The Physics of

High Jump
What is high jump?
High jump is an event in track in which the athlete attempts to jump and bend
backwards over a crossbar without knocking it down.

Three Stages:
1. Running up
2. Takeoff
3. Clearing the bar
 Run Up Centripetal acceleration:
acceleration in a circle directed
The run up to the mat should be in a towards the center.
J-shape. They lean into the curve so
when they jump up, momentum
pushes them towards the mat. Since
high jumpers have a short approach,
they need to accelerate as fast as
possible. Running in a curve creates
centripetal acceleration which helps
them to accelerate faster.
 Takeoff
To get the most power during the jump, the takeoff foot should be in contact
with the ground for the shortest amount of time possible. Less time equals more
force.
Power=Work/time
Newton’s Third Law states that for every action there is an equal and opposite
reaction. This means if the jumper pushes on off the gown with a certain amount of
force, the ground will push the jumper up with the same amount of force. The more
force you have, the higher you will jump.

During takeoff, the

horizontal velocity is
changed into vertical
velocity.
 Clearing the Bar
Swinging their arms up during takeoff
will boost jumpers up and give them more
height to clear the bar. After takeoff, the
center of gravity follows a parabola. As the
center of mass travels along the parabola,
the body rotates around it, allowing the
jumper to clear the bar.
Center of Gravity Western Roll vs. Fosbury Flop

Jumpers go backwards over the

bar to make their jump higher with
less force. If you bend backwards,
your center of mass is below your
body, meaning you can clear a
higher bar with your center of mass
at the same height.
Sources:
Coachr.org

Limestone.on.ca

Engaged-brains.wikispaces.com

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RaGUW1d0w8g
Thank you!