Actually for a HS kid your Long Jump approach was a bit long for indoor season. Start out at 5-6 strides and move back throughout the season. You probably shouldn’t be more than 9-10 strides till your state meet/summertime. It’s hard to accelerate off the board or have any consistency in your long jump when you likely are decelerating before hitting the board.
Since this video I’ve learned better long jump approach technique. I finally know how to push hard out the back in the drive phase. This way I can have the same approach distance with 2 less strides, and I’m much more relaxed off the board. Last weekend I had a meet where I had a couple scratches over 21’, which doesn’t concern me that I scratched because I know I can do it now.
From the progression the videos show, you’ve done a better job of creating a far better inward lean on your HJ approach with better curve running and a wider curve definitely helped you because you don’t have the strength yet to hold a tighter curve with good inward lean to keep your speed.
Right now I’m about 10’ out. As I get stronger, I am able to move my mark back, increasing the speed. This way my curve isn’t so deep, and I get a lot of rotation and less time over the bar. I just need to make very gradual changes instead of drastic ones. BTW, I jumped 6’4 at state and finished 3rd place as a junior. Next year I enter as the favorite.
IMHO, if you learn to hurdle (3 step at least 80% of the race) and pole vault (bend and turn on the pole) in HS, you could be a decent collegiate decathlete.
Interesting you say that. I actually have recently been trying to start the hurdles, and had planned on being a decathlete in college. I entered the 110H’s last weekend and tried it for the first time ever. I had the lead over a 15.5 guy at the first hurdle, but then my bad hurdling form cost me. I was leaping the hurdles, which not only added time but tired me out, so that I had to start 4 stepping after about 5 hurdles, which caused me to start tripping over hurdles. With a couple months practice I should be able to run low 16s or high 15s I would think.
