Takeoff Ladder: Takeoff Foot and Heel-to-Toe for Jumpers

A jumping warm-up that finds each student's takeoff foot and practices an active plant before jumping. It prepares ankles, knees and hips for long jump, triple jump and high jump.

How to play

1. Jog and ankle mobility while each pair chalks a six-line ladder with two meters between lines (2 min).
2. Takeoff foot test: three one-leg jumps to reach an imaginary high object; the foot that goes naturally is the takeoff foot, and the partner writes it down (2 min).
3. Take off every third step along the ladder, landing on the same foot with the free knee up (2 min).
4. Take off every fifth step with coordinated arms, looking for a quick heel-to-toe plant that grips the ground (2 min).
5. Two 20 m runs with a light takeoff over a line at the end, no pit landing (2 min).

Rules

• Jumps are submaximal: this is a warm-up, not a meet.
• Land softly with bent knees.
• One pair per ladder; start when the pair ahead has finished.
• Skip the area if there's sand or water on the ground.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility in one leg: take off on the strong leg with a big arm drive.
• Recent ankle injury: be the observer and log everyone's takeoff foot.
• Deaf or hard of hearing: the partner signals the takeoff step with a hand gesture.

Learning goals

• Identify your own takeoff foot.
• Activate ankle and knee muscles for jumping.
• Coordinate the arms and free leg at takeoff.

Equipment for a class of 25

• cones: 20
• chalk: 4

Teacher tip

Chalk on the schoolyard is enough; on a track, use masking tape. The typical error is a flat, braking plant: keep cueing a quick, active foot.

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