drills. What really brought the hip snap and the clenching of the glutes home was Pavel's use of "body hardening". I volunteered to help Pavel demonstrate this at the seminar. Body hardening is a technique used to help a victim tense/flex an area of their body. This is accomplished by having the victim flex the area and then you make sure they have it maximally flexed by applying a few well placed kicks, chops or punches. Note: you are trying to help the victim not hurt them - So easy does it Comrades! A painful experience (and I had the bruise to prove it) I assure you. However, my clenching the glutes to maximum tension was now assured. My first KB swing after the body hardening nearly flew out of my hand and started me thinking about the VL. The next step is to take the brake off your extensors by stretching your hip flexors. As Pavel has pointed out, your body hates trying to step on the gas and the brake at the same time. Therefore, you can increase the ability of your extensors to contract by stretching the hip flexors. Pavel has already laid out these stretches in RIS, so I will not repeat them here. Simply pick your stretch and take the brake off. Bruce Lee taught that a tight muscle is a slow muscle. Just as you pressurize and focus your force to a specific phase of a ballistic KB movement, you must remain fluid until the appropriate moment. Then, everything arrives at the same time. So "flow like water." A point of safety, your landing should be soft. As in the catch portion of the KB ballistics, you need to absorb the impact by re-bending the hips and knees. No landing on straight legs, Comrades! Of course, anything you want to improve upon, you need to practice. But use some sense and don't overdo it. The repetitive impact of too much jumping will catch up with you. Looking back, I was as surprised as anyone when my hand reached the rim. Neurological carryover from kettlebell ballistics and a few well-placed kicks seem to have provided the "lift" needed to break gravity's hold on me. Brett Jones is a Senior Russian Kettlebell instructor based near Pittsburgh, PA. He found In Motion Athletics, which is a group and individual conditioning service utilizing movement based solutions to release the athlete inside of you. You can check out his website at www.inmotionathletics.com.