How do jumping stilts work

They really test your leg strength and cardiovascular fitness. Start with short sessions for the first month, to gradually build your strength up. Practice walking first When you first strap the jumping stilts on, practice walking around before attempting any large jumps.

You can use a high fence or railing to help you balance while you walk around. Focus on getting a feel for how much the stilts bounce when you press down and how much traction they have. You can also try a few stationary bounces while using a fence for additional support. Before long, your confidence will increase and you will feel comfortable running and jumping in your stilts.

Checkout some videos for tips and advice There are some great video tutorials on YouTube which cover the basics of using jumping stilts. They are a great resource for perfecting jumps and more advanced moves. Stick to flat surfaces at first While you will see many videos of experienced jumpers traversing 6 steps in one leap — stick with flat ground for the first month or so. There is more risk involved when jumping around steps or on sloping ground.

Jumping stilts can make you feel like superman! You will be flying through the air and leaping over high objects before you know it. Avoid the temptation to perform very advanced maneuvers until you have mastered the basics. You should spend time getting a feel for how heavy the stilts are on your legs before performing any acrobatics or attempting to leap over objects.

They are all well made and guaranteed to provide many hours of fun! Check Price Air-Trekkers are one of the most well known brands of jumping stilts.

Their products are well made, comfortable to wear and perform well. This model is designed for adults who weigh between and pounds.

It features high-quality carbon fiber springs, a durable aluminum frame, and well padded knee supports. This model can handle everything from general fitness running through to exciting acrobatics and parkour jumps. Because the stilts are so light weight, they are perfect for anyone who wants to perform a backflip or other advanced trick.

The excellent durability of this product means they are very safe to use. Strong and durable carbon fiber springs High standard of construction that guarantees years of use Very lightweight which makes them ideal for acrobatics Cons.

Check Price This is a fantastic pair of jumping stilts designed for children. They measure 23 and a half inches to the top bracket with a foot pad that is 10 inches off the ground. This makes them the ideal size for an older child or teenager.

These jumping stilts have a flat spring that is controlled under deformation — this means that movement is very straight relative to the ground, making them easy to balance on.

This product is intended for a child who is getting their first pair of jumping stilts and will be performing basic jumps. Not suitable for acrobatics Skyrunner Adult Jumping Stilts. SGS and CE certified, the stilts are safe to use for everyone — you can practice tricks or simply jump around to burn calories.

Reliable and high-tech, the jumpers are made from durable materials and come with a double attachment system that holds your feet perfectly on the platform.

The entire system is so comfortable that the stilts will actually feel like natural extensions of your legs. Thanks to their sturdy construction and tight attachment system, the jumping stilts can be used for high jumps, acrobatics, and even intensive running.

Meet safety requirements Made from durable materials Double attachment system Great value for money Cons. Beginners may experience some trouble tightening the straps at first Adult Kangaroo Shoes Jumping Stilts.

Check Price This is another great pair of jumping stilts from Skyrunner. This pair is designed for heavier adults in the to pound range. It features a sturdy aluminum frame and well built fiberglass spring guaranteed to deliver years of fun. These jumping stilts are a great option for adults who want to get fit while having fun. Most adults can reach 10 miles per hour while running in these stilts and jump as high as 7 feet into the air. None, this is a great pair of jumping stilts that is affordable and well made Jump-bird Jumping Stilts.

They are made from a full aluminum frame that is extremely durable. Other features include a special reinforced fiberglass spring, thick nylon straps, skid proof rubber feet and adjustable kneepads.

It is designed to be used by people weighing between 66 to pounds. SGS and CE safety certifications Straight vertical bounce, which makes them great for running and bouncing over tall objects Durable and high-quality construction Very affordable — a great present for the kids Cons.

They are well-made and designed for both professionals and keen amateurs. You can do anything with these jumping tilts and they are made to last! I'll start off with the springs. I used some from the leftover chunk of truck frame that I had lying around from building my homemade tank.

Link here. Every spring pack that I know of has a top spring that has eyelets in both ends to act as rotating attachment points to the frame. These are going to be what we'll use to attach our springs to our leg frames.

