www.***.

net

Biomechanics of
Jumping
 www.***.net

Mechanical Factors
 Speed at takeoff

 Height at takeoff

 Angle at takeoff

 Balance and rotations that occur

during flight
 www.***.net

Speed at Takeoff
 Influenced by 2 distinct forces
from run-up to takeoff
 Horizontal component
 Vertical component
 To slow horizontal while producing
vertical
 Gradual acceleration progression
 Constant increase in both SF and SL
 www.***.net

Speed at Takeoff
Problems of slowing
Negative foot speed
Braking with takeoff
foot too far back on
heel
Allowing hips to be
too slow in running
position
 www.***.net

Height at takeoff
 High CG means athlete remains
airborne longer
 3 techniques that aid in raising CG
 Run as tall and erect as possible
 Shortening the last stride
 High body velocity at takeoff
 www.***.net

Angle at Takeoff
 www.***.net

Angle at Takeoff
 www.***.net

Angle at Takeoff
 www.***.net

Balance and Rotations

Rotationalspeed increases or decreases as lever
length changes
Lengthening/shortening arms, legs or trunk
 www.***.net

Jumping Events
To obtain a maximum displacement
of CG in a given direction
Long jump
Horizontal direction
Triple jump
High jump Vertical direction

Pole vault
 www.***.net

Long Jump
 www.***.net

Long Jump
Consist of 4 consecutive parts
Run-up

Takeoff

Flight

Landing
 www.***.net

Basic Considerations
 Takeoff distance
 Distance between front edge of
takeoff board and CG at takeoff
 Flight distance
 Distance that CG travels
 Landing distance
 Distance between CG at landing and
marks on sand
 Ratio – 3.5% :88.5% :8%
www.***.net
 www.***.net

Distance

Takeoff distance Flight distance Landing distance

Height of Speed of Angle Air

takeoff takeoff of resistance
takeoff

Accuracy of physics Body Body Action

takeoff position position at on
at takeoff touchdown landing
 www.***.net

Approach
 To get athlete to optimum position
for takeoff
 Length of run-up depends on
 Sprinting velocity
 Ability to maintain stride’s pattern
 Last 3-4 strides, change in body
position
 www.***.net

Takeoff
 To obtain vertical velocity while retaining as
much horizontal velocity as possible
 Little flexion to cushion shock of impact
 To position leg for vigorous extension
 CG moves forward over and beyond takeoff
foot
 www.***.net

Flight
 To assume optimum body position
for landing
 There are 3 in-the-air techniques
 Sail technique
 Hang technique
 Hitch-kick technique
 www.***.net

Sail Technique
 www.***.net

Hang Technique
 www.***.net

Hitch-Kick Technique
 www.***.net

Landing

Correct landing

Incorrect landing
 www.***.net

Triple Jump
 www.***.net

Basic Considerations
 Consist of 3 phases
 The hop
 The step
 The jump
 10:7:10 for beginner
 10:8:9 for top performers
 Flat technique (low hop and step,
high jump) 7:6:7
 www.***.net

The Hop
 www.***.net

The Hop
 Flat to lower CG
 Load up thigh muscles to provide
supercontraction and to minimize
ground contact duration
 Trunk remains upright
 Extending arms bw to minimize fw
rotation during flight
 www.***.net

The Step
 www.***.net

The Step
 To maintain horizontal speed,
balance during flight and landing

 To control forward rotations

 Using double-arm style

 www.***.net

The Jump
 www.***.net

Single arm action

 The arm opposite the free leg

drives forward and up to shoulder

level

 The angle at the elbow should be

between 80 and 110 degrees

 www.***.net

Double arm action

 The lead arm crosses slightly in front of the
body on penultimate step of approach phase
 At the take-off step, arm pauses next to the
body
 As the take-off foot contacts the ground,
both arms drive forward and up to shoulder
height
 The angle of the arms at the elbows > 90
degrees to create a more powerful impulse
forward
 www.***.net

