The
long jump is an
athletics event in which
athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap
as far from the take-off point as possible.
Competitors run down a runway (usually coated with the same
rubberized surface as running tracks,
crumb
rubber also
vulcanized rubber)
and jump as far as they can from behind a foul line (commonly
referred to as the "board", and usually defined by the trailing
edge of a takeoff board embedded flush with the runway surface, or
a painted mark on the runway) into a pit filled with finely ground
gravel or sand. The distance traveled by a jumper is often referred
to as the "mark" because it is the distance to the nearest mark
made in the sand from the foul line. If the competitor starts the
leap with any part of the foot past the foul line, the jump is
declared illegal and no distance is recorded. At the elite level, a
layer of
plasticine is placed immediately
after the board to detect this occurrence. Otherwise, an official
(similar to a
referee) will watch the jump
and make the determination. The competitor can initiate the jump
from any point behind the foul line; however, the distance measured
will always be from the foul line. Therefore, it is in the best
interest of the competitor to get as close to the foul line as
possible.
Usually, each competitor has a set number of attempts (typically
three) to make his or her longest jump, and only the longest legal
jump counts towards the results. Higher level competitions are
split into two rounds: trials and finals. In competitions
containing a final round, only a select number of competitors are
invited to return for further competition. The number of
competitors chosen to return to the final round is determined
before the start of the meet by a committee composed of coaches and
officials. It is standard practice to allow one more competitor
than the number of scoring positions to return to the final round.
For example, if a given meet allows the top eight competitors to
score points, then the top nine competitors will be selected to
compete in the final round. Taking an extra competitor to the final
round helps to allow that athlete to move into a scoring position
if the competitor can improve on his or her best mark of the
competition. Final rounds are viewed as an additional three jumps,
as they do not have any priority to those scored in the trial
round. The competitor with the longest legal jump (from either the
trial or final rounds) at the end of competition is declared the
winner. (For specific rules and regulations in United States Track
& Field see Rule 185).
There are four main components of the long jump: the approach run,
the last two strides, takeoff and action in the air, and landing.
Speed in the run-up, or approach, and a high leap off the board are
the fundamentals of success. Because speed is such an important
factor of the approach, it is not surprising that many long jumpers
also compete successfully in sprints. A classic example of this
long jump / sprint doubling is performances by
Carl Lewis.
The long jump is notable for two of the longest-standing world
records in any track and field event. In 1935,
Jesse Owens set a long jump world record that
was not broken until 1960 by
Ralph
Boston. Later,
Bob Beamon jumped 8.90
meters (29 feet, 2-1/2 inches) at the
1968 Summer Olympics at an altitude of
7,349 feet, a jump not exceeded until 1991. On August 30 of that
year,
Mike Powell of the
United States, in a well-known show down against Carl Lewis, leapt
at the
World
Championships in Tokyo, setting the current men's world record.
Some jumps over have been officially recorded ( by Mike Powell
himself, by
Ivan Pedroso), but were not
validated since there was either no reliable wind speed measurement
available, or because wind speed exceeded 2.0 m/s. Lewis himself
jumped 8.91m just before Powell's record-breaking jump with the
wind exceeding the maximum allowed; this jump remains the longest
never to win Olympic or World Championship gold.
The current world
record for women is held by Galina
Chistyakova of the former Soviet Union who leapt in Leningrad
in 1988.
History
The long jump was one of the events of the original Olympics in
Ancient Greece. The athletes carried a weight in each hand, which
were called
halteres.
These weights were swung forward as the athlete jumped in order to
increase momentum. It is commonly believed that the jumper would
throw the weights behind him in mid-air to increase his forward
momentum; however, halteres were held throughout the duration of
the jump. Swinging them down and back at the end of the jump would
change the athlete's center of gravity and allow the athlete to
stretch his legs outward, increasing his distance. Most notable in
the ancient sport was a man called
Chionis, who in the 656BC Olympics staged
a jump of 7.05 meters (23 feet and 1.7 inches).
The long jump has been part of modern
Olympic competition since the inception of the
Games in 1896. In 1914, Dr.
Harry Eaton Stewart recommended the "running broad jump" as a
standardized track and field event for women. However, it was not
until 1928 that women were allowed to compete in the event at the
Olympic level (See
Athletics
- track and field).
The approach
The objective of the approach is to gradually accelerate to a
maximum controlled speed at takeoff. The most important factor for
the distance traveled by an object is its
velocity at takeoff - both the speed and angle.
