Long jump technique: run-up, take-off, landing

A long jump is decided in four distinct phases, and most of the distance is actually determined before the jumper's foot even leaves the board.

The run-up

Consistency and speed matter far more here than raw sprinting talent, since a long jump gets most of its power from the approach. Beginners should start with a shorter run-up, around 12 to 14 steps, and only add length once their speed and step consistency are reliable. A fast, uneven run-up is worse than a slightly slower, perfectly consistent one.

Take-off

The aim is height as much as horizontal speed, since more time in the air means more distance. Plant the take-off foot flat on the ground rather than heel-first, which kills speed, or purely on the toes, which is unstable and increases injury risk.

Flight

Three main flight techniques exist: the sail, the hang, and the hitch-kick. The hang and hitch-kick only really pay off once a jumper is clearing more than about five metres, so beginners should stick with the sail: thrust the free leg forward as far as possible, bring the take-off leg up to match it mid-flight, then reach both arms forward toward the toes just before landing.

Landing

Feet need to be positioned correctly on impact, with the knees and hips absorbing the landing rather than locking straight. Staying balanced through the landing matters because falling backward into the pit costs measured distance, since the mark is taken from the closest point of contact.

Spikes and where this fits into combined events

See our guide to choosing athletics spikes for what long jump spikes are built to do differently from sprint spikes, or heptathlon and decathlon events explained for where long jump sits in combined events competition.