The Long Jump
The current World Record Holder for the Long Jump is Mike Powell (Philly proud), who jumped 8.95 m (29 ft 4 1⁄4 in) at the 1991 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Recently, in 2018, Juan Miguel Echevarría, a 19-year old long jumper from Cuba, soared through the air for 28’11.63” setting a new record in the Diamond League.
❗️BREAKING❗️
— Jumpers World (@jumpersworld_) June 10, 2018
19 year old @juanmiguelechevarri just jumped 8️⃣.8️⃣3️⃣m (28’11.63”) +2.1 today at the Diamond league!! It is the furthest jump ever produced in any conditions since 1995!! pic.twitter.com/uZ8ojqY9oK
In both cases…
Did you notice it?
Did you see how many steps they took before the long jump?
There’s a metaphor here.
Even before giant leaps forward, you still need to take a huge number of small steps. And not just right before the long jump, but in the days, weeks, months, and years before it.
Mike Powell was 28 when he broke a World Record that stood for the previous 23-years. Let’s assume Powell began running and jumping at a very early age of 5, right as the prior World Record was being set. How many small steps and long jumps must he have taken until that day in 1991 where he set a record that is still unbroken?
Olympic athletes train like no one else. They focus on every tiny detail in their technique. They refine raw talent into world-class performance.
Unfortunately, we often see the long jump but ignore all of the critical small steps leading up to it. If you want the long leaps, refine the technique of your small steps.