Learning to Fly

The rules of long jump are pretty simple. Competitors run along a strait section of track, and then jump from a board into a sand pit. The distance of the jump is always measured from the front of the board to the closest point in the sand that the person landed in. If a jumper steps past the board, they foul, and their distance is not recorded. Competitors generally have 3-4 jumps, 12-20 strides, and are allowed to mark their starting spot on the side of the track.

The sport of Long Jump originated in ancient Greece, during the original Olympic pentathlon. It was generally regarded as the most difficult event. Though their style is similar to modern long jumping, ancient Greeks were only allowed a short distance to run, and carried weights called halteres. instead of jumping into sand, they jumped into a temporary pit.

The actual jump can be divided into three main parts: approach, take-off, and landing. In the approach, a jumper should take their first step with foot opposite that which they write with. Once a jumper takes their first step, they should accelerate to about 90% speed before the take-off board. Running too fast can lead to a runner being discombobulated and out of control when they reach the board. To jump as close as possible to the board, a jumper must practice and mark down their starting position, using a certain number of strides. a person knows their mark is correct when they do their run up, and end up stepping on the exact same spot right before the board multiple times in a row.

The next part to Long Jumping is the take-off. If a competitor is right handed, then they will want their last step to be with their left foot; if a competitor is left handed, they will want to jump off of their right foot. To achieve maximum height, a jumper will want their last stride to be a little bit shorter than the rest, and will want to lower their center of gravity by placing their foot flat on the ground, bending their knee, lowering their hips, and flexing their ankle. Jumpers should then drive their arms and opposite knee up in the air.

The final part to long jumping is the landing. Once a competitor leaves the board, they should concentrate on jumping high, and letting their momentum carry them far. if the jumper is a beginner, they will want to raise and straighten their legs, and bring their arms forward to touch their toes. More advanced jumpers will want to cycle their arms and legs in the air to counteract their forward rotation. When the competitor is preparing to touch the sand, they will cant to extend their arms and legs forward, much like the beginner technique, but with their legs slightly flexed. The competitor will want to land with their feet in front of them, their legs bent, and will want to let their momentum carry the rest of their body past the point where their feet touched to avoid falling back and thus decreasing the distance of their jump.