From preparation to practice: learning to do the long jump from a standing position

Jumping is a complex exercise that requires strength, agility and coordination. You probably remember taking norms and competing with your classmates back in your school days. Don’t you think it’s time not only to remember how to do it, but also to learn the correct technique?

What we will tell you about

Benefits of the long jump

Long jump, strange as it may seem, a person often uses in everyday life. For example, if you need to overcome a small stream, ditch, obstacle or puddle. Such a movement is found in a variety of mobile games and dances. So the practical application of the jump is clear to everyone.

Russian track and field champion, Evotren expert

“If you regularly work on improving your long jump, you will develop strength, power, movement coordination and agility. And these are all indicators of a person’s overall physical health.”

The main load is placed on the legs, while the gluteal, hamstring, calf, thigh and deep pelvic muscles are engaged in parallel. In addition, the stabilizer muscles are involved, allowing you to maintain the trajectory of the jump and body position when landing.

Contraindications

Only a doctor can admit to long jumping, as the list of restrictions is quite wide. At the same time, there are general contraindications:

• Diseases, injuries and disorders of the musculoskeletal system;
• diseases of the cardiorespiratory, nervous, endocrine and other systems of the body;
• hernias, protrusions, osteochondrosis, arthritis, arthrosis and the like;
• excessive body weight;
• oncology and others.

How to prepare for jumping?

Proper sports shoes and clothing are necessary. Running shoes with good shock absorption of the sole, providing stability of the foot, will be suitable. Outerwear should be appropriate for the weather conditions and not restrain movements.

It is also necessary to follow the algorithm below.

• Strengthen the musculoskeletal system to prepare it for impact loads and technical peculiarities of movement execution. To do this, you need to train several aspects at once. Strength, especially the muscles of the legs and cortex. Flexibility, which will be necessary to perform movements with the correct amplitude. Movement coordination, which will allow you to effectively transfer force and speed into the jump. Endurance, which will come in handy when performing jumps repeatedly.
• Preliminary study with a specialist the technique of long jumping, analyzing all phases. This will allow you to quickly master the exercise in practice, reduce the likelihood of error and the risk of injury.
• Properly choose a place for jumping, which is a special rubber surface (track) for pushing off and landing. Long jumping on an unprepared area is dangerous. It is also important before starting to check the site for the absence of foreign objects that can cause harm.

Technique of performing a long jump from a standing position

The long jump from a standing position consists of four parts.

1. Preparatory swing;
2. Push-off;
3. Flight;
4. Landing.

Each of these elements affects the result and requires separate preparation and learning.

Starting position + swing. Stand at the line with your feet hip-width apart, weight distributed evenly across the foot. Raise your arms up, simultaneously rising on half toes and bending in the back. Then sharply lower your arms down and take them behind your back. At the same time put your heels on the floor, assume a squat position and bend your body forward.

Push-up. This phase begins with the extension of the legs with an emphasis on a sharp swing of the arms up and forward.

Flight. At the beginning of the flight phase, you need to fully straighten your body. After that you have to prepare for landing: close your thighs together and pull them up to your chest, legs straighten forward.

Landing. Try to touch the surface with both feet at the same time, then bend your legs at the knees, cushioning the landing. You will find yourself in a squat position.

Mistakes in the long jump:

• uncoordinated movement of arms and legs;
• placing the feet too far or too close to the overall center of mass;
• incomplete extension of the knee and hip joints;
• unclear positioning of the legs during preparation and push-off;
• small amplitude of arm movements;
• early grouping before landing;
• shifting to the side after foot contact with the surface.

How to increase jump length?

To begin with, practice the technique of execution, adapt it to your level of physical capabilities and anthropometry. To hone your skills will help videotaping your attempts, which will allow you to analyze mistakes and find ways to improve your technique. We also recommend watching professionals perform the jump.

And in order to see progress faster, you need to take a comprehensive approach to performance and preparation. Make a plan for the training process, the main goal of which will be to work on speed and strength qualities and strengthen the bark muscles. It is also important to note that excess weight can not only hinder the improvement of the result, but also lead to injuries. Therefore, it should be reduced if there is a need to do so.

In achieving these goals, these exercises will help you:

• squats with your own body weight or with a barbell;
• jumping up from a squat;
• jumping up on a bollard;
• jumping over barriers;
• jumping off the bollard with a further long jump;
• swinging with a kettlebell;
• jumping rope;
• jumps on one leg;
• “pistol”;
• “staple” on the abs;
• holding a corner in hanging on the bar;
• holding a corner in a handstand on parallettes.

Now you are definitely ready to launch your body into flight. Don’t forget to warm up and follow safety precautions. Your success in sports should not be marred by injury.

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