Editing Long jump (section)

==Technique==
[[File:Women heptathlon LJ French Athletics Championships 2013 t144221.jpg|thumbnail|upright=1.25|An athlete performing the long jump as part of the [[heptathlon]] at the [[2013 French Athletics Championships]] at [[Stade Charléty]] in Paris]]
There are five main components of the long jump: the approach run, the last two strides, takeoff, 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. Classic examples of this long jump / sprint doubling are performances by [[Carl Lewis]] and [[Heike Drechsler]].

===Approach===
The objective of the approach is to gradually accelerate to a maximum controlled speed at takeoff. The most important factor for the distance travelled by an object is its [[velocity]] at takeoff – both the speed and angle. Elite jumpers usually leave the ground at an angle of 20° or less;<ref>{{cite web|title=Long jump: Know how it works, rules, history and world records|url=https://olympics.com/en/featured-news/long-jump-athletics-rules-history-world-records-olympics-techniques|last=Nag|first=Utathya|date=30 April 2021|access-date=14 June 2022|website=olympics.com|publisher=[[International Olympic Committee|IOC]]|archive-date = 22 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522071026/https://olympics.com/en/featured-news/long-jump-athletics-rules-history-world-records-olympics-techniques}}</ref> 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 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 steps on the novice and intermediate levels, while at the elite level they are closer to between 20 and 22 steps. The exact distance and number of steps 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.

===Last two steps===
The objective of the last two steps is to prepare the body for takeoff while conserving as much speed as possible.

The penultimate step is longer than the previous ones and than the final one before takeoff. The competitor begins to lower his or her center of gravity to prepare the body for the vertical impulse. The last step is shorter because the body is beginning to raise the center of gravity in preparation for takeoff.

The last two steps are extremely important because they determine the velocity at which the competitor will enter the jump.

===Takeoff===
[[File:Long jump takeoff board.jpg|thumb|right|Takeoff board]]
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 double-arm style, the kick style, the power sprint or bounding takeoff, and the sprint takeoff.

====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.

====Kick====
The kick style takeoff is where the athlete actively cycles the leg before a full impulse has been directed into the board then landing into the pit. This requires great strength in the hamstrings. This causes the jumper to jump to large distances.

====Power sprint or bounding====
The power sprint takeoff, or bounding takeoff, is one of the more common elite 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.

====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.

The "correct" style of takeoff will vary from athlete to athlete.

===Action in the air and landing===
[[File:Carlos Chinin decathlon.jpg|thumbnail|upright=1.25|A [[decathlon|decathlete]] landing a jump close to the 8-metre mark]]

There are three major flight techniques for the long jump: the hang, the hitch-kick, and the sail. Each technique is to combat the forward rotation experienced from take-off but is basically down to preference from the athlete. Once the body is airborne, there is nothing that the athlete can do to change the direction they are traveling and consequently where they are going to land in the pit. However, certain techniques influence an athlete's landing, which can affect the 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.

====Hang====

Following the pivotal takeoff phase, the jumper executes a deliberate maneuver wherein the free leg descends until it aligns directly beneath the hips. This strategic positioning, characterized by an elongated and streamlined body silhouette, is meticulously crafted to minimize rotational forces. By maximizing the distance between both the arm and leg extremities and the hips—the theoretical center of mass—the rotational inertia is significantly increased. Leveraging the principle that longer levers rotate at a slower pace than shorter ones, this configuration facilitates a controlled and stable aerial trajectory.

As the free leg descends to meet the takeoff leg, forming an angle of 180° relative to the ground, a symmetrical alignment is achieved with both knees positioned directly beneath the hips. This alignment marks the apex of stability during the airborne phase, as minimal rotational tendencies are manifested. This aerodynamically advantageous posture, colloquially termed the "180° position", epitomizes the pinnacle of equilibrium, affording the jumper enhanced control and poise amidst the dynamic forces encountered in flight.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Four Phases of the Long Jump: Approach, Takeoff, Flight, & Landing|url=https://www.ncacoach.org/uploads/Goodwin-GI.pdf|publisher=Grand Island Senior High|last=Goodwin|first=Justin|access-date=29 April 2024}}</ref>

====Hitch-kick====

In the realm of athletic performance, particularly in the domain of jumping techniques, a prevalent strategy observed among practitioners involves the utilization of a single-step arm and leg cycle. This technique, ingrained within the repertoire of many athletes, serves a fundamental purpose: to mitigate and alleviate the forward rotation momentum experienced during the jump. Characterized by a deliberate and synchronized motion of the arms and legs, this cycling maneuver is strategically devised to offset the rotational forces generated at the moment of takeoff.

Central to the efficacy of this technique is its capacity to orchestrate secondary [[Rotation|rotations]] of both the upper and lower extremities, thereby fostering a mechanical equilibrium that counterbalances the initial rotational impulses triggered upon liftoff. By implementing this methodological approach, athletes can harness the principles of [[biomechanics]] to optimize their jumping performance, enhancing stability, control, and overall efficiency in their aerial endeavors.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Jasminan |first1=V. |last2=Chandana |first2=A.W.S. |date=2021 |title=Two dimensional analysis of changes in athlete's center of mass during the long jump flight phase |journal=International Journal of Research in Engineering and Innovation |volume=05 |issue=3 |pages=154–158 |doi=10.36037/ijrei.2021.5304 |issn=2456-6934|doi-access=free }}</ref> This nuanced understanding underscores the intricate interplay between physics and human [[Kinetics (physics)|kinetics]], illuminating the sophisticated strategies employed by athletes to excel in their athletic pursuits.

====Sail====

The "sail technique" represents a fundamental long jump approach widely employed by athletes in competitive settings. Following the culmination of the takeoff phase, practitioners swiftly elevate their legs into a configuration aimed at touching the toes.<ref>{{cite web|title=Long Jump Technique and Training|url=https://www.everythingtrackandfield.com/long-jump-technique-and-training|website=everythingtrackandfield.com|last=Giroux|first=Jim|access-date=29 April 2024}}</ref> This maneuver serves as an entry-level strategy particularly beneficial for novice jumpers, facilitating an early transition into the landing posture. However, despite its utility in expediting the landing process, this technique fails to mitigate the inherent forward rotational [[momentum]] of the body effectively. Consequently, while advantageous for its simplicity and expedited landing preparation, the sail technique lacks the requisite mechanisms to adequately counteract excessive forward rotation, posing a notable limitation to its effectiveness in optimizing jump performance.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bouchouras |first1=Georgios |last2=Moscha |first2=Dimitra |last3=Papaiakovou |first3=Georgios |last4=Nikodelis |first4=Thomas |last5=Kollias |first5=Iraklis |date=January 2009 |title=Angular momentum and landing efficiency in the long jump |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1080/17461390802594243 |journal=European Journal of Sport Science |language=en |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=53–59 |doi=10.1080/17461390802594243 |issn=1746-1391}}</ref>

====Somersault====

In the 1970s, some jumpers used a forward somersault, including [[Tuariki Delamere]] who used it at the 1974 [[NCAA]] Championships, and who matched the jump of the then Olympic champion [[Randy Williams]]. The somersault jump has potential to produce longer jumps than other techniques because in the flip, no power is lost countering forward momentum, and it reduces wind resistance in the air.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Flip That Led To A Flap |last=Reid |first=Ron |date=29 July 1974 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1974/07/29/616167/the-flip-that-led-to-a-flap |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203190409/http://si.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1088829/index.htm |archive-date=3 February 2014}}</ref> The front flip jump was subsequently banned for fear that it was unsafe.