Dallas, Texas Student Athletes: Improve Your Long Jump

Track & Field

Football is a way of life in Dallas, Texas, but track & field events are equally important to student athletes. Competition and teamwork are promoted, which helps to prepare them for future endeavors. Sprinting, hurdling, and the long jump, are all events available to student athletes, along with many others. The long jump can be one of the most exciting events to watch, or take part in.

Gliding through the air, almost as if you are flying, can be exhilarating, fun, and a great way to exercise. Sprinting and having good mechanics are equally as important as the actual jumping portion of the long jump. Improving in these areas will improve your long jump.

Improvement Practices

Depth jumps can be practiced to improve reaction time, as well as strengthen lower body muscles. Simply stand on a box, approximately 6” to 8” off of the ground. Step off of the box, and immediately jump as high as you can, upon touching the ground, while throwing your arms up as high as you can. Incorporate this technique into your student athlete's workout, and improvements in their long jump will become evident.

Dallas, Texas student athletes should incorporate stretching into their everyday routine. Jumping can be limited by hip flexors, and ankles. Stretching can help to loosen these areas up, which in turn, will give the athlete more mobility. Flexibility will increase, by stretching on a daily basis, and your long jump will improve significantly over time.

Posture can also be a contributing factor to a successful long jump. Push-ups mainly concentrate on the chest area, but they also help strengthen one's core. Student athletes will gain added movement to their shoulders, and their overall posture will increase. This simple, yet effective form of exercise, will help improve upon one's long jump.