High Jump Fundamentals
Danielle Dobias
Oak Park and River Forest High School
Jumping Styles
• Prior to The Fosbury Flop, the technique used to get over the
bar was a straddle or scissor technique.
• The flop was highlighted at the 1968 Olympics when Dick
Fosbury used it to win the gold medal.
• The biggest difference between the two jumping styles was
that with the flop, the jumper goes over the bar upside down,
facing the sky.
• This allows the jumper to bend their back which lowers the
center of mass.
• The straddle technique can be quite useful as a training tool
which I will touch on later.
“Identifying” a High Jumper
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tall and thin
Ability to dunk; preferably off one foot
Fearless
Good body control
Body awareness
Basketball players/Gymnasts/Divers
Two types of jumpers
Speed jumper
• Long legs
• Over 6 feet tall
• Thin; low muscle tone
• Fast
• Stays tall at take-off
Power jumper
• Under 6 feet tall
• Muscular
• Powerful
• Slow
• Gets low at take-off
Determining take-off foot
• Tell the jumper to stand with feet together
• Stand behind him/her and push them hard enough that they
need to take a step forward.
• The foot they step forward with is the stronger foot therefore
determining the take-off foot.
• Another option is asking the jumper to do a layup; pay
attention to what take-off foot is used
Finding a Mark
• Have jumper start at their take-off spot just inside the near
standard and approximately an arms length out from the bar
• Set a cone 20 feet to the right of the standard and 65 feet back to
act as a target for the jumper to run towards
• Run a “reverse-J” back toward what their real starting point would
be.
• Count off 10 steps as they stride away from the bar at an easy
sprint and mark their 10th step
J- Approach
http://www.ctgdevelopment.net/Members/high_jumpers.htm
Finding a Mark (continued)
• Do this several times and mark the 10th step each time to find the
average mark of the tenth step
• Use a bungee and have the jumper take a few jumps with full
approach
• Pay close attention to approach and make adjustments to the mark
• You will see things the athletes cannot and they will feel things you
cannot, so make sure to talk through each potential mark before
making changes
Elements of the Jump
Straightaway
• The jumper should be very tall while running the straightaway
• First five or so steps in approach should be bounds
• During the straightaway jumper should be looking straight ahead
Problems with Straightaway
Problem #1
• Jumper stands tall at their mark and as soon as they begin their approach
they hunch over
Solution #1
• Add slight backbends to jumpers pre-jump routine
• If jumper hunches during approach work blow a whistle and have them start
approach over
Problem #2
• In the last step of the straightaway the jumper crosses the outside foot over
the inside foot which leads them cut straight into the bar
Solution #2
• Work on softening the curve; may need to move it out or in depending on
how the jumper is transitioning into the turn
• Consider starting with opposite foot taking the first step and
adding/removing a step
Problems with Straightaway
Problem #3
• The jumper stares at the bar for the entire approach; takes off at the
middle of the bar, which forces them to clear over the highest side
of the bar instead of the middle of the bar which is lowest
Solution #3
• Jumper should look straight ahead during the straightaway and at
the farthest end of the bar once curve is initiated
Elements of the Jump
Curve
• Momentum must be developed through the straightaway
• Cutting and stepping out will decrease the momentum gained during the
straightaway
• The jumper should begin an inward lean at first step into the curve
• Outside arm works across body to prepare for rotation
• Inside arm reacts and pushes elbow backward
• Force on feet should be pushing out and not down, allowing the jumper to
maintain traction while leaning into the bar
• Jumper should make eye contact with far standard once they transition
from the straightaway to the curve
Problems with Curve
Problem #1
• Jumper cuts in or steps out when beginning the curve
Solution #1
• Use cones to guide the jumper through the curve
• Rub chalk on bottom of spikes to show the imprint of the feet throughout
the approach
• Practice shorter approaches so curve is more of the focus
Elements of the Jump
Penultimate Step
• The penultimate step is the last step before the plant. It is critical to the
athlete’s ability to get as vertical as possible.
