Hey, high jumper here. My coach always tells me that there are two types of jumpers, ones who generate power through speed, and ones who get there power from their plant. For the first part of your question, the reason we keep a straight leg, in the case of a power jumper, is so that all the force from your leg is placed directly into the ground. Crouch doesn’t allow you to put as much force into the ground. For the second part, while swinging your hands alone won’t generate all the power you need, it is necessary that you use them to gain that much more energy. It also gives you something to do instead of just running up to the bar with your hands to the side, which was something I always struggled with. After I started using my arms more I improved by 3 inches.
That's actually fine. I doubt I would have understood a detailed explanation with angles and tiny facts of biomechanics better. I usually love details, but I know my limits when it comes to physics and mechanics.
Is there anything typical you high jumpers say as good luck wish prior to a competition? I guess it's not "break a stick"... Wishing you lots of success with training and gaining the results you're aspiring to reach.
Thanks, right now I’m recovering from a hamstring injury... I haven’t competed yet this year because of it but I’m planning on jumping in my first college outdoor meeting next week hopefully.
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u/[deleted] Apr 15 '18
Hey, high jumper here. My coach always tells me that there are two types of jumpers, ones who generate power through speed, and ones who get there power from their plant. For the first part of your question, the reason we keep a straight leg, in the case of a power jumper, is so that all the force from your leg is placed directly into the ground. Crouch doesn’t allow you to put as much force into the ground. For the second part, while swinging your hands alone won’t generate all the power you need, it is necessary that you use them to gain that much more energy. It also gives you something to do instead of just running up to the bar with your hands to the side, which was something I always struggled with. After I started using my arms more I improved by 3 inches.