How to Do a Butterfly Jump

The butterfly jump is an aerial move in kung fu which forms the basis of a number kicks and is an evasive move in its right. To learn these kind of techniques, you need a well-conditioned body and the confidence to launch into them without hesitation. Acrobatics cannot be performed in slow motion and hesitation can rob you of momentum and lead to accidents.

Instructions

    • 1

      Stand with your legs a little wider than shoulder width apart and your toes pointed forward. Stretch both arms out in front of you. Keeping them outstretched, swing them around to your right hand side and down towards the hip. Shift your weight over to your right leg.

    • 2

      Swing your hands fast around to the middle and upwards to just above your waist. Follow this movement through by swinging your hands down and around to your left side.

    • 3

      Swing your upper body down and to the left of your leg, bending from the waist and using your head as the weight which gives you momentum to pull you into a spin. Twist on your left heel so that your head is pointing in the direction that your back was originally pointing.

    • 4

      Kick your right leg back behind you and slightly out to the right. Swing your foot in an arc from right to left. The foot needs to swing right out and then up to head height. The leg needs to be relaxed so that the momentum of the spin is transferred through the body. Turn your chest towards the floor at the same time. You need to flexible enough to throw the back leg up so it is pointing almost straight at the ceiling while the left leg is still on the ground.

    • 5

      Continue swinging the right leg through its arc. It needs to complete almost a full circle behind you. The foot needs to be highest from the ground when it is directly behind you. Your legs will be fully stretched out in the splits position at this point. After this the leg begins to swing down, arcing outward until it is down to waist height and then comes inward.

    • 6

      Hop with the left leg exactly as the right leg begins to come down. Swing the left left out and up as the right leg begin to come down. Keep your shoulders low and your chest pointed towards the ground. the aim is to be horizontal in the air. At the midpoint of the jump you should be flat, face down to the ground with your legs spread wide.

    • 7

      Land on the right foot first. Your right foot should be coming to the ground just as left foot is passing the highest point in its arc. As the right foot lands but before your full weight has come down onto it swivel your hip to turn the foot so that toes point to where the foot was before you started the jump.

    • 8

      Bend the left leg slightly as it swings down from waist height. Bring the left foot down next to the right. Absorb the impact of the spin by landing with the ball of the left foot first and sinking down onto the heel. Slightly tense the muscle of the calf and thigh to slow the downwards force. Once you are firmly on both feet, sink with the thighs to dampen the impact even further.