Everything Track and Field Discussion Forums

I have difficulty hitting the bar with my shoulders exactly horizontal. I tend to overrotate a little. How do I control the rotation. I also struggle to get my ancles out of the way of the bar. I "kick" my legs with my legs nearly straight in a long sweeping action. Looking  at videos of worldclass jumpers I can see that they bend their knees the moment their hips cross the bar pulling their legs "up" just to kick them straight just before tha ancles hit the bar. How do I learn that action?

try throwing your arms back as you jump. your shoulders dont have to be exactally straight but it will get better if you have a good arch over the pole.

What you describe sounds like it could be one of several things. It isn't possible to be sure without seeing you jump, but I'll give you my first guesses.

There are a couple of possible reasons you might be hitting the bar with your shoulders:

- Taking off too close to the bar
- Diving rather than taking off vertically

These are related problems and they can occur together. They are not the root problem, but rather, they are generally manifestations of approach problems.

Hitting the bar with your feet is generally due to rotating about the bar too slowly. Also a manifestation of approach problems. What the big boys do is not necessarily the best answer - that is bending at the knees and lifting the hips. That only makes superficial "improvements" and it causes other problems. Better to fix the rotation rate by adjusting the approach and takeoff technique.

I have a web site at "sites.google.com/site/hjcoach" that has a technique section with a fairly complete description of the approach, how it works, and why. I will be adding a section on high jump troubleshooting in the next few days. It is already written, just needs to be edited and uploaded to the site.

I suggest reading the technique section and then coming back here if you have questions.