Success in Athletics and how to obtain it

THE HIGH-JUMP 95 The run-up should be quite short, only a matter of a few steps, but it is important that it should be carefully measured, and arranged so that the jumping-foot comes accurately on the take-off mark and there is no shuffling about and changing feet in front of the bar. Before attempting a jump, the athlete should walk quietly up to the bar and, standing with his jumping– foot on the take-off mark, should kick his other leg up until the foot is above the height of the bar; this gives the jumper confidence, and also loosens the legs for the spring. · Just as the jumper commences his run a breath is taken, which is forced out in the last stride before the take-off, and then, as the jumping-foot is thrust · down for the spring, the lungs are charged full draught (the particularity of the foot-work will be dealt with in a moment), thus sett~ng the _blood coursing through the veins and supplying the heart with the impulse to generate the effort by the proper oxygenation of the blood. For the purpose of description it is assumed that the spring is made from the right foot. In taking off the heel of the right foot is placed on the ground, thus checking the run and generating the impulse, which comes from the heel right through to the toes, which give a final flick off the ground as the " take-off" foot leaves it; above the foot is the downward thrust and straightening out of the leg further aided by the arm and body work-all working together raise the jumper high in the air. As the right leg thrusts down and the foot flicks the body upwards, the left knee is raised (see fig. 32, nos. 1 and 2), the left arm and side are heaved up