Success in Athletics and how to obtain it

xoo SUCCESS IN ATHLETICS or the knee may go when he lands on the take-off leg upon the turf preparatory to the step. Although it is important that the body should not go too high, yet it is essential that a good deal of the strength of the jump should be put into this initial movement, for it is at this stage of the proceedings that the impetus of the run will help most greatly. Instead of landing as in the running long-jump, the athlete takes care to ~ come down upon the heel with the right leg well under him. (It is assumed, for the purpose of description, that he first takes off from the right foot, lands on the right foot, from which he springs again, and landing on the left, takes off again for the final leap.) He lets the knee give a little under him, so as to get impulse for the next movement, and, swinging back .his left leg, to get power, he swings it forward for the step, at · the same time working through from the heel to the toes of the right foot and forcing the body forward and up with a direct thrust of the right leg from hip to ankle, finishing off, as just described, with a final flick of the foot in an ankling movement, so that the final impulse comes from the very toes themselves. The jumper must be careful not to overdo the hop, or he may so overbalance himself that his take-off for the step is seriously interfered with, or he comes to grief with a disorganised run to save himself from a disastrous fall. THE STEP In making the step the crucial point is reached. If the step is made too short, distance will be lost. If, on the other hand, the athlete tries too hard to get length into this movement, the legs will be too far

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTM4MjQ=