Prerequisite Skill Set for Successful High Jumping

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Cliff Rovelto

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• Success = Realizing one’s potential

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• Personal experience with athletes coming into our university program from the high school, community college and other university programs (Dykstra, Jones, Teaberry, Treasure, Wentland, Williamson, Broxterman, Kynard, Leeper, Lancaster, Margalit, Sellers, Shankar)

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• Personal experience with post collegiate athletes who did not attend our university (Hemingway, Nieto, Rovelto, Williams)

Introduction

Erik Kynard Collegiate Profile – as of 1/1/14�2010 – 2013�

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Average Big 12 Indoor: 2.26 (2.23, 2.24, 2.27, 2.31) (2^nd, 1^st, 1^st, 1^st)

Average Big 12 Outdoor: 2.23 (2.14, 2.27, 2.21, 2.30) (2^nd, 1^st, 1^st, 1^st)

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Average NCAA Indoor: 2.22 (2.14, 2.23, 2.20, 2.29) (11^th, 3^rd, T 4^th, 3^rd)

Average NCAA Outdoor: 2.28 (2.17, 2.29, 2.34, 2.31) (6^th, 1^st, 1^st, 2^nd)

Collegiate Competitions = 45

Won 34 or 76%

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Career Competitions (Finals) = 55

< 2.14 / 7’ ¼” – 0

< 2.20 / 7’ 2 ½” – 8 (15%)

> 2.20 / 7’ 2 ½” – 47 (85%)

> 2.25 / 7’ 4 ½” – 36 (65%)

> 2.27 / 7’ 5 ¼” – 32 (58%)

> 2.30 / 7’ 6 ½” – 17 (31%)

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Average Starting Height Opening Height % 1^st Attempt Make

2010 ID 2.09 / 6’ 10 ¼” 5 meets – 80%

2010 OD 2.05 / 6’ 8 ¾” 7 meets – 86%

2011 ID 2.11 / 6’ 11” 6 meets – 100%

2011 OD 2.10 / 6’ 10 ½” 11 meets – 100%

2012 ID 2.10 / 6’ 10 ½” 5 meets – 80%

2012 OD 2.12 / 6’ 11 ½” 10 meets – 100%

2013 ID 2.12 / 6’ 11 ½” 6 meets – 83%

2013 OD 2.15 / 7’ ½” 12 meets – 100%

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Success Rate Prior to Exiting Height

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# Jumps Misses Success Rate

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2010 ID 22 7 68%

2010 OD 34 5 85%

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2011 ID 37 8 78%

2011 OD 58 10 83%

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2012 ID 26 5 81%

2012 OD 51 8 84%

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2013 ID 44 14 68%

2013 OD 80 14 85%

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Personal concern / frustration revolves around

athletes and perhaps sometimes coaches who fail

to recognize:

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1. Relationship between technical development

and biomotor development. Quite simply the

athlete must first have the physical capability to

perform the requisite skill.

2. There are NO SHORTCUTS! Talented athletes

may jump high but are not likely to jump high

consistently and when it matters most if sound

biomotor development and technical skill

progressions are not adequately addressed.

In this presentation I will concentrate on the

approach and takeoff mechanism and the

prerequisite skill sets necessary in building an

effective approach and takeoff.

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Approach

Objectives

By running over a curve the athlete is able to achieve two desired

outcomes. 

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1. The pressure created against the ground by running over an arc

results in an inward lean away from the bar; this assists the

athlete in leaving the ground with a more vertical inclination.

2. The athlete’s center of mass is lowered without

compromising postural integrity. This allows the athlete to

apply force through a greater vertical range at takeoff.

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The faster the athlete runs over the curve the greater

the lean and lower the center of mass. The limiting

factors will be strength and the speed capabilities of

the athlete. The speed capabilities are significantly

influenced by proper running mechanics and

postural integrity. Posture dictates order of firing.

Building an effective approach then requires the following

skill set: 

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1. Ability to overcome inertia efficiently and accelerate in

a uniform manner. Velocity follows momentum.

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• Pushing mechanics characterized by low heel

recovery, acute shin angles, near complete hip

extension and big arms.

• Efficient and consistent acceleration is important in

the high jump due to the relatively few number of

steps in the approach and the critical need for

accuracy.

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2. The athlete must be able to run effectively on a curve. 

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• Efficient foot ground contact will facilitate effective

force application.

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• Hips axis and shoulder axis must remain in natural

alignment and perpendicular to the direction of the

run.

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Takeoff Mechanism 

Objective

To convert horizontal velocity developed in the

approach run to vertical velocity at takeoff. The

athlete must apply a large force, through as great a

range of movement as possible in as short a period of

time as possible.

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1. The penultimate step

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The athlete will contact the ground flat footed

keeping the hips moving level over the foot so as

to prevent the center of mass from dropping onto

the takeoff. It is important to keep the torso erect

while moving over the penultimate foot.

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2. Takeoff step

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The athlete will recover the heel of the takeoff leg

below the knee of the penultimate leg while

moving over the penultimate foot. The takeoff leg

will be fired into the ground well in advance of the

center of mass utilizing the glutes and

hamstrings. The quadriceps will be isometrically

contracted assisting in stabilizing the knee joint

and facilitating a strong eccentric contraction at

takeoff.

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3. The takeoff mechanism can be described as a

push-through-pull-hip extension action.

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Creating an effective takeoff then requires the following skill set:

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1. a. Ability to maintain an erect posture with torso

b. with the hips low

c. while moving (quickly) over the penultimate

foot in single support

- Mechanics of foot strike of penultimate

- Core Stability

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2. Ability to ammorticize while executing takeoff

mechanism

(isometric and eccentric capabilities)

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3. Postural integrity – dictates order of firing 

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4. Ability to maintain proper hip / shoulder axis

relationship particularly with respect to the

longitudinal axis of the takeoff foot

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My Foundational Beliefs 

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1. Basics are most important!

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• General – Specific

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• Simple – Complex

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• Prerequisite skill sets must always be addressed

to some degree

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