THE EFFECT OF RUN-UP SPEED ON LONG JUMP PERFORMANCE

Abstract

The effect of run-up speed on long jump performance was systematically examined using a technique intervention study. The results from the study were in good agreement with theoretical models and confirmed the accepted wisdom that the faster your run-up, the farther you will jump. However. the strength of the relation between jump distance and run-up speed (8 cm per 0.1 m/s) was less than that suggested by a cross-sectional study (13 cm per 0.1 m/s). We propose that the trend line from the technique intervention study indicates the improvement to be expected from better running technique, whereas the trend line from the cross-sectional study indicates the improvement to be expected from increased muscular strength.