[WATCH] Boo Schexnayder Dissects Effective Starts in the Horizontal Jumps

“The most important aspect of the start, besides the mechanical efficiency,” says Coach Boo Shexnayder, “is that it has to be consistent. And the only way to make it consistent is to make it simple.” 

In today’s video, Irving “Boo” Shexnayder,  breaks down approach starts for the horizontal jumps. 

These past few months, Shexnayder has been educating a group of track & field coaches who signed up for the Ascent Track “Season in Full” Workshop – an interactive workshop series that teaches coaches everything they need to know to successfully coach a particular event group throughout the season (Shexnayder is coaching both the jumps and hurdles workshops). 

In this extended video clip, he dives into the intricate mechanics of the approach start in the horizontal jumps, with a focus on keeping it consistent and simple. 

In it, you’ll learn the two main types of starts he deems acceptable: the traditional two-point crouch start and the rollover start. While acknowledging variations in approach, Schexnayder stresses the significance of maintaining a simple and effective technique to ensure optimal performance.

Another key aspect you’ll learn is the positioning of the body during the start:  the importance of proper stance width, shin angles, and body folding to generate power effectively. By dissecting these components, Schexnayder provides valuable guidance on how athletes can optimize their starting position to achieve maximum power and efficiency:

Throughout the video, Schexnayder offers insights into the nuances of each type of start, emphasizing the importance of weight distribution, ankle flexion, and hip extension in generating propulsion and maintaining the balance between vertical and horizontal propulsion. 

If you like what you see and want to learn more, make sure to check out Ascent Track Workshops and Clinics. Schexnayder is our featured speaker and will be leading ‘coaches only’ classroom sessions at the Ascent Track & Field Clinics at Columbia University (June 29-30), George Mason University (July 13-14) and Harvard University (July 20-21).