If you go over the line, your jump is a foul. In most events, you will have 2 more attempts to perform a legal jump. This is particularly important if the board that you’re using is wider than 8 inches (20 cm), since some of your opponents may jump from much further back.
It is extremely tempting to look down while you throw your body up into the air. The more you practice jumping, the more you’ll get used to staying upright when you launch.
Since you’re in motion and there are rarely reference points to judge your angle, it’s extremely hard to determine what 22 degrees looks like. This comes down more to feel than anything else. At your maximum height, your feet should be roughly where your hips are when you’re standing on the ground. If you can, have someone film you from the side at a competition. This way you can review the footage and determine if you’re jumping too high or too low.
If you watch the professionals, they don’t always look pretty when they land! They often roll forward ungracefully into the sand. This is because the only important part of landing is not falling back, but rolling forward.
A wind sprint is when you walk, run slowly, then sprint before repeating the cycle again.
You are not launching yourself hard into the air while doing this. Each jump should look like a small skip. Focus on the form, not the speed.
This is a phenomenal drill if you’re newer to long jumping and struggle with the landing. You can do this in the sand if you want to practice landing with your heels at the same time.
If the sand in front of the hole doesn’t break, you know that you’re landing correctly.
The boxes serve 2 functions. First, they force you to drive your knees harder before jumping since you have to clear the higher steps. A strong knee drive contributes to a longer jump. Second, they give you more time in the air since you’re jumping from higher off of the ground. This makes it easier to practice your form in the air. This is a more advanced drill. It is not a good way to practice for a newer jumper since the boxes can make the approach feel more complicated than it is.
Always stretch thoroughly before and after weight training. Calisthenic exercises like lunges, squats, and yoga are also great for long jumpers.
Keep your spine upright with your legs and arms pumping forward in 90-degree angles at opposite intervals to maintain a good running form. For example, as you lower your left arm, your right leg should be driving forward and vice versa. You may see professional long jumpers doing strange jumping or hopping exercises before they begin their approach. These are just personal rituals or warm-up exercises; they don’t have anything to do with the mechanics of the approach. Your long jump distance is severely limited if you aren’t using a proper jumping form.
This looks like you’re standing up straight on one leg when you push off of the ground. Some long jumpers prefer launching with their nondominant leg. Either leg is fine, but don’t go back and forth between legs for your launch.
Your leg and arm must move at the exact same time to keep your body balanced as the momentum pushes you forward.
Allow your body to tumble into the sand. Don’t try to stop yourself or land standing on your feet. Bend your knees forward as you land. It’s perfectly alright if you start falling to the right or the left as your knees bend.