• The sooner the take-off leg is planted, the better position the jumper will
be in to attain maximum vertical velocity.
• While the jumper is pushing into the penultimate step, both arms should
be pulling back behind the body.
• The penultimate step should be the longest step
Problems with Penultimate
Problem #1
• Jumper is dragging his trail leg after inside foot is planted
Solution #1
• Jumper is over-stretching the penultimate step and may need to move
mark up slightly or increase/decrease speed
Elements of the Jump
Take-off Step
• Should be the shortest step in approach
• Foot should be 30 degree angle to the bar
• Your takeoff step should occur in front of your body’s center of mass,
which will help in creating a vertical lift
• Once your plant foot is in contact with the ground the athletes body
should move from a lean to more of a vertical stance.
• Slight lowering of hips
• The knee of your inside leg should explode up and stay up until back starts
to pass over the bar
• The knee lift will also help begin the rotation of your body so that your
back will face the bar at clearance.
• Jumper should have outside arm begin to cross the body as the elbow of
inside arm is driving back which will assist in rotation
• This rotation will occur if the momentum is kept on the curve
• The jumper should be jumping straight upward
Problems with Take-off
Problem #1
• Jumper is leaning into the bar after plant
Solution #1
• Instruct jumper to get upright after making initial contact with plant foot
Problem #2
• Jumper is pounding plant foot into the ground before take-off
Solution #2
• Heel should strike first and roll through the foot off the heel and off the
toe
Problem #3
• Jumper is not using arms
Solution #3
• Approach work emphasizing arms in all parts elements of the jump
Arm Position
http://www.coachr.org/rotation.htm
Elements of the Jump
In Flight
• Goal is to clear the bar
• Body must rotate in two ways
• Horizontally to get parallel to the bar
• To the side so that the back is facing the bar
• As the jumper approaches the bar the body needs to arch so
the hips are high as possible
• Once the head begins to tilt back, feet and knees should be
close together and not splayed over the bar.
• As the hips clear the bar, chin should begin to tuck to help lift
legs into a straight up position.
• Athlete’s upper back should be first part of body to make
contact with the pit
This slide adapted from: http://track.isport.com/track-guides/high-jump-takeoff-flight-phases
Problems In-Flight
Problem #1
• Jumper is riding the bar and never getting center of mass over the bar
Solution #1
• Jumper needs to be more erect on take-off and arch their back more in air
• Jumper needs to hold knee-drive longer
Problem #2
• Jumper is over-rotating and hitting bar with outside hip
Solution #2
• Jumper needs to
Problems In-Flight
Problem #3
• Ineffective bar clearance
Solution #3
• Jumper needs to keep knees together when in-flight to slow down the
rotation which allows the jumper more time to un-arch.
• If knees are far apart they have to cross the bar right after the hips which
doesn’t leave enough time for them to un-arch. The timing of the un-arch
is critical to the leg and foot clearance of the bar.
Problem #4
• Jumper is sitting on the bar
Solution #4
• Jumper either has straight legs over the bar, an incomplete arch, or raises
the head prematurely which enables them to hit the bar although the
center of mass is over the bar
Hip Position
http://www.coachr.org/rotation.htm
Warm-Ups
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Back flips on pit
Back jumps over bar
Scissor jumps (both sides)
Knee drives
Box jumps
Curve runs
3 and 5 step approaches
Approaches with tennis balls
Training
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Plyometrics
Core
Yoga
Stairs
Spin workouts
Pool workouts
Basketball
50 meter sprints
Towel runs
Box jumps
Hurdle Work
Plyometrics
Ankle jumps
• quick, on balls of feet
Vertical jumps
• quick, repeated, rebounds
Power skipping
• exaggerated skip with knee drive
Tuck jumps
• repeated jumps for distance
Front/Lateral obstacle jumps
• gradually increase distance between obstacles
Single- leg hops
• repeated on one-leg for distance
Squat jumps
• hands on head, repeat squat jumps starting in squat position