How to Do a Kip
Stand up to three feet away from the low bar., Bend your knees slightly and hold your arms out in front of you to prepare for the jump., Push forward from the slightly crouched position to jump for the bar., Grab the bar and begin to glide your body...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Stand up to three feet away from the low bar.
You may stand flat on the ground, or you may use a springboard.
Standing too far away may cause you to miss the bar when you jump for it.
If you jump from the ground, you will have to jump equally up and forward to catch the bar.
If you jump from a springboard, you will likely only have to focus more on moving forward in your jump. -
Step 2: Bend your knees slightly and hold your arms out in front of you to prepare for the jump.
Your bent knees prepare you to make the jump, while your outstretched arms will enable you to quickly and easily catch the bar.
Line your hands up with the height of the bar in order to more easily catch it.
Keep your feet flat on the floor or springboard. , Keep your arms outstretched in front of you to grab the bar.
Your arms will likely need to be higher above your head if you are jumping from the ground.
On the other hand, if you are jumping from a springboard, you will be able to keep your hands in front of you, rather than above you.
A small jump is required, just enough to give you momentum to get to the bar and start your glide swing.
Too much force in your jump will cause you to rise above the low bar and may set your kip off to a messy start. , Hang from the bar once you grab it, allowing your body to swing below it.
You may choose to keep your legs together in a pike for your glide swing.
If so, keep your body slightly bent at the hips so that your feet do not hit the floor.
Another option is to spread your legs into a straddle position.
If you choose this position, you can keep your body straight, as your legs will be lifted high enough from the floor. , Maintain your pike or straddle position with your legs until you reach the other side of the bar.
Your arms should be extended straight once you swing to the other side of the bar. , As you end the glide swing, you are preparing your body to transition into the next move, which is the pike-up.
If you completed your glide swing with straddled legs, bring them together in a pike position as you thrust your hips forward.
If you did the glide swing in a pike, then straighten out your hips so that your body flattens. , The peak of the glide swing is the moment when your body stops moving forward and begins to swing back.
You are preparing to fold your body for the pike-up, so pulling your stomach back into a scooped position makes it easier to pull your legs up. , As your body swings back, quickly lift your feet so that they point upward.
Your torso should be about parallel to the floor when you do your pike-up so that your hips are bent at about a 90-degree angle.
Keep your legs together in a pike position while you lift them upward. , At the end of your pike-up, your toes should touch the bar.
This is the end of the pike-up, so from this position, you will finish the kip with a pull-up.
Remember to keep your legs and feet squeezed together in the pike position to maintain speed and safety. , Allow your body to follow the natural swing backward, and keep your arms straight while you do so.
Keep your body tucked close to the bar while you swing, though, to easily pull yourself up later.
Specifically, you need to keep your hips close to the bar.
Imagine this as rocking backward under the bar.
Your head should rise higher on the other side of the bar as you swing back, while your legs come down. , This puts your body back in a full pike position, enabling you to pull-up when you reach the other side of the bar again.
Allow the momentum of dropping your legs to push your body upward.
This will help you as you start to pull up. , You will almost rotate your hips around the bar to pull yourself up, which is why it is so essential in earlier steps to keep your hips close to the bar.
Your legs will likely swing back and away from the bar as you pull yourself up.
Maintain the pike but allow them to swing, because they are simply following the momentum of the natural movement.
This also prepares you for the next step. , This allows you to hold yourself above the bar without losing your grip.
You may have to shift your hands just a bit to get them into this stronger hold, but do not let go of the bar. , This is the end of the kip, and from this position, you can continue on with your bar routine.
Keep your abdominal muscles contracted to help hold your position.
Your hips should rest on the bar, while your arms are straight and you look forward ahead of you. -
Step 3: Push forward from the slightly crouched position to jump for the bar.
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Step 4: Grab the bar and begin to glide your body below it.
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Step 5: Glide below the bar until your body extends on the other side of it.
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Step 6: Thrust your hips forward and straighten your whole body.
