Does swing leg braking matter in long jump take-off? A 3-D kinematic analysis based on elite athletes

The objective of this study was to explore the braking technical characteristics of the swing leg of elite male athletes in long jump take-off and its dependencies on the extension velocity of the support leg and the balance. Two cameras were used to capture 8 elite male long jump athletes (25.88 ± 3.00 years) under competitive conditions at a National Indoor Athletic Championships Final, a 3-D kinematic analysis method was conducted to analyze the take-off technique of the athletes. The results showed that the rapid braking of the swing leg increased the extension velocity of the support leg. Compared to the swing leg that started braking at the moment of maximum knee flexion of the support leg (SPKnee maximum flexion moment), athletes' performance was greater when swing leg started braking at the moment of maximum ankle flexion of the support leg (SPAnkle maximum flexion moment). Furthermore, the swing leg exhibited an inward movement during its forward swing, and the inward angle was significantly correlated with the balance maintenance (r = - 0.50,P = 0.004). In conclusion, a relatively delayed rapid braking and moderate inward movement of the swing leg during the take-off phase are conducive to achieving a better take-off effect in long jump.