High Jump
 www.***.net

Basic Considerations
 Consists of 3 separate heights
 H1 – height at takeoff

 H2 – height during flight

 H3 – difference between max height

and height of bar

www.***.net
 www.***.net

Height

H1 H2 H3

Physics Body Vertical Body Movements

Position Velocity at Position at over bar
at takeoff takeoff peak

Vertical Vertical
Velocity Impulse
at takeoff

Vertical Forces Time of takeoff

exerted at takeoff
 www.***.net

Approach
 There are 3 methods of
performing approach run
 Fosbury’s original 8-step curved

 J approach

 Hook approach
 www.***.net

Fosbury’s Original 8-step

Curved
Allow to lean away
from bar
Be vertical at
takeoff
But ;
Unable to produce
high speed
Unable to show
consistency of
momentum
 www.***.net

J Approach
Easy to establish
momentum
Constant tempo
acceleration
Constant distant and
curve
Exact placement of
each foot
Exact takeoff spot
with lateral lean away
from bar
 www.***.net

Hook Approach
 Easy, smooth
transition
 Momentum,
speed and lean
happen
gradually
But ;
 May get out too
wide
 www.***.net

Takeoff
Fw and uw swing of
lead legs and arm(s)
Increase magnitude
of vertical force
Impart angular
momentum to body
Increase height of CG
at takeoff
www.***.net
www.***.net
www.***.net
www.***.net
www.***.net
www.***.net
www.***.net
 www.***.net

Bar Clearance
 www.***.net

bar height cleared

peak height effectiveness of
reached by center bar clearance
of mass (c.m.)
 www.***.net

progression of bar clearance effectiveness

(no technique) legs­up

~1800

By lifting the legs, the trunk and head get lower,
and the c.m. stays at the same peak height as 
before.  But the athlete can clear a higher bar.

If a high jumper remains in a straight vertical position after
taking off from the ground, the height of the bar that the
feet can clear will be far below the peak height of the c.m.
 www.***.net

progression of bar clearance effectiveness

legs­up scissors
~1874
 www.***.net

progression of bar clearance effectiveness

scissors eastern cut­off

~1892
 www.***.net

progression of bar clearance effectiveness

eastern cut­off western roll
~1912
 www.***.net

progression of bar clearance effectiveness

western roll straddle
~1930
 www.***.net

progression of bar clearance effectiveness

straddle dive straddle

~1960
 www.***.net

progression of bar clearance effectiveness

dive straddle Fosbury­flop

~1967
 www.***.net

straddle Fosbury­flop

bar clearance bar clearance
on the stomach on the back

straight run­up curved run­up

strong double­arm actions, weaker arm actions, and
and straight lead leg bent lead leg

fast run­up even faster run­up
 www.***.net

Straddle Fosbury­flop
 www.***.net
The double­arm swing and the straight lead
leg action are backward (counterclockwise)
rotations …
www.***.net
 www.***.net
… so they favor the generation of the
counterclockwise rotation generally needed
in the air for the straddle bar clearance.
www.***.net
 www.***.net

However, in the Fosbury­flop this would not
be good, because for the Fosbury­flop you
need to make a clockwise rotation in the air.
www.***.net
www.***.net
www.***.net
www.***.net
www.***.net
 www.***.net

Fosbury-flop
 www.***.net

Landing
 www.***.net

Pole Vault
 www.***.net

Basic Considerations
 Consist of 4 separate parts
 Height of CG at takeoff – H1
 Height of CG raised while on the pole
 Height of CG in airborne
 Difference between max height and
height of bar
www.***.net
 www.***.net

Height

H1 H2 H3 H4

Physics Body Velocity Body Movement

Position at release Position over bar
at takeoff at Peak

Kinetic Strain Work done Mechanical Kinetic

energy at energy at during energy energy at
takeoff takeoff ascent losses release
 www.***.net

Energy Changes
∆Ep = Ek at takeoff + Estrain at takeoff

+ Work done at takeoff

- mechanical energy losses

- Ek at release
www.***.net
www.***.net
www.***.net
www.***.net
www.***.net