Description of Movement of the Body in the Long Jump

Long jumping is a somewhat complex event, requiring speed, strength, timing and agility. The biomechanics involved in the long jump are well understood, as the exercise has hardly changed since the beginning of modern athletics. There are four components of a successful long jump: the run-up, the take-off, the flight and the landing. Each of these requires different body mechanics and, in some cases, such as in the flight, different methods are available to athletes.

  1. The Run-Up

    • The approach run starts around 35 to 55 meters (115 to 180 feet) from the take-off line, with faster athletes tending to start from further back. In the first phase of the run-up, the athlete assumes a normal sprinting stride until about five strides from take-off. She then adjusts her stride so that her lead leg will land as close to the take-off point as possible. Two to three strides out, she lowers her center of mass by dipping the hips very slightly, but in the final stride, she stops lowering herself so as to reduce any downward forces that might limit her speed on take-off.

    The Take-Off

    • The athlete places her take-off foot well ahead of her center of mass, and the impact of the landing flexes the leg slightly. She then allows her body weight to pivot over the leg and, with timing that can only be achieved through practice, fully and explosively extends her take-off leg from the ankle to the hip while simultaneously pushing the knee of the opposite leg forwards and upwards. Athletes swing either one or both arms forwards and upwards also. This movement raises the athlete's center of mass and lifts her into the air.

    The Flight

    • There are three common flight techniques – the hang, the hitch-kick and the sail. In the hang, the long jumper extends both legs and raises her arms up and back behind her head, so her body forms an arch. In the sail, she raises her arms and then lifts both legs forward quickly, to roughly parallel with the ground. She then swings her arms forward. In the hitch-kick, the athlete uses her arms and legs in a running motion. Although many believe this helps propel athletes through the air, they actually do this to keep the trunk upright, countering the forward rotation created on take-off.

    The Landing

    • Landing technique is crucial and can add up to a meter (3.3 feet) to the jump distance. The athlete pulls her heels up, which will be the first body part to hit the ground. As the heels land, the athlete flexes her knees and hips quickly, pulling her body towards her heels. The aim is to prevent any body part landing before the heels' landing point. Depending on the angle of the jump and the athlete's own preferences, she could also swivel to one side to achieve this.