Long Jump Basics

 

 

For many track and field coaches and athletes, the long jump is an event that is viewed as simply a run and a jump. While that is the basic premise of it, there is a little more to it than that.

Long Jump Basics

Long Jump Basics

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Long Jump Basics

Long Jump Basics

Did you know that athletes don't need to be amazingly Fast to jump far? The more speed the better obviously, but there are other eleMents that come into play when performing the long jump.

There are actually four different eleMents or phases in this event.

The Approach The Takeoff Motions In The Air (flight) The landing

The Approach

More so than any other phase of the long jump, the approach is the most important. Without a consistent approach, you will definitely limit your distance. Not only that, you will foul much more than you would like to.

All new athletes come out and try to sprint down the runway as Fast as possible. Against what most coaches and athletes think, this is the wrong way to run.

The approach should be run as a gradual acceleration. There should be a slower start, and it should then gradually accelerate to a maximum controllable speed right to thetakeoff. Basically, a slow to Fast motion.

It must be gradual and smooth!

A gradual acceleration is what will develop consistency in the approach, and give you the greatest opportunity to reach those maximum distances.

The Takeoff

Another important aspect of the long jump approach that is often overlooked, is the last two strides. These strides are important because if they are done correctly, they will allow you to transition into the actual takeoff with as much speed as possible.

The second to last step or what is known as the penultimate step, allows the athlete to lower their body and gather themselves right before takeoff.

This lowering of the body helps to maintain the speed developed from the approach.

After the penultimate stride, the next step is the final one. This is where you takeoff and leave the ground.

If the body has been set up correctly from the penultimate stride, you will then be able to takeoff with a maximum amount of speed.

As your last step touches down, it must remain flat, and land with the heel first.

Now the leg quickly flexes. The muscles then release their energy and transfer it so that you can launch into the Air.

As you leave the ground, it is important to make sure that you jump out first. Jumping up, and jumping too high will cause you to lose distance.

So remember to jump out first!

Motions In The Air

The third phase of the long jump is also known as the flight phase.

Once you leave the ground and are in flight, you need to be able to keep yourself in control!

Many coaches and athletes believe this phase will make you jump farther. This is not true. The flight phase is used to control the body in the air, and set you up to land properly.

To control your body in the air there are three long jump techniques that you can use.

The Sail The Hang The Hitch-Kick

The sail technique is the most basic and is the easiest for beginners to learn.

This technique is as simple as trying to reach out to touch your toes.

The hang technique is performed exactly as its name implies.

The body hangs in the air with the knees dropped underneath the hips, and the arms extended overhead.

The hang is a little more difficult, but still fairly easy to perform.

The last technique is the hitch-kick. Many professional long jumpers use this technique. It is an advanced technique and can only be performed if the athlete is high enough in the air.

In the hitch-kick, the legs cycle around and look as if you are actually running in the air.

It takes quite a bit of effort to perform this technique, but it does a good Job of keeping the body in control throughout the flight phase.

As an athlete progresses they can then decide if they want to transfer their long jump technique to the hang or the hitch kick.

As you begin to come down out of the air these techniques help to prepare you for the last phase.

The Landing

In this section of the long jump the landing is used to prepare the body for the shock of hitting the ground. It also allows you to get as much distance out of the jump as possible.

Right before you hit the ground, depending on the technique you used in the air, you swing your arms downward and begin to lift your feet.

Lifting your feet will help you to squeeze a little bit more distance out of your jump.

As you land and hit the sand your knees fold, and you collapse onto your heels.

Since you swing your arms downward, this will help to move your body forward just enough so that you don't fall backwards.

Now that you have have hit the sand and come to a complete stop, you leave the long jump pit under control and wait to see what your results are.

If you follow these long jump tips than your chances of jumping far will be good.

Who knows, maybe you will end up setting some records yourself.

Long Jump Basics