Turf Wars 2022 is quickly approaching. Athletes will compete in 10 events relevant to the Tone House training program, including the Notorious “Wild Card.” This means athletes should prepare for anything typical to the Tone House regimen, which includes the infamous “Backwards Up Downs.”
What is a Backwards Up Down?
Tone House Athletes know and love (some more than others) Up Downs, a bodyweight movement where an athlete drops their chest to the deck (floor) and gets back up. Backwards Up Downs add an extra component to the movement, where an Athlete uses momentum to jump backwards and land on their feet into another Up Down. Athletes move across the Turf with this plyometric movement.
How to do a Backwards Up Down:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with a bend in your knees. Make sure your feet are even and your hands are out in front of you.
- Get low, the lower you can position yourself to jump backwards, the more powerful the jump will be.
- With your hands in front of you, jump off two feet, swinging your arms back together, jumping as far as you can. You are jumping for distance, not height.
- Bring your feet back to the hands and stand back up, remaining low with a knee bend.
- Jump back and repeat.
How NOT to do a Backwards Up Down:
Do not swing your arms forward. Backwards Up Downs need momentum in the movement to jump back further. Throwing your arms forward loses this required momentum.
Do not land staggered. You always want to jump with two feet and land on two feet.
Athletes still have time to register for Tone House’s upcoming Turf Wars on June 18th. To perfect your Backwards Up Down, register for our workshop with Coach Natalia this Saturday, 5/21 at 3:30pm: