Kinematic Characteristics of the Center of Mass During the Takeoff Phase of the Long Jump
Department
Health Promotion and Physical Education
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Spring 2007
Abstract
This study was to investigate kinematic characteristics of the center of mass (COM) during the takeoff phase in relation to long jump performance of collegiate, male, long jumpers. Video data of jumping trials from ten male long jumpers were analyzed. Decreasing resultant velocities during the takeoff phase indicated some energy loss in the transition from heel contact to toe-off, and was associated with decreasing horizontal velocities. Furthermore, the finding from this study demonstrated that a COM pattern that continued to rise during the takeoff phase resulted in significantly longer jumping distances than the when a drop-then-rise pattern was observed.