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Step 7: Scoop your stomach at the peak of the glide swing.
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Step 8: Lift your feet toward the bar.
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Step 9: Bring the tip of your toes to the bar.
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Step 10: Swing backward from the peak of the pike-up.
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Step 11: Drop your legs while your body swings back.
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Step 12: Pull your body upward above the bar.
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Step 13: Flick your wrists over the bar once your torso is above it.
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Step 14: Allow your legs to hang straight down from the bar while holding your torso upright.
Detailed Guide
You may stand flat on the ground, or you may use a springboard.
Standing too far away may cause you to miss the bar when you jump for it.
If you jump from the ground, you will have to jump equally up and forward to catch the bar.
If you jump from a springboard, you will likely only have to focus more on moving forward in your jump.
Your bent knees prepare you to make the jump, while your outstretched arms will enable you to quickly and easily catch the bar.
Line your hands up with the height of the bar in order to more easily catch it.
Keep your feet flat on the floor or springboard. , Keep your arms outstretched in front of you to grab the bar.
Your arms will likely need to be higher above your head if you are jumping from the ground.
On the other hand, if you are jumping from a springboard, you will be able to keep your hands in front of you, rather than above you.
A small jump is required, just enough to give you momentum to get to the bar and start your glide swing.
Too much force in your jump will cause you to rise above the low bar and may set your kip off to a messy start. , Hang from the bar once you grab it, allowing your body to swing below it.
You may choose to keep your legs together in a pike for your glide swing.
If so, keep your body slightly bent at the hips so that your feet do not hit the floor.
Another option is to spread your legs into a straddle position.
If you choose this position, you can keep your body straight, as your legs will be lifted high enough from the floor. , Maintain your pike or straddle position with your legs until you reach the other side of the bar.
Your arms should be extended straight once you swing to the other side of the bar. , As you end the glide swing, you are preparing your body to transition into the next move, which is the pike-up.
If you completed your glide swing with straddled legs, bring them together in a pike position as you thrust your hips forward.
If you did the glide swing in a pike, then straighten out your hips so that your body flattens. , The peak of the glide swing is the moment when your body stops moving forward and begins to swing back.
You are preparing to fold your body for the pike-up, so pulling your stomach back into a scooped position makes it easier to pull your legs up. , As your body swings back, quickly lift your feet so that they point upward.
Your torso should be about parallel to the floor when you do your pike-up so that your hips are bent at about a 90-degree angle.
Keep your legs together in a pike position while you lift them upward. , At the end of your pike-up, your toes should touch the bar.
This is the end of the pike-up, so from this position, you will finish the kip with a pull-up.
Remember to keep your legs and feet squeezed together in the pike position to maintain speed and safety. , Allow your body to follow the natural swing backward, and keep your arms straight while you do so.
Keep your body tucked close to the bar while you swing, though, to easily pull yourself up later.
Specifically, you need to keep your hips close to the bar.
Imagine this as rocking backward under the bar.
Your head should rise higher on the other side of the bar as you swing back, while your legs come down. , This puts your body back in a full pike position, enabling you to pull-up when you reach the other side of the bar again.
Allow the momentum of dropping your legs to push your body upward.
This will help you as you start to pull up. , You will almost rotate your hips around the bar to pull yourself up, which is why it is so essential in earlier steps to keep your hips close to the bar.
Your legs will likely swing back and away from the bar as you pull yourself up.
Maintain the pike but allow them to swing, because they are simply following the momentum of the natural movement.
This also prepares you for the next step. , This allows you to hold yourself above the bar without losing your grip.
You may have to shift your hands just a bit to get them into this stronger hold, but do not let go of the bar. , This is the end of the kip, and from this position, you can continue on with your bar routine.
Keep your abdominal muscles contracted to help hold your position.
Your hips should rest on the bar, while your arms are straight and you look forward ahead of you.
About the Author
Karen Kennedy
A passionate writer with expertise in creative arts topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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