Landing Mechanics

Maintaining body roundedness helps the landing be absorbed more effectively. Soft, controlled landings are a critical component of the drill. A silent landing indicates control, stability, and force absorption. The drill reinforces proper foot and knee alignment on ground contact. After takeoff, the athlete should land softly on the box in front. Improving landing mechanics is important for the longevity and durability of basketball players. The drill encourages a rounded body position to help absorb landings. Minimizing ground contact time helps develop fast, efficient foot strikes for jumping. The landing posture matches the athletic posture used to stick a jump landing. The quarter-squat landing posture is referred to as a baby position. Hop distance should be kept conservative enough to allow proper landing absorption. A soft landing absorbs impact by bending the knees and hips into a squat upon contact with the box. Absorbing impact through the joints, rather than landing stiff, is the central cue for the box bound movement. A slight knee bend is used to absorb the impact of landing. A quick rebound off the floor is a goal of the technique. Ground contact should be minimized…