Stretch Jump Drills

On a floor line, gymnast performs stretch jumps landing back on the line. 10 reps. If she cannot land on a floor line consistently, beam landing is not safe. Build precision landing before adding height.

Look for: Punch · reach overhead · land quiet on the beam — not forward of it

On a low or practice beam, gymnast performs stretch jumps — one at a time with coach standing beside. Focus: both feet land simultaneously in the same spot, arms overhead, slight knee bend on landing. 6 reps per set.

Look for: Punch · reach overhead · land quiet on the beam — not forward of it

Gymnast performs stretch jump and holds the landing position for 2 seconds before relaxing. Forces active balance control on landing rather than passive luck. Any instability in the hold must be corrected before the jump is considered 'learned'.

Look for: Punch · reach overhead · land quiet on the beam — not forward of it

Place an X of tape on the floor. Gymnast squat jumps and lands on the X. 3x10. Builds landing precision and bilateral leg power simultaneously — the two core requirements for a clean beam stretch jump.

Lying hollow on floor, arms fully overhead against ears. Hold 3x20 seconds. The stretch jump requires a fully hollow, arms-squeezed-to-head body position — this conditions it directly.

Jump up, land, immediately jump again without pausing — 10 in a row. 3 sets. Develops the elastic Achilles and calf strength for consecutive beam jumping and the fast-twitch ankle response that keeps landings on the beam surface.

Athlete performs the full Stretch Jump (Beam) on their own — spot only as needed. Goal: consistent, confident, competition-ready execution with the cue: "Punch · reach overhead · land quiet on the beam — not forward of it."

Look for: Punch · reach overhead · land quiet on the beam — not forward of it