The discipline we will cover today is concerned with one of the most fundamental questions about the physical limitations of a human being: How high can we jump without any additional aid? The High Jump is a Track and Field event in which athletes have to leap over a horizontal bar that is placed at measured heights with only one foot without dislodging it. Usually, the bar is four meters long and athletes will land on a crash mat afterwards.
Technique

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There are different techniques for High Jumping but generally, every jump consists of the four following steps:

• Approach
• Takeoff
• Flight
• Landing

When approaching, the most common run-up is made in a J-Shape as it enables the runner to achieve maximum speed while also positioning himself for the takeoff in a very efficient way. Alternative approaches are the flared and the hooked approach. After that, the athlete is performing the takeoff by pushing one foot of the ground and pushing his opposite arm and knee up to lift his self up even further. The foot that is used to jump should also be placed about 60 cm away from the bar. In the flight phase, the athletes body is in a curved position in order to clear the bar and then the athlete will land on his back on the crash mat. The most efficient technique for High Jumps is probably the Fosbury flop, introduced in 1968. It involves a curved run to the bar and rotating the back to the bar while overcoming the bar with their head first.

Rules

• Athletes have three attempts for every height
• The athlete succeeds only when the bar is not dislodged
• The height of the bar is raised in increments
• If there is a tie on a certain height, the athlete with fewer attempts for the previous height will win
• If they are still tied, the athlete with fewest attempts in general wins
• When a tie still remains, athletes will do a jump-off in order to decide the winner which starts at the next higher height of the athletes cleared and will go down or up (depending if both pass the height or not) until one can’t surpass the height. The remaining athletes can also decide to not jump further which would result in a tie again

History and Records

Events for the High Jump first came up in the 19th century in Scotland and the discipline made its debut at the 1896 Olympic Games for men and in 1928 for women. For the men, Cuban athlete Javier Sotomayor holds the World Record since 1993 with an astonishing height of 2.45 meters. 2.10 meters is the world record for women, achieved by Yaroslava Mahuchikh in Paris, 2024.

How to Jump higher

• Master your approach by implementing a routine and doing a consistent amount of steps. Also develop a steady rhythm while gathering speed
• The takeoff foot should be quick and powerful as it is the one lifting you upward
• Engage your hips when taking off to create even more force that pushes you up
• Keep your legs and arms in position and controlled in order to not knock off the bar accidentally
• Do a lot of strength training especially for your legs in order to have lots of power when taking off
• Include flexibility and mobility exercises so you can use proper technique

High Jump
High jump – Wikipedia