As someone who jumped for many years in ASICS high jump shoes I have to agree with Denis that if you are a left foot take-off high jumper you can't do better than the ASICS high jump shoe.  Not that you can't get a right foot take-off shoe.  I'm an online retailer for ASICS and my experience is that it takes about 3-4 weeks for me to get a right foot take-off high jump shoe from Japan.  That shoe retails $40 higher plus the shipping is outrageous if I'm just ordering 1 pair.  I have a couple people who are interested for this spring and I'm about to submit an order.  If we have multiple pairs shipped it's much less expensive per pair.

 

The next best shoe, IMHO, is the Mizuno high jump shoe.  On the other end of the spectrum, the Nike high jump shoe, along with every other technical shoe they "make", is pure crap and I would absolutely encourage you to run as fast and as far away from them as you can.  Adidas is probably next best after Mizuno.

 

I used my own strides and my "sense" of straight ahead for years to measure my approach.  I don't recommend it to any of my athletes because the approach is so critical for young jumpers to get right that their success or failure could easily hang in the balance.  Once you have your approach "down" you really should have two measuring tapes so you can "triangulate" your approach every time for total confidence that it's measured precisely and correctly at each jumping opportunity. 

 

Many high school high jump aprons are situated on an angle and it's just impossible to determine by sight what "straight back" is.  If you're questioning your position during your approach you're not thinking about the execution of your final 4 steps and you certainly aren't using your arms correctly because experience has taught me that the moment a conscious thought comes into a jumper's mind on the way to the bar their arms drop precipitously to the point of being useless.  I always know when my jumpers are thinking about something on the way to the bar.

 

If you aren't finding what you need in terms of training and technical advice here please feel free to go to my website and click on the "Motivational and Training Programs" link.  I have a lot of different training programs that have helped many jumpers maximize their potential.

 

Best of luck this season.

 

 

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [HJ] Hey... A Bit of Help... In General
From: "denis doyle" <denis@...>
Date: Mon, January 08, 2007 8:50 am
To: <highjump@yahoogroups.com>

Most world class athletes use their feet as well - no time for tapes!!

 

If you are a left foot takeoff I can recommend ASICS as a good shoe but you do really want to try a few makes if you can to find the most comfortable fit for your feet. The need to feel very secure around your heel so that you feel stable and supported in the shoe at plant.

 

Start by looking back through the archives. There really is a HUGE amount of solid sensible and useful information there. And it is worth the effort - count it as part of training :-)

 

Denis Doyle

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: chocoholic10101

To: highjump@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Sunday, January 07, 2007 6:10 AM

Subject: [HJ] Hey... A Bit of Help... In General

Alright, so I just sort of stumbled across this and I have to say I'm
really excited. I'm a Junior in High School and I adore high jump. I
went to State last year and I have to say that I realized I got there
purely on luck and a lot of praying to God apparently... I didn't have
high jump shoes, I measured my approach out in feet (literally one foot
in front of the other) instead of a tape measure... And my coach
basically abandons me.

So my Mom promised to get high jump shoes and I have no idea if any are
better than the other. Any help on that or just general ideas of how to
get into shape for the '07 Track season would be great.