Main Rules of Triple Jumping in Details

Triple jumping is a track-and-field event that is similar to long jumping in their main goals. To explain, athletes should jump for a longer distance to become a winner. Triple jumping can be also known as hop, step, and jump. From the name, it should be clear that the given discipline makes athletes take a run, perform a hop, a bound, a jump, and then land into the sandpit. This kind of sport appeared in ancient times. The main task of the given article is to present a comprehensive guide on triple jumping.

General Rules

It is necessary to perform a triple jump so that an athlete should touch the ground for the second time with the same leg that was used to perform a hop; the third touch of the ground should be made with the other leg. In this case, there are two possible samples of performing triple jumps – right-right-left or left-left-right. A jump is not considered successful if the wrong leg touches the ground. In all the other cases, the given kind of sport is controlled by the same rules as those governing the discipline of long jumping.

Technique

In this sport, athletes perform hop, step, and jump one by one. In this case, every athlete is then bound to combine these three stages so that to minimize the loss of horizontal speed as much as it is possible during performing each of them.

As soon as the result depends mainly on approaching speed and quality of performing separate stages, it is important to pay particular attention to train running abilities and jumping skills. In addition, it is of crucial significance to follow the technical requirements.

Approach

The approach for triple jumping is a bit different from that found in long jumping. It is necessary to keep the same body bending both during the approach and while taking off. When it comes to the final stages of the approach, the athletes increase their step frequency by reducing the length of steps. However, it does not mean that it leads to lower speed; it increases all the way to hopping. An approach length is 35-40 meters.

Hop

It is up to an athlete whether to perform a hop with his/her strong or weak leg. Each of these variants has its own advantages and disadvantages. According to the stand-off nature, a hop is to be considered as a continuation of the approach. Despite the hopping power, it is not necessary to delay.

After a hop, an athlete enters a flying stage. In this situation, he/she should move his switch leg downward, while the bent jumping leg should be placed forward to make the second standing off to perform a step. This active using of the leg is an obligatory condition to successful come from hopping to stepping. Finally, it is necessary to place the whole sole of the jumping leg on the ground.

Step

After an athlete touches the ground, he/she should immediately take off. The hip of the jumping leg should be parallel to the ground, and there should be an acute angle between it and the shin. This position is kept by an athlete to fly as far as possible. After that, he/she starts lowering the leg to prepare for the second taking off.

Besides, the shin should be moved forward. If a competition takes place on an artificial surface, it is reasonable to place the leg a bit further when compared to the position of the body. When athletes are in a transition stage from landing to taking off, the body is a bit straightened, which is done to overcome the greatest distances.

Jump

Depending on athletes’ individual peculiarities and features of a jump itself, it is possible to perform this jump in different ways. It is up to a particular athlete to choose a single variant.

Hands Action

Approximately by the 1950s, athletes had moved their hands in the same way as in running. It was a common practice. Nowadays, however, there are a lot of athletes, especially to refers to representatives of a powered style, use simultaneous strokes with their both hands.

Correlation of the Components of Triple Jumps

It is not reasonable to change the correlation voluntarily because it leads to worse results. However, there is no unified meaning as to what this correlation should be exactly like. In fact, there are two kinds of this correlation, and they depend on a style an athlete utilizes to perform. Thus, a powered style indicates the following balance:

• hop – 38%;
• step – 29.5%
• jump – 32.5%.

At the same time, there is also a speed style, which adopts the following distribution:

• hop – 35%
• step – 30%;
• jump – 35%.

Sights

Triple jumping competitions take place on the same sights as those suitable for long jumping events. It refers to the same running track, take-off board, and sandpit. However, the distance between the take-off board and the furthest end of the pit should be at least 13 meters.

History

Triple jumping emerged as a combination of jumps of different kinds; it was allowed to perform these jumps in any order. Ancient engravings make it possible to conclude that these jumps were a common thing for the ancient Germans. However, it is impossible to find ancient images of triple jumping in its modern meaning.

The first images were created in the Middle Ages. Thus, 1465 witnessed one of the first triple jumping competitions in world history.

In the 18th century, triple jumping was widely popular in Ireland. Athletes used one and the same leg to perform all three jumps. As a result, the best results did not exceed 15 meters. As for triple jumping in its modern variation, it appeared at the first Olympic Games, where an American athlete managed to become a winner showing a distance of 13.71 meters.