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.
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.
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.
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.
Your arms should be extended straight once you swing to the other side of the bar.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Allow the momentum of dropping your legs to push your body upward. This will help you as you start to pull up.
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.
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.
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.
