You Will Need
- A Start Line- this can be any household object like a piece of rope or a plank of wood.
- A Measuring Tape
- A Tester with a Marker- this can be any small, movable object like a stone or a pair of socks
How To Set Up and Record Your Result
At the Start Line, stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, facing forwards with your toes just behind the line. When you’re ready, dip slightly at the knees and jump as far as you can, raising your arms up above your head to propel yourself forward as far as possible.
Try to stick your landing (stumbling forwards is not permitted) and the Tester will place the marker behind whichever heel is closest to the Start Line.
Complete 3 attempts and move the marker only if you manage to beat your previous effort.
The Tester will then measure the distance from the Start Line to the Marker to the nearest centimetre (cm), for example 137cm and let you know your result.
Once you’ve got your distance, record it in the Healthy Kidz App under Sports Day>Long Jump.
Coaching Tips
- Make sure to dip just before take off to generate some momentum for your jump.
- Use your arms to maximise your distance. On landing, bend your knees to soften the impact and bring your arms forward to help you maintain your balance. Imagine there is glue on the soles of your feet when landing.
How To Prepare
Practice your vertical jump squats to get used to sticking your landing before taking on the Long Jump.
Then start with a short forward jump and focus on sticking your landing before trying to jump for distance. Take a look at this video of Byron Jones breaking the World Record for this event during the 2015 NFL Combine - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3XlqZaJF9U.