The pump has two parts: the small “jump” that releases weight from the board, and the moment we put weight back on the board.
In this first jump step, we initially did it with a lot of intensity; now we have to start doing it more like a cat than a dog. Less aggressive force and more stretching. We have to focus on lengthening our spine and elevating our shoulders.
Lifting the Rear Heel
One of the techniques the pros use is lifting the heel of your rear foot (never the front one). You can try it, but if you’re in the first round of this performance improvement, I expect it will throw you off balance quite a bit and cause you to lose energy trying to redirect the foil, so I would leave the heel lift for the end of this optimization.
I think the heel lift should be something more unconscious, more natural due to the need to stretch upward than because we consciously think about lifting the heel.
If you still insist on forcing your heel to lift, practice on the floor at home. To lift your back heel without lifting your front heel, it’s helpful to lean your body forward a little.
Two-Step Step-Up
There’s only one way to jump to release the weight, but I’ve found it works for me in two steps. One is the intuitive first step, and once you’re up, make a little extra effort to extend your shoulders a little more and hold your legs fully extended for a few milliseconds. This way, you gain a little more height and, in the process, gain a little more time to slow down the pumping motion so you don’t tire as quickly.
It’s possible that stretching so much can cause you to lose your balance if you’re on your first lap; in that case, try again in a few weeks.
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