How to High Jump Using the Fosbury Flop

The now-famous "Fosbury Flop" was developed by Dick Fosbury who, as a youngster trying to master the high jump, couldn't make it work for himself in the traditional method of straddling the bar. He invented his own way, approaching the bar with his back to it, adding a scissor kick to the over-the-bar routine, and won the gold medal by clearing 2.24 meters. History was made.

Instructions

    • 1

      Visualize yourself getting up and around the bar in a "backward" position. To get it right, you have to think about the twist around your body's axis, and the somersault around the bar itself. Walk yourself through it in your mind several times, thinking about where your shoulders, hips and knees are during every phase of the jump.

    • 2

      Begin your run-up, and, as you approach the bar, turn your body so that you get more back than front to the bar. Avoid leaning too far into the bar before your take-off jump, however: your goal is to take off close to the vertical so that, as you arch to come around the bar, you get your center of gravity to follow as high an arch as possible.

    • 3

      Think about your hips as you take off. Don't let one side drop too far. Work within the laws of physics that say that you can't change the direction of your arch once you are in the air.

    • 4

      Close your body in as you come near to and over the bar. Like a skater, the tighter in you have your various limbs, the quicker are your twist and somersault motions. Lower your head and legs; this allows your hips to raise up as high as possible.

    • 5

      Clear the bar with your hips, then remember that you have to clear it with your legs as well. As soon as your hips are over the bar, kick your legs up. This lowers your hip, but allows your legs to raise up and over. Once your heels clear, you're done.