A strategy for adjusting the distance of the standing long jump in young children.

Abstract

　The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristics required for adjusting the distance of the standing long jump in young children.
　First, participants were instructed to jump as far as they could (max-jump task). Next, they jumped to their selfperceived half-distance (half-jump task). The participants’ actual distances and movements were recorded.
　It was found that the relative value of the half-jump task was about 60% of the max-jump task in both boys and girls. The half-jump task took about 90% of the moving time of the max-jump task. In the half-jump movement, children took off in a more vertical direction than in the max-jump movement, and landed with their knees extended.
　It is concluded that 5-year-old children control their jumping distance by changing the jumping direction in the take-off phase and the positioning of the lower limbs in the landing phase.