Basic and Battle Physical Training - Jumping, Vaulting, Climbing, Scaling and Obstacle Training - Part V

By Anon Anon

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Sep 16, 2016
• ISBN: 9781473355804

Book preview

1

BASIC AND BATTLE PHYSICAL TRAINING

PART V

JUMPING, VAULTING, CLIMBING, SCALING

AND OBSTACLE TRAINING

CHAPTER 1

JUMPING AND VAULTING

SECTION 1.—INTRODUCTION

1. Importance of agility to the soldier.—Agility necessitates mental and physical alertness. It demands ability to move at speed and with nimbleness, as well as the capacity to surmount obstacles swiftly and skilfully. In war the soldier must be sufficiently agile to crawl through a narrow tunnel, to leap a ditch or fence, to scale a wall or cliff, to climb a rope or tree, to land by parachute or to jump from a moving vehicle. It is by means of training in jumping, vaulting, climbing and scaling, that the soldier is made agile and capable of surmounting the type of obstacle he is likely to encounter in the field.

2. Military value of jumping and vaulting exercises.—Training in these exercises develops agility, self-confidence, alertness, courage, determination and perseverance. In addition, the spring and elasticity of the whole body are cultivated. The more difficult vaulting and jumping exercises demand a high degree of skill in the exact co-ordination and timing of the movements. They also demand a large output of energy during a comparatively short period, and thereby provide vigorous activity. Jumping and vaulting exercises are invaluable in the training of the soldier for the physical and mental qualities that they develop.

3. Definitions.—Jumping exercises are leaping exercises which are performed by means of the legs only and without any part of the body touching the apparatus during the flight. Vaulting exercises are leaping exercises in which the hands or feet, or both, successively touch the apparatus and thus help to support the weight of the body during part of the flight.

4. Constituent parts of jumps and vaults.—Every jump or vault consists of the following three parts:—

(a) Take-off.

(b) Flight.

(c) Landing.

For many jumps and vaults a preliminary run-up to the apparatus must be added to the above.

5. The preliminary run-up to the apparatus or obstacle.—The purpose of this is to give the body the impetus required for the succeeding jump or vault. It must be carefully taught to ensure the maximum efficiency with the minimum expenditure of energy. The length of run should .be regulated to the length and type of jump or vault and to the height of the apparatus to be cleared. A fairly long and fast run-up is necessary when forward momentum is required to clear the apparatus or obstacle, or to ensure a long flight. The run should be comparatively short, and of moderate speed, when height rather than length is required in the flight. The preliminary run, which may be either straight or oblique according to the type of vault or jump, should never be longer than is absolutely necessary. It should begin quietly with several short steps, gradually and steadily increasing in speed and length of step the nearer the man comes to the point of taking off. Slowing down the run just before the take-off, or unnecessarily changing step during the run must be avoided.

6. The take-off.—The take-off may be from one foot (single take-off), or from both feet (double take-off). The single take-off is mainly used for jumps and vaults which follow an oblique preliminary run. The double take-off is used for jumps and vaults which follow a straight preliminary run at right angles to the apparatus or obstacle. Whether from one or both feet, the take-off must be firm and with a good spring. It is the result of a quick flexion and immediate extension of hip, knee and ankle joints. In the single take-off the spring is made from one foot and the other leg helps the movement by swinging into such a position as will facilitate the flight. It is important that the soldier should become accustomed to take off from either foot. Before the double take-off the preliminary run terminates in a small flat jump in order to bring the feet together for the actual take off. The shorter, and especially the flatter this jump the less impetus will be lost. The body should be well poised and under perfect control at the moment of taking-off, since the length or height of the jump or vault depends on the control and spring of the body at that moment. The distance of the take-off from the apparatus or obstacle must be worked out according to the type of jump or vault to be performed.

7. The flight.—This begins at the moment the body leaves the ground after the take-off and continues until the feet again meet the ground in the landing. It is the result of a strong action of the leg and thigh muscles. In the case of a vault the impetus and direction of the body during flight will be modified by the action of the hands, or of the feet and the hands, on the apparatus.

8. The landing.—To ensure a good, controlled landing the forward momentum gained in the preliminary run should be almost entirely expended in the flight. If too little or too much momentum is shown in the landing, the soldier will either fall backward or stumble forward. Landings must be soft and elastic, and should be carefully developed from the beginning of the training, for bad landings not infrequently result in accidents, especially when the soldier is surmounting obstacles or jumping down from moving vehicles while wearing battle order. In landing from the majority of jumps and vaults the toes and forepart of the foot touch the ground first, the ankle, knee and hip joints yielding to break the impact. The landing should be made with the body under full control, the feet and knees together and pointing forward, the amount of knee bending being just sufficient to control the landing and eliminate the risk of jarring the body. The landing from a number of jumps and vaults is made on one foot, and this requires careful teaching and practice in order to minimize the risk