Editing High jump (section)

===Approach===
[[File:Ruth Beitia Valence 2008.jpg|thumb|Spanish jumper [[Ruth Beitia]] approaching the bar from an angle]]

For a Fosbury Flop, depending on the athlete's jump foot, they start on the right or left of the high jump mat, placing their jump foot farthest away from the mat. They take an eight- to ten-step approach, with the first three to five steps being in a straight line and the last five being on a curve. Athletes generally mark their approach in order to find as much consistency as possible.

The approach run can be more important than the takeoff. If a high jumper runs with bad timing or without enough aggression, clearing the bar becomes more of a challenge. The approach requires a certain shape or curve, the right amount of speed, and the correct number of strides. The approach angle is also critical for optimal height.

The straight run builds the momentum and sets the tone for a jump. The athlete starts by pushing off their takeoff foot with slow, powerful steps, then begins to accelerate. They should be running upright by the end of the straight portion.

The athlete's takeoff foot will be landing on the first step of the curve, and they will continue to accelerate, focusing their body towards the opposite back corner of the high jump mat. While staying erect and leaning away from the mat, the athlete takes their final two steps flat-footed, rolling from the heel to the toe.

Most great straddle jumpers run at angles of about 30 to 40 degrees. The length of the run is determined by the speed of the approach. A slower run requires about eight strides, but a faster high jumper might need about 13 strides. Greater speed allows a greater part of the body's forward momentum to be converted upward.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coachr.org/hj.htm|title=The HIGH JUMP|last=CoachR|website=www.coachr.org|access-date=2009-02-10|archive-date=2017-03-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170330152430/http://www.coachr.org/hj.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The '''J''' approach favored by Fosbury floppers allows for speed, the ability to turn in the air ([[centripetal force]]), and a good takeoff position, which helps turn horizontal momentum into vertical momentum. The approach should be a hard, controlled stride so that the athlete does not fall from running at an angle. Athletes should lean into the curve from their ankles, not their hips. This allows their hips to rotate during takeoff, which in turn allows their center of gravity to pass under the bar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.everythingtrackandfield.com/catalog/matriarch/OnePiecePage.asp_Q_PageID_E_152_A_PageName_E_ArticleHighJumpApproach|title=The High Jump Approach - Training Article|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081123060941/http://www.everythingtrackandfield.com/catalog/matriarch/OnePiecePage.asp_Q_PageID_E_152_A_PageName_E_ArticleHighJumpApproach|archive-date=November 23, 2008|access-date=2009-02-11|df=mdy-all}}</ref>