Increasing Long Jump Distance

Daniel Pezzola
Jul 22, 2017 · 2 min read

Daniel Pezzola graduated from the Catholic University of America with a bachelor of arts in politics. Before college, Daniel Pezzola ran track and participated in the long jump on his high school team.

The long jump, like many track and field events, is very technical, and participants are constantly striving to improve their distance. Here are a few things athletes can try to improve their long jump distance:

- Look ahead. During the approach, keep your gaze in front of you and track the take off board’s location by estimating its distance relative to your speed. If you look down to search for the board, your body naturally slows. Even a small decrease in speed can dramatically decrease jumping distance.

- Reduce rotation. When you are in the air, reduce the rotation of your body as much as possible by employing either the hitch-kick technique or the hang technique. The hitch-kick technique looks like you are running in midair. The hang technique requires you to arch your back while you put your hands above your head and your feet behind you.

- Place your feet ahead. Good landing efficiency is a simple way to increase your long jump distance by several inches. While landing, the heels of your feet should stretch as far in front of your body as possible. Once they hit the ground, fold your legs until your body is over your heels.

Daniel Pezzola

Daniel Pezzola currently delivers medication for Washingtonville Pharmacy, and has prior experience in the retail industry with Macy’s, Columbia Sportswear.

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