That way we don't have to drill any unnecessary holes or weld to the spring steel. The heat from welding could ruin the temper and render it too soft to use. One whole spring is too much weight and too resistant for use on our stilts so I cut the spring in half and used a half for each side. Cutting spring steel is tedious and slow, so be prepared with at least two cutting wheels and some water to cool the metal. I'm not sure if I could generate enough heat with my grinder to effect the temper of the steel, but I stayed on the safe side and made sure to keep the metal nice and cool by pouring some water on it every so often.

Please wear proper safety equipment when doing any metal cutting. Especially this amount. The dust and sparks will be harmful so do it outside and away from anything flammable. How long to make your springs depends on the length of the users calf.

I found some numbers online that said that the stilts increased a persons height by 18 to 20 inches. So I measured from the bottom of my booted foot to my upper calf where I knew the spring would be mounted and added 22 to that number. The extra 2 inches is to make up for curve of the spring. I didn't take into consideration the added length that the stilts' feet would give simply because it's not that important. This is our connection with this contraption.

The leg frames need to hold onto our leg firmly and the spring firmly. The main body of this is made of 1" x 1" square tubing. The attachment point for the spring was made by welding on a short 1" piece of tubing and then cutting the very top at an angle to avoid any stabbing in the back of my leg. Then I used that cut off piece on the bottom as an added brace.

The length of this entire upright part should be the length of your calf, from where the bottom of your boot touches the ground to the top, plus 1". That extra 1" is where we're going to attach the lower foot support. Mine is 12", or the length of my foot. There was more than enough material there, so in an effort to lighten the load a little, I decided to cut away some excess. Now that that's in place, I added two supports to offer something to stand on. Lastly, I added two lengths of 1" x 1" square tubing out of the sides of the top in a "Y" configuration.

The tubing has holes drilled in both sides that act as a means of attaching our top leg brace bar. More on how I made that bar in a later section.

The distance between the holes is dependent on how wide your lower legs are. Just remember to allow some space for padding, but only just enough. You want your legs to be held quite securely. One more thing. You can see what I mean in the last image. Our springs are too sharp and won't function well as a contact point with the ground. To fix that, we need to make some pads or feet that we can attach to the bottom of them to increase their surface area for better stability and grip.

I created some out of 2" flat bar, some 1" x 2" rectangular tubing, and some leftover pieces from the leg frame. The shape of the bottom was just a mimic of the store bought stilts, so that's not too important. The most important part is to make them solid.

They needn't be terribly large. Mine are 4" x 2" and function as intended. I cut my 2" flat bar to size and bent it into a nice curve and cut it to shape. I needed brace to reinforce it and also to act as a flat mounting surface for the bracket to weld on to. I had some pieces left from removing material on the bottom of the foot supports, so I used that.

It's basically just 1" C channel that I shaped with a grinder and welded in place. After that was the mounting bracket. This is where we determine the angle of our feet. We want them to be as level with the ground as we can get. So to do that, I placed the bottom of the spring in line with the underneath of the foot support where the center of my weight would be.

Then, I measured the angle taking into consideration some slight bend in the spring that would exist when I'm standing at a rest on the stilts. I cut the bracket out, drilled the necessary mounting holes, and welded it in place. I added the rubber much later but I'll place it here just to keep some order. I cut out some tread from a bike tire and epoxied it in place using JB Weld.

Please be sure to clean both surfaces very well before gluing. This part is pretty straight forward. Without this arm, the stilts would be useless as we would have no control over the spring at all. The arm attaches to the bottom of the foot support and to a pivot point mounted halfway up the spring.

The point needs to be equidistant from the ground and the point where the arm attaches to the foot support as far as I can tell from the Images I've seen online. First, place the bottom of your spring underneath the center of your foot support. Jumping stilts that are not comfortable could result in injury. Do not get overwhelmed by the shiny stickers and bright colors. Each size has its own weight limit that is market out on the packaging so choose accordingly.

Too slow or too fast are definitely not the best approach. Make sure that you feel comfortable moving your legs. Many people complain of developing rashes or blisters with lateral movement. You may choose any brand or type based on your budget and requirement. The idea is to exercise safely and have fun with your new hobby. Pros Durable aluminum construction for safety Highest quality carbon-fiber spring Cons Overall Pricy Require assistance when starting out Learning Curve.