Long Jump Technique
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 11:51 pm
Much is talked of about the run up of the vault and take off, which is very similar to long jumping. From what i understand, there are two standard approaches to long jumping:
1.) A run up in which you stay upright and bound just like in the vault, and take off just like in the vault, upright and a high center of gravity.
2.) A run up similar to vaulting, except that in the penultimate step the center of gravity is dropped by a lowering of the hips and i believe a slight angle in your back, and on the take off step all motion explodes upward. This is more common i believe in long jumping today.
anyway, now that that is out of the way, the real question i have:
I realize that both arms must explode upward at take off to produce to most upward velocity, however i have recently switched school and now face opposing technique issues. My first coach, who was a long jumper himself and coached over 10 21+ foot jumpers over a 4 year span, had my opposite (top hand in vault) come up with not much bend in the elbow. This left the bottom hand at the same angle as my take off foot. You then continue the motion with the bottom hand to swing behind your body and upwards. I hope someone was following that, i will try to simplify.
My coach had me drive my top hand upwards at take off while my bottom hand followed its natural couse behind my body, counterclockwise to drive upward like my top hand.
My new coach is having me take both fists and drive them up with 90 degree elbow position straight in front of me.
The former of the two seems much more natural to me.
If any can tell me if one of these techniques is right, or if one or both is wrong, i would greatly appreciate it, thanks!
1.) A run up in which you stay upright and bound just like in the vault, and take off just like in the vault, upright and a high center of gravity.
2.) A run up similar to vaulting, except that in the penultimate step the center of gravity is dropped by a lowering of the hips and i believe a slight angle in your back, and on the take off step all motion explodes upward. This is more common i believe in long jumping today.
anyway, now that that is out of the way, the real question i have:
I realize that both arms must explode upward at take off to produce to most upward velocity, however i have recently switched school and now face opposing technique issues. My first coach, who was a long jumper himself and coached over 10 21+ foot jumpers over a 4 year span, had my opposite (top hand in vault) come up with not much bend in the elbow. This left the bottom hand at the same angle as my take off foot. You then continue the motion with the bottom hand to swing behind your body and upwards. I hope someone was following that, i will try to simplify.
My coach had me drive my top hand upwards at take off while my bottom hand followed its natural couse behind my body, counterclockwise to drive upward like my top hand.
My new coach is having me take both fists and drive them up with 90 degree elbow position straight in front of me.
The former of the two seems much more natural to me.
If any can tell me if one of these techniques is right, or if one or both is wrong, i would greatly appreciate it, thanks!