EFFECT OF MUSCLE STRENGTH ON LONG JUMP PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Long jump performance is, among other factors, highly dependent on the athlete's ability to generate sufficient vertical velocity during take-off. For a certain time on the take-off board the impulse-momentum relationship states that vertical velocity is directly proportional to the vertical force applied to the body centre of mass and inversely proportional to the athlete's body mass. An increase in an athlete's strength is assumed to be followed by an increase in body mass. This study investigated how strength gains coupled with the corresponding body mass gains influenced jump length. The results showed that after an initial increase in jump length further increases in strength and body mass did not affect performance.