What happens in that one tenth of a second on the ground? How to turn approach speed into height — foot plant, hips and arm drive.
The honest answer first: the takeoff lasts only the blink of an eye — but it decides the whole jump. In that one brief ground contact, you have to convert your entire approach speed into vertical velocity. Miss that moment and even the most beautiful flight phase won't save you.
What matters technically in that blink is reactive strength — how fast your leg can generate force while the foot only briefly touches the ground. That exact quality (measured as the Reactive Strength Index, RSI) is closely linked to jump height and leg speed and can be trained specifically (more in the strength guide).
Important for beginners: the takeoff builds directly on the last approach step. A flat, active foot plant with an upright torso — as described in the approach guide — is the prerequisite for any force arriving here at all. Without a clean last step, even the best takeoff attempt fizzles out.
Your takeoff foot plants flat and active, slightly ahead of your center of mass. Landing on the toes also brakes you but gives you barely any control over takeoff direction — you want to actively grip the ground, not just touch it.
One of the most common mistakes is leaning too far back on the last step. That forces your lower back to absorb heavy braking forces, keeps the foot on the ground too long and tips you toward the bar instead of rising above it. Stay deliberately upright, as if leaning your back against an invisible wall.
The actual height gain comes from a fast, complete hip extension: straighten the takeoff leg, drive the hip up and forward. This extension is the moment horizontal approach speed converts into vertical jump height.
Both arms swing powerfully upward at the moment of takeoff — this briefly increases ground reaction force and thus takeoff height. A limp, uncoordinated arm swing wastes centimeters that can cost you the bar in the end.
If you're already leaning toward the bar at takeoff, you're trying to rotate too early — that's wrong. Rotation happens only in the air, not while you're still pushing off. Stay upright at takeoff itself; the rotation comes on its own afterward.
The takeoff is the phase with the highest load on ankle, knee and lower back. A warm-up that specifically activates these structures (ankle mobility, core stability) noticeably lowers injury risk.
Practice takeoff technique first at low heights without a bar, for example as pure jumps into a soft landing mat. Only once foot plant and hip extension are automatic do you increase the height.
Give yourself a small reminder: "Long, not fast." Many beginners rush the last steps instead of deliberately lengthening the penultimate one and actively planting the last one. Calm tempo with clean mechanics almost always beats frantic speed.
A flat, active foot plant, an upright torso and a fast, complete hip extension, supported by a powerful arm drive. This combination efficiently converts approach speed into vertical height.
Because it shifts braking forces into the lower back, keeps the foot on the ground too long and tips you toward the bar instead of over it. An upright torso is a prerequisite for a clean, high takeoff.
Only after you've left the ground, not during the takeoff itself. If you already lean toward the bar while pushing off, you're trying to start the rotation too early — that costs takeoff height and control.
Realistically several months of regular training. The takeoff is the technically most demanding phase of the whole jump because several movements have to fit together exactly within a fraction of a second.
High Jump: Arching Over the Bar