How to Coach the Fosbury Flop - Drill Progression for Teaching High Jump
This drill progression is suitable for athletes learning the Fosbury Flop technique of the high jump. Before progressing to the flop, athletes should already have developed their Scissors technique.
Exercise 1: The Pop Up Drill
Exercise 2: The Pop Up with Freeze Drill
Exercise 3: Setting the J Curve
Exercise 4: Setting the Full Run Up
Exercise 5: Bar Clearance from a Run Up
Exercise 1: The Pop Up Drill
Key Coaching Points
Start from a short run up
Use a short final step on the run up
Look for a flat and ‘active’ foot plant
Take off and hold the position with a focus on high knee drive and arms raised above the head.
The leg furthest from the mat should be fully extended.
Exercise 2: The Pop Up with Freeze Drill
Key Coaching Points
Progress the standard pop up by getting the athlete to add rotation as they reach the highest point of their take off.
Ensure the athlete lands softly by sitting on the mat. Knees should be bent and ready to absorb the landing if they make contact with the ground.
Exercise 3: Setting the J-Curve
Key Coaching Points
Take 3 long strides from the near upright.
Turn 90 degrees away from the mat and take 2 long strides.
Mark this spot as the point where the athlete hits the curve.
For a more advanced method of finding an athlete’s optimal ‘intercept point’, click here.
Exercise 4: Setting the Full Run Up
Key Coaching Points
Ensure that you have already marked the athlete’s take off point (established from the Scissors) and curve marker (established in the previous drill).
Ask the athlete to run the high jump run up in reverse, marking where they reach their 7th stride.
This is the spot from which they’ll commence their run up.
Exercise 5: Bar Clearance from a Run Up
Key Coaching Points
The athlete should accelerate towards the bar.
Ensure the final foot plant is at approximately 20 degrees to the bar at take off.
The planted foot should be approximately 70cm along the bar and 70-75cm out from the bar.
The athlete’s body should be at right angles to the bar at take off, holding a tall posture with their body weight above the planted foot.
At the highest point of the athlete’s jump, the line of the athlete’s hips should be parallel to the crossbar and slightly higher than their knees and shoulders.
The athlete should land at the base of their shoulder blades.
The athlete should be landing comfortably within the confines of the high jump mat. If this is not the case, check the approach speed, take off position, take off posture, and mat dimensions.
This should be performed from a 3-6 stride approach initially and performed consistently with the desired technique before using the full approach.