Success in Athletics and how to obtain it

114 SUCCESS IN ATHLETICS he pushes himself away from the pole in a last effort, and instantly flings up his arms and throws back his head, thus clearing both chest and arms away 6 \\ from the bar (sketch 6); ~- #~ it will be readil! realised 't,,. '- , -~"7-.... that the throwmg down of the legs still further aids this movement (see fig. 36). The final stage of the jump has now been entered upon, arid the jumper is falling (fig. 37) ; in so doing he should strive to regain his balance and to let the turning move– ment-initiated as he rose-continue, so that he will land in the pit with his back to the jump, when he will thus have made a com– plete turn, and will land in the sand-pit so that his frame sustains the least possible amount of shock. Care must be taken that the pole is pushed strongly away as the bar is cleared, otherwise it will follow on and knock down the bar which the body has already safely negotiated. It is necessary for the pole-jumper to remember that all his movements must be perfectly smooth and fit well into each other ; even the take-off and first pull up, upon the pole may be so made to coincide that no jerkiness is felt, and the strong swing up of the legs must also be steady and smooth. Briefly summarised, the points are as follows : Get a proper hold of the pole at the right dis– tance up it.