How do I nail slow in and slow out curves for a punchy jump in animation?

[Scott90]

I’ve been trying to get the timing right for a character’s anticipation before a big jump, but my spacing feels floaty and the snap into the pose lacks punch. How do you approach planning your slow in and slow out curves to make that buildup feel powerful without losing the fluidity?

[Justin_H]

I found that the slow in works best when the torso leads the eyes and the hips follow a beat later. I would start the anticipation with a small dip in the chest, then a gentle rise into the shoulders, and I kept the hold short so the jump bite lands on a crisp frame. The moment of snap came when I nudged the last few frames into a quicker tempo just before the hips commit.

[SofiaM]

I tried timing charts and ended up throwing them away. What helped was easing into the pose with a slow breath feel and then a quick switch into the pose. I kept the mid portion moving but not overshooting. The problem was still floaty until I added a small overshoot before settling.

[Jonathan61]

Could the real issue be the lead in not the anticipation itself?

[StevenW]

I watched a real gymnast before a jump and noticed how the head tracks the motion and the hands push slightly up. I tried leaving a tiny motion in the fingers and then snapping to the pose. It did not fix everything but it felt more alive.