Approach

Track & Field Long Jump
1

I was wondering how to set up my approach.
I learned the hard way that tension on the final steps fucks up the jump and I am more or less unable to control my speed towards the board. I have to run arround 85% to get comfortly, so I wonder if I also should extend my approach in order to hit max v and the relax (using 16 steps now). If I try to run hard all the way down the jump sucks.

Should I run like a 100m, relaxed all the way till max v? Or just accel hard and then relax with some steps to go?

2

You could try a walk-in or jog-in to your approach start.

3

I like doing a walk-in approach just so that I remained relaxed and accel to my penultimate step

4

From the video you posted you seem to have a heavy foot strike. What happens if you run more relaxed all the way?

5

Yes you are right, I hadn’t noticed the heavy footstrike at all. Anyway I slightly changed my runway mechanics after those videos were shot since I was doing a lot of little steps that slowed me down. I still ran more tensioned on the runway than on the track.
I will try to work on that as soon as I am able to jump again (april).

I believe that my best jump ever (7.01 foul) was run with a really relaxed approach that happened naturally under a heavy pressure situation (state championship).

Thank you

6

Try moving your 16-step mark back a few feet and then take a walk in as suggested or better yet some easy running strides (as many as 8) to gain momentum, watch and hit your mark and then relax and run with rhythm until you attack the last 4 strides for your takeoff. Your steps will have more consistency as far as hitting the board, and you will avoid the tension you describe.