Olympics, Long jump? Do you think that a long jumper would go further if they done a somersault as they were?

Question

going through the air?

I just tried it and I went right over the fence into next doors garden.

Answer 1

Think about it... What actual difference would turning round in the air make?

well... I can't think of anything...but then again i'm usually wrong...

Answer 2

One of these days a long jumper will take off and rise 20ft in the air and will jump out of the pit. I am amazed that some of the african natives who jump huge heights have not been invited to train for both the long jump, high jump and hop, step and jump. Surely their natural advantages would make them very competitive. I can also see a time when some athletes will be able to take a " banned " drug just before they compete in their event and the effect will wear off as soon as they finish. Could well be there already.

Answer 3

nope. if you tried to do a front flip in the long jump you would drop your chest which would pull you down. then your distance wouldnt be as good. the long jumpers at the olympics drive up then drive forward using something called a hitch kick. this is the best way to get distance and height.

as well, if you wanted to land a front flip without falling backwards, you need to go high rather than long. if you tried to go for distance is a front flip you would end up falling backwards causing your distance to be really poor.

Answer 4

Probably because when you do a flip you usually move forward but if your not high enough it would hurt!

Answer 5

Nope but I think if you done hand flips you might go higher in the high jump

mmm maybe the high jump off a trampoline or a spring board for the long jump and I might ask you how come those people that play with a ball in the sand pit how come they don't get sand in their eyes ahh there are so many questions in sport my last one is who dug up Barry Davis (hockey) and did they give him the kiss of life or just attache him to the grid  

Answer 6

I disagree. Long jumps measure how far you jump horizontally. Executing a somersault would just add unnecessary effort.  

Answer 7

No, because any energy spent performing the motion of the somersault would be energy that could have been devoted to the forward jump.  Plus you have the issue of wind resistance - the shape that the long jumper's body would take while somersaulting would also not be the best for moving forward through the air.

It's possible, depending on how they land, that they may gain a slight increase, as opposed to a case where they land on their feet and then fall backward onto their butt, but in general somersaulting is not a good idea during a long jump.