Elite jumpers usually leave the ground at an angle of twenty
degrees or less; therefore, it is more beneficial for a jumper to
focus on the speed component of the jump. The greater the speed at
takeoff, the longer the trajectory of the
center of mass will be. The importance of a
takeoff speed is a factor in the success of sprinters in this
event.
The length of the approach is usually consistent distance for an
athlete. Approaches can vary between 12 and 19 strides on the
novice and intermediate levels, while at the elite level they are
closer to between 20 and 22 strides. The exact distance and number
of strides in an approach depends on the jumper's experience,
sprinting technique, and conditioning level. Consistency in the
approach is important as it is the competitor's objective to get as
close to the front of the takeoff board as possible without
crossing the line with any part of the foot.
Inconsistent approaches are a common problem in the event. As a
result the approach is usually practiced by athletes about 6-8
times per jumping session (see
Training below).
The last two strides
The objective of the last two strides is to prepare the body for
takeoff while conserving as much speed as possible.
The penultimate (second to last) stride is longer than the last
stride. The competitor begins to lower his or her center of gravity
to prepare the body for the vertical impulse. The final stride is
shorter because the body is beginning to raise the center of
gravity in preparation for takeoff.
The last two strides are extremely important because they determine
the velocity with which the competitor will enter the jump--the
greater the velocity, the better the jump.
Takeoff
The objective of the takeoff is to create a vertical impulse
through the athlete's center of gravity while maintaining balance
and control.
This phase is one of the most technical parts of the long jump.
Jumpers must be conscious to place the foot flat on the ground,
because jumping off either the heels or the toes negatively affects
the jump. Taking off from the board heel-first has a braking
effect, which decreases velocity and strains the joints. Jumping
off the toes decreases stability, putting the leg at risk of
buckling or collapsing from underneath the jumper. While
concentrating on foot placement, the athlete must also work to
maintain proper body position, keeping the torso upright and moving
the hips forward and up to achieve the maximum distance from board
contact to foot release.
There are four main styles of takeoff: the kick style, double-arm
style, sprint takeoff, and the power sprint or bounding
takeoff.
Kick
The kick style takeoff is a style of takeoff where the athlete
actively cycles the leg before a full impulse has been directed
into the board then landing into the pit.
Double-arm
The double-arm style of takeoff works by moving both arms in a
vertical direction as the competitor takes off. This produces a
high hip height and a large vertical impulse.
Sprint
The sprint takeoff is the style most widely instructed by coaching
staff. This is a classic single-arm action that resembles a jumper
in full stride. It is an efficient takeoff style for maintaining
velocity through takeoff.
Power sprint or bounding
The power sprint takeoff, or bounding takeoff, is arguably one of
the most effective styles. Very similar to the sprint style, the
body resembles a sprinter in full stride. However, there is one
major difference. The arm that pushes back on takeoff (the arm on
the side of the takeoff leg) fully extends backward, rather than
remaining at a bent position. This additional extension increases
the impulse at takeoff.
The "correct" style of takeoff will vary from athlete to
athlete.
Action in the air and landing
There are three major flight techniques for the long jump: the
hang, the sail and the hitch-kick. Each technique is to combat the
forward rotation experienced from take-off but is basically down to
preference from the athlete. It is important to note that once the
body is airborne, there is nothing that the athlete can do to
change the direction they are travelling and consequently where
they are going to land in the pit. However, it can be argued that
certain techniques influence an athlete's landing, which can have
an impact on distance measured. For example, if an athlete lands
feet first but falls back because they are not correctly balanced,
a lower distance will be measured.
Training
The long jump generally requires training in a variety of areas.
These areas include, but are not limited to, those listed
below.
Jumping
Long Jumpers tend to practice jumping 1-2 times a week. Approaches,
or run-throughs, are repeated sometimes up to 6-8 times per
session.
Over-distance running
Over-distance
running workouts helps the
athlete jump a further distance than their set goal. For example,
having a 100m runner practice by running 200m repeats on a track.
This is specifically concentrated in the season when athletes are
working on building
endurance. Specific
over-distance running workouts are performed 1-2 times a week. This
is great for building sprint endurance, which is required in
competitions where the athlete is sprinting down the runway 3-6
times.
Weight training
During pre-season training and early in the competition season
weight training tends to play a major role. It is customary for a
long jumper to weight train up to 4 times a week, focusing mainly
on quick movements involving the legs and trunk. Some athletes
perform Olympic lifts in training. Athletes use low repetition and
emphasize speed to maximize the strength increase while minimizing
adding additional weight to their frame.
Plyometrics
Plyometrics, including running up and
down stairs and hurdle bounding, can be incorporated into workouts,
generally twice a week. This allows an athlete to work on agility
and explosiveness.
