In the early days of their sport, most ski jumpers would stretch their arms out above their heads or rotate them. Later, jumpers switched to a style in which their arms were placed by their sides and their skis were held parallel while in flight. Then a certain bow-legged Swedish skier noticed that his distance increased when the tips of his skis moved apart naturally during a practice jump. This led to the emergence of the V-style jump in 1989.

This stance provides a greater lifting surface than can be achieved with the skis kept parallel under the jumper's body. The larger surface exposed to the wind creates an aerodynamic effect that lifts the skier's body like the wing of an airplane and increases the flight distance. The V-style jump is a revolutionary technique that gives a chance of victory to smaller competitors, who are said to suffer the greatest disadvantage in jumping events.