Acrobatics

[bodhitree]

Sorry to always be asking questions
What is the best way to develop strength for jumping higher?
What about bouncing up from the ground when your flat on your back? Info on cartwheels, flips, anything of the sort?
Thank you, love you!;)

[Ford Prefect]

Plyometrics and dynamic lifts will help a lot. I can do a back flip and a kip up. I taught myself though, so I'm probably doing them wrong.

[wall]

Plyos and compound strenght (bench/chin/squat) help, a good degree of flexibility is necessary, but frankly the most useful training for acrobatics is ... doing them.
A usual training progression is (these are the ones I've learned):

cartwheel - one handed cartwheel - aerial (no handed cartwheel)
kipup with hands - kipup no hands - kipup to stances
butterfly - butterfly twist
spin crescent kick - tornado kick - tornado 540

W

[IronFist]

Originally posted by Ford Prefect
Plyometrics and dynamic lifts will help a lot. I can do a back flip and a kip up. I taught myself though, so I'm probably doing them wrong.

You can do a backflip? That's awesome. Like just standing there and you do one and land on your feet, right?

IronFist

[Ford Prefect]

Yeah. I've always been able to jump higher than the average guy though. I'm 6' tall and dunk volleyballs (my hands are too small to palm basketballs). It was more an act of having the balls to do it. I just went to a park and tried it. I'd land on my feet and fall backwards or land on my toes and hands the first couple times. It's like old hat now though.

[FatherDog]

I can do front handsprings. I've never tried to do back handsprings. I can do a no-hands kipup... most of the time.

The deciding factor when I went from being able to not do kipups, to being able to do them, to being able to do them with no hands, seemed to be ab strength.

[Shaolin-Do]

Yeah, abs are significant in kipups. I can only do them with my hands right now, but working on it. Can do a standing front flip, although I havent done it in a while.
Id be kidna scurd to try a backflip right now... Im 6' and have about 2 more inches before I can get a basketball into the hoop. I can get up there, but not enough for a solid slam yet. Jumping rope with ankle weights on is kicking my verticles ass quickly tho.

[Ford Prefect]

You should use a weight vest instead. Jumping with ankle weights on can screw up your knees.

[Starchaser107]

for some reason theres a fear factor for me with regard to attempting a twisting butterly. i worry about landing badly over rotating and crashing into the ground. it's odd because this fear is non existent when i'm doing a falling/drop tornado kick.

Any bright ideas?