The benefits of jump turns
Jump Turns strengthen the muscles that support the knees, hips, and ankles, including the quads, hamstrings, and calves. The exercise can also help improve your balance and proprioception (i.e., your awareness of how you move and position yourself), making it an excellent pick for retraining muscles post-ankle injury and improving your sports performance. It's also a great way to learn good landing posture, essential for those starting or returning to jumping sports like basketball and volleyball.
How to do 90-degree jump turns
- Stand up with your feet spread hip to shoulder width apart.
- Slightly hinge at the hip and bend the knee, then jump with both feet to turn yourself around 90 degrees.
- Before jumping and upon landing, ensure that your knees remain behind your toes, that they are directly above your ankles, that your buttocks are back, your chin is up, and your shoulder blades are drawn together.
- Pause briefly in the described position before jumping and turning again.
- Do 2 jumping rotations clockwise and 2 anti-clockwise for a total of 20 jumps.
- You can do more or fewer jumps depending on your ability.
Support your ankle through jump turns
When the ligaments that support the ankle become compromised by injury, the Bauerfeind MalleoTrain Ankle Brace can enhance stability to reduce pain and improve function. The brace does so through its medical-grade compression knit, which reduces inflammation and activates the muscles to support the joint better.