Bounding
Bounding is any sort of continuous jumping or leaping. Bounding
drills usually require single leg bounding, double-leg bounding, or
some variation of the two. The focus of bounding drills is usually
to spend less time on the ground as possible and working on
technical accuracy, fluidity, and jumping endurance and strength.
Technically, bounding is part of plyometrics, as a form of a
running exercise such as high knees and butt kicks.
Flexibility
Flexibility is an often forgotten tool
for long jumpers. Effective flexibility prevents injury, which can
be important for high impact events such as the long jump. It also
helps the athlete sprint down the runway.
A common tool in many long jump workouts is the use of
video taping. This lets the athlete to
go back and watch their own progress as well as letting the athlete
compare their own footage to that of some of the world class
jumpers.
Training styles, duration, and intensity varies immensely from
athlete to athlete and is based on the experience and strength of
the athlete as well as on their coaching style.
World record progression
Men
World record progression for the Long
Jump.
Source:
*Ireland
in 1901 was still part of the United Kingdom
; however O'Connor considered himself Irish and was
competing on this occasion as a member of the Irish Amateur
Athletic Association. In the source above he is listed as
"GBI/IRL".
Women
Source:
Top ten performers
Accurate as of September 2, 2009.
Men
| Mark* |
Wind** |
Athlete |
Nationality |
Venue |
Date |
| 8.95 |
0.3 |
Mike Powell |
|
Tokyo |
August 30, 1991 |
| 8.90A |
2.0 |
Bob Beamon |
|
Mexico City |
October 18, 1968 |
| 8.87 |
-0.2 |
Carl Lewis |
|
Tokyo |
August 30, 1991 |
| 8.86A |
1.9 |
Robert Emmiyan |
|
Tsakhkadzor |
May 22, 1987 |
| 8.74 |
1.4 |
Larry Myricks |
|
Indianapolis |
July 18, 1988 |
| 8.74A |
2.0 |
Erick Walder |
|
El Paso |
April 2, 1994 |
| 8.74 |
-1.2 |
Dwight Phillips |
|
Eugene |
June 7, 2009 |
| 8.73 |
1.2 |
Irving Saladino |
|
Hengelo |
May 24, 2008 |
| 8.71 |
1.9 |
Iván Pedroso |
|
Salamanca |
July 18, 1995 |
| 8.66 |
1.6 |
Loúis Tsátoumas |
|
Kalamáta |
June 2, 2007 |
*(meters),
**(metres/second)
A = Altitude (above 1000 metres)
Source:
Women
| Mark* |
Wind** |
Athlete |
Nationality |
Venue |
Date |
| 7.52 |
1.4 |
Galina Chistyakova |
|
Leningrad |
June 11, 1988 |
| 7.49 |
1.3 |
Jackie Joyner-Kersee |
|
New York |
May 22, 1994 |
| 7.48 |
1.2 |
Heike Drechsler |
|
Neubrandenburg |
July 9, 1988 |
| 7.43 |
1.4 |
Anişoara
Cuşmir |
|
Bucharest |
June 4, 1983 |
| 7.42 |
2.0 |
Tatyana Kotova |
|
Annecy |
June 23, 2002 |
| 7.39 |
0.5 |
Yelena Belevskaya |
|
Bryansk |
July 18, 1987 |
| 7.37 |
N/A |
Inessa Kravets |
|
Kiev |
June 13, 1992 |
| 7.33 |
0.4 |
Tatyana Lebedeva |
|
Tula |
July 31, 2004 |
| 7.31 |
1.5 |
Yelena Khlopotnova |
|
Alma
Ata |
September 12, 1985 |
| 7.31 |
-0.1 |
Marion Jones |
|
Zürich |
August 12, 1998 |
*(meters),
**(meters/second)
Source:
Best Year Performance
Men's Seasons Best (Outdoor)
Women's Seasons Best (Outdoor)
National records
Men
Long jump on coinage
Track and field events have been selected as a main motif in
numerous collectors' coins. One of the recent samples is the €10
Greek
Long
Jump commemorative coin, minted in 2003 to commemorate the
2004 Summer Olympics. The
obverse of the coin portrays a modern athlete at the moment he is
touching the ground, while the ancient athlete in the background is
shown while starting off his jump, as he is seen on a black-figure
vase of the 5th century BC.
References
- :*See Rule 185 in Article III
- The Athletics Site: world record
progression
- The Athletics Site: world record
progression
- Long Jump All Time Men iaaf.org
- Long Jump All Time Women iaaf.org
- National Records JAAF
- IAAF - Brazil confirms its South American
domination in Tunja
External links
See also
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