03/11/2017

1

Critical Determinants of Long Jump Performance

Dr Paul Brice

Consultant Biomechanist

Dr Paul Brice

Applied Biomechanical Support

Very Simple Approach:

To provide coach / athlete / practitioner with objective

biomechanical (event specific) information / data.

……..on the critical determinants of performance

within both the training and competition environments

What it clearly is NOT….

“the nice to knows” or “the personal area of interests”

or the measurement of random “stuff”

But What IT IS….

The event specific biomechanical variables that

directly impact on PERFORMANCEDr Paul Brice

Most people can do this……

Much harder to do this and to do it well……

Dr Paul Brice

03/11/2017

2

Common sense isn’t always common practise……

Dr Paul Brice

SPEED

STRENGTH

TECHNIQUE

SWEET SPOT

‘Balance’

PE

RFO

RM

AN

CE

Dr Paul Brice

The landscape…

Dr Paul Brice

03/11/2017

3

The landscape……

Dr Paul Brice

The reality….

Dr Paul Brice

The reality….

Dr Paul Brice

03/11/2017

4

The reality….

• Men’s LONG JUMP

• Jump 8.00m to make the final

• Jump 8.30m to get on PODIUM

• Jump 8.40m+ to WIN GOLD

• Women’s LONG JUMP

• Jump 6.50m+ to make the final

• Jump 6.90m to get on PODIUM

• Jump 7m+ to WIN GOLD

Dr Paul Brice

Dr Paul Brice

Dr Paul Brice

03/11/2017

5

Each event has these…

• Need to understand and appreciate the underpinning science

• NON NEGOTIABLES

• FACTS NOT FICTION

• LAWS OF PHYSICS

Dr Paul Brice

Academia doesn’t always have the answers but provides a flavour…

• Simple academic search – 275+ biomechanical papers

• All claiming to have the answer

• Reality very different

• Limited consistency of terminologies

• Subject population differences (ability levels)

• Measure different things depending on researchers area of expertise / personal interest

• Create your own reference research

Dr Paul Brice

Dr Paul Brice

03/11/2017

6

SO WHAT DO WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT ELITE HORIZONTAL

JUMPING ?

Even though they are all slightly different, they all have to obey certain key biomechanical

principles – otherwise they would NOT jump far!

Approach Speed

• Have to run FAST

Strength

• Have to be STRONG

Technique

• Have to LOOK GOOD

Dr Paul Brice

Ground Contact – the take off….

Dr Paul Brice

Primary focus on Take Off……not to say others are not important

Dr Paul Brice

03/11/2017

7

a) Men's Long Jump b) Men's Triple Jump

c) Women's Long Jump d) Women's Triple Jump

3

4

5

6

7

6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0 9.5 10.0

Approach Velocity (11 - 1 m) (ms-1

)

Off

icia

l D

ista

nc

e (

m)

+SD

mean

-SD

4

5

6

7

8

9

7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0 9.5 10.0 10.5 11.0Approach Velocity (11 -1 m) (ms

-1)

Off

icia

l D

ista

nc

e (

m)

+SD

mean

-SD

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

8.0 8.5 9.0 9.5 10.0 10.5 11.0Approach Velocity (11 -1 m) (ms

-1)

Off

icia

l D

ista

nc

e (

m)

+SD

mean

-SD

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0 9.5

Approach Velocity (11 - 1 m) (ms-1

)

Off

icia

l D

ista

nce (

m)

+SD

mean

-SD

Dr Paul Brice

Dr Paul Brice

Dr Paul Brice

03/11/2017

8

STRENGTH

JUST ABOUT BEING

STRONG….RIGHT?!

Some Coaches philosophy:

Just get really strong!

Dr Paul Brice

But we do know that……

The only time the horizontal jumper is able to influence the outcome of a

jump is while they are on the ground.....Newton’s Laws of Motion

Strength – force application, control and utilisation

But what are we talking when we say strength –

Do we really know!!

Athlete can never exert the same force in the weights room, as they do in

their ACTUAL event

All we can say is that the athlete must be ‘extremely strong’ or words to

that effect

About Utilisation of individual strength qualitiesDr Paul Brice

Huge Interaction between kinetic and kinematic variables

not necessarily a strength issue….but combinations of…

Poor technique

Poor leg placement

Activeness of leg on contact

Maybe lack of eccentric control?

So can do all the right strength work but if you don’t put body in right

place…..can all still go wrong!

Dr Paul Brice

03/11/2017

9

Possible Training Effects

Eccentric, Plyometric, Isometric RFD,

Accommodating resistance

• Ability to withstand

faster approach speeds

• Ability to gain

muscular control more

quickly

• Faster transition from

eccentric to concentric

(SSC / elastic recoil)

• Ability to apply greater

concentric force for

longer

• Appropriate contact

time

Dr Paul Brice

TECHNIQUE

ITS ALL ABOUT PERFECT

TECHNIQUE…..RIGHT?!

Some Coaches philosophy:

Perfect technique makes

biggest jumps!

Dr Paul Brice

What are the biggest VIRUSES in the system ?

…….and where are we going to get biggest performance

gains…

In order to know you have to measure

SOMETHING…….

Otherwise simply guess work.

Dr Paul Brice

03/11/2017

10

VR

The ‘Business End’……..

Dr Paul Brice

Critical Determinants of Long Jump Performance

Dr Paul Brice

Preparation into the take off

• Ideally……

• 2nd last step LONG

• Last step SHORTER

• LONG to SHORT pattern

• 5 to 8% difference

Dr Paul Brice

03/11/2017

11

Dr Paul Brice

Dr Paul Brice

Centre of mass profile

• Centre of mass ideally is RISING or at least level post TD with board

• Reduce vertical velocity in negative direction

Dr Paul Brice

03/11/2017

12

Plant Angle to VERTICAL

• Speed

• Ability to generate force

• Technical ability

• Typical ELITE VALUES

• 26 to 30 degrees to vertical

Dr Paul Brice

Negative limb at Touchdown

• Ability to generate force

• Leg Activeness at prior to and at TD

• Minimise horizontal velocity loss

• Typical ELITE VALUES

• 5 to 8m/s negative

Dr Paul Brice

66% of Vertical Velocity generated whilst

knee is bending

You have to lose VH to gain VV

Dr Paul Brice

03/11/2017

13

Dr Paul Brice

Dr Paul Brice

Dr Paul Brice

03/11/2017

14

Dr Paul Brice

Step Length:

2nd last step is LONGLast step is SHORT (shorter)

Lapierre: Understand what you event requiresLoses too much horizontalGains too much verticalAngle take off too steepLose massive distance

Dr Paul Brice

Tomlinson: Consequences to technique!MKF angle too deepLowers COM too muchAngular Velocity of take off leg too slowSpends too long on the board

Dr Paul Brice