Track Athletics in Detail (extract)

68 TRACK ATHLETICS IN DETAIL path to the take-off. If he has measured his dis­ tances correctly, he will land, as is shown in illus­ tration No. 3, with his jumping foot squarely upon the take-off. If he feels that he has gotten out of his stride, it is better not to take the jump at all, but to stop, for overstepping the mark by a few inches will ruin the jump, and underreaching the mark will detract just that much from the measure of his effort. The act of the jump itself is where the greatest strain of muscle and nerve is required. Just be­ fore coming to the take-off, say at the last step, the athlete should gather himself together and crouch as low as his great speed will permit, and bring his jumping foot down as hard as possible upon the take-off, at the same time throwing his hands forward and upward. Bringing down the foot with such power serves to throw the body into the air, and this movement is aided by the lifting of the arms. The hardest strain comes on the back muscles, just as in high jumping. The eyes should be fixed on some distant high point rather than on the ground where the jump will probably end. This seems to give a better 14 aim," and in many cases adds an inch or so to the dis­ tance. The fourth picture shows the jumper just after he has left the take-off. The next sees him well on his way, with his legs curled up close under the chin, and his arms reaching out far forward, so as to throw the balance as much as