ATHLETICS: HIGH JUMP

ATHLETICS

JUMPS: High Jump

The high jump is a track and field event where athletes jump over a horizontal bar placed at Increasing heights. The objective is to clear the bar without knocking it down. It requires a combination of speed, power, agility, and precise technique.

Equipment and Facilities

1. Uprights/Standards: Two rigid vertical posts that support the crossbar. They must be stable and allow for easy adjustment of the crossbar height.

2. Crossbar: A lightweight horizontal bar, typically made of fiberglass or aluminum, resting on supports at each upright. It is designed to fall easily if touched by the jumper. The standard length is 4 meters.

3. Landing Area/Pit: A cushioned area, usually made of foam rubber, where the athletes land after clearing the bar. The minimum size is 5 meters long x 3 meters wide. Safety is paramount, and the landing area must adequately absorb the impact of the jump. Outdoor facilities often have a base or platform to protect the mat from dirt and water damage.

4. Runway: A semicircular or straight track of at least 15 meters (ideally 20-25 meters) leading to the takeoff area. The surface is usually the same as the track. It allows the jumper to build momentum for the jump. The width is 1.22m ± 0.01m, marked by white lines.

5. Take-off Area: The area immediately in front of the crossbar where the athlete plants their takeoff foot. While not specifically marked, the athlete must take off from one foot. Optional but helpful equipment includes:

● Multi-Bar Rest Attachments: These attachments for the uprights eliminate the need to raise and lower the standards during practice, saving time.

● Measuring Devices: Accurate tools for measuring the height of the crossbar.

● Technique Ramps: Arched ramps covered with a track surface used as training aids for improving take-off technique.

Basic Skills

1. The Approach Run (Run-up): This is the controlled run towards the crossbar to generate momentum for the jump. The length and shape of the approach vary depending on the style used (typically 7-9 strides for beginners, 9-13 for advanced). A “J” shaped approach is common in the Fosbury Flop, allowing for speed and optimal positioning for takeoff. The approach should be at a controlled speed, with an upright trunk and head held high. The last stride should be fast to prepare for takeoff.

2. The Take-off: This crucial skill involves the athlete leaping off one foot to convert horizontal momentum into vertical lift. The take-off foot strikes the ground with a bent knee, and the body leans back. The athlete drives the opposite knee and arms upwards to create lift. The takeoff foot should be placed slightly ahead of the body, approximately 2-3 feet from the bar. Achieving vertical lift is the primary goal.

3. The Flight (Bar Clearance): This is the phase in the air where the athlete maneuvers their body to clear the crossbar efficiently. Different styles employ different body positions in the air to minimize the height the body’s center of gravity needs to reach. The athlete should aim for maximum lift before initiating any bar clearance technique.

4. The Landing: After clearing the bar, the athlete lands on the cushioned landing area. Modern techniques, particularly the Fosbury Flop, involve landing on the back and shoulders to distribute the impact. Athletes should avoid landing on their head or neck.

5. Recovery: After landing, the athlete should safely exit the landing area without disturbing the crossbar. Walking under the crossbar to the other side is not permitted until the bar has been raised for the next jump.

Styles and Their Descriptions

Over the history of high jump, several techniques have evolved. The most prominent ones include:

1. Scissors: An older style where the athlete approaches the bar somewhat straight on and clears it in a near-sitting or straddling position, with the legs moving in a scissor-like motion. Each leg clears the bar sequentially. This technique is less efficient for achieving high heights and is rarely seen in elite competition today but is often used by beginners.

2. Eastern Cut-off: Developed by Michael Sweeney, this involved a diagonal approach and a scissor-like takeoff, but with the jumper extending their spine and flattening out over the bar, achieving more height than the basic scissors.

3. Western Roll: In this style, the athlete approaches the bar diagonally, takes off with the inner foot, and rolls over the bar face-down, with the body parallel to the bar at the peak of the jump. The outer leg is thrust upwards to lead the body.

4. Straddle: This technique became dominant for many years. The approach is similar to the Western Roll, but the jumper rotates their body belly-down over the bar, achieving a more efficient clearance by keeping their center of gravity lower for a longer period. The take-off foot is “planted” in roughly the same spot for each height.

5. Fosbury Flop: Revolutionized by Dick Fosbury, this is the most widely used technique today. The athlete uses a curved approach, allowing them to lean away from the bar. During takeoff, the athlete rotates in the air to face upwards and clears the bar headfirst with their back arched. They land on their upper back and shoulders. The curved approach allows for greater horizontal speed to be converted into vertical lift, and the arched back allows the jumper’s center of gravity to pass below the bar. Unlike the Straddle, flop-style jumpers adjust their take-off as the bar is raised.

Rules and Regulations

The rules are governed by World Athletics (formerly IAAF). Key regulations include:

1. One-Foot Takeoff: The jumper must take off from only one foot. A jump where both feet leave the ground simultaneously is a foul.

2. Clearing the Bar: The athlete must clear the bar without knocking it off the supports. If the bar is dislodged, the jump is a failed attempt. Touching the bar with any part of the body is usually a failed attempt, even if it doesn’t fall. However, some minor contact that doesn’t dislodge the bar might be allowed.

3. Three Attempts: Each athlete has three attempts at each height. If an athlete fails three consecutive attempts (at one height or a combination of heights), they are eliminated from the competition.

4. Starting Height and Increments: The starting height and the increments by which the bar is raised are determined before the competition. Athletes can choose to enter at any height above the minimum and can pass any height. A pass does not count as an attempt.

5. Order of Jumping: The order in which athletes jump at each height is usually determined by lot.

6. Determining the Winner: The winner is the athlete who clears the highest height. If two or more athletes clear the same highest height, the tie is broken based on:

i. The athlete with the fewest misses at the height at which the tie occurred.

ii. If still tied, the athlete with the fewest total misses throughout the competition.

iii. If still tied for first place, a jump-off may occur at increasing heights, with each athlete having one attempt per height.

7.  Runway Usage: The athlete must initiate their jump from the runway. There are no restrictions on the approach within the runway boundaries.

8. Landing Area: The athlete must land in the designated landing area.

Record Holders

As of April 20, 2025:

Men’s Outdoor World Record:

● 2.45 meters (8 ft 0.45 in)

● Javier Sotomayor (Cuba)

● Salamanca, Spain

● July 27, 1993

Women’s Outdoor World Record:

● 2.10 meters (6 ft 10 in)

● Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Ukraine)

● Banská Bystrica, Slovakia