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Step History - Power Guidelines
The Power Technique Guidelines:
In general, it was recommended that single step patterns were
to be mastered before adding multi-skill patterns and that power
was best taught in a linear building method prior to incorporating
the skills into patterns.
Take-off and Landing Technique:
1. Feet relatively close to the platform, which allows the body
to propel up rather than forward.
2. A flexed position, bending knees and hips is preparation
for vertical propulsion, in Power Step, it's called a "press".
Landing or finishing in this fdlexed position prepare the body
for the next take-off.
3. Keep body aligned to maintain balance.
4. In tap downs, the tapping foot should become weight bearing
in order to leave the floor with the weight on both feet.
5. Always use a non-porpulsive movement when stepping off the
platform onto the floor.
6. When langing from any propulsion movement, the ball of the
foot should strike first rolling throught the foot until the
heel touches down. On lunging movements, the heel should not
contact the floor.
7. Complexity level varies with the approach in jumping movements.
Easiest is astride. More difficult, front and side approaches.
Pressing for preparation allows the legs to power the body through
the jump. Any participant that has difficulty with jumps can
modify to a step/jump.
8. Feet should strike the platform lighly when landing in a
jump. Flex hips and knees on the take-off and landing.
Foot Placement
1. The entire foot should be on or over the platform in power
movements.
2. Avoid pressing the heel to the floor in lunging movemetnst
where the hip is extended. Includes diagonal extended and flexed
lunges, rear extended and flexed lunges.
3. Parallel squat lunges - the feet shoud be approximately shoulder
width apart. If the lunging leg is placed wider than shoulder
distance, the hips should externally rotate slightly to keep
knees aligned over feet. Excessively wide lunges may cause stress
to the knees.. The wider the lunge, the greater the loaded knee
flexion. Wide lunges are advanced and should be limited in repetitions.
Avoid twisting stress on loaded knees by keeping knee caps aligned
with toes. With the parallel squat lunge, the heel should lower
to the floor.
Approach
1. From the front of the side of the body facing ghe platform.
Stepping up with back to the platform causes excessive knee flexion
in a loaded position, and does not allow the heel to release
down to the platform. Tripping is a risk, since the participant
has to look over shoulder or down through legs to see the platform.
Body Alignment
1. Shoulders aligned over hips during power movements.
2. Knee aligned with foot. On hop turns, participant should
have the skill to execute the turn with propulsion, rather than
turning or pivoting in a weight bearing position. Modifications
should be offered.
3. Avoid leaning forward allowing shoulders to go beyond knees.
Flexion at knees and hips is desirable, with upper body staying
in neutral.
4. Avoid lateral flexion or hyperextension of the spine when
using an abduction variation on a lift step with propulsion.
Progression of Steps:
1. Progress from simple to complex, non-propulsion to propulsion.
Demonstrate less instense and simpler modifications for high
intensity, high complexity patterns.
2. Progress from a single power variation within one step pattern
cycle to mulitple or compound variations within the step pattern
cycle.
Turns:
1. With 1/2 hop turns, turning toward the supporting leg is
a more natural movement. With a 1/4 hop turn, the turn can go
in either direction. There is less room for technique error and
the shorter distance allows more time to execute the turn. The
1/2 hop turn is considered a more advanced move, requiring a
higher level of skill than the 1/4 hop turn.
2. The easiest approach for 1/2 hop turns is a side approach
into the opposite side approach. This allows for the participant
to maintain visual reference on both the platform and the instructor.
From a front approach, a 1/2 hop turn leaves the participant
facing the back of the room.
Source: Step Reebok Power Combinations,
1991.
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or onto Combinations and Variations
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