Learn the phases in order
Don't try a full rep on day one. high jump is a sequence, each phase its own skill. Master phase 1 before phase 2, before the full rep. AI tells you which phase needs the most work right now.
Starting high jump is mostly about not grooving in habits you'll have to break later. Here's where to start, which phases to learn first, the form errors to recognize before they become permanent, and how to use AI form check from rep one.
Don't try a full rep on day one. high jump is a sequence, each phase its own skill. Master phase 1 before phase 2, before the full rep. AI tells you which phase needs the most work right now.
The mistakes beginners make are predictable. The same form errors show up in week 1 of every athlete's high jump. The earlier you catch them, the easier the fix, six months in is too late.
Your first month of high jump should be on video. Even bad reps. AI gives you the same coaching notes a real coach would, but available immediately, on every rep, not just the ones a coach happened to be watching.
Beginners benefit most from form check, not most experienced athletes, because catching errors early prevents the months of un-grooving later. Film your first reps, get the AI's read, fix what's small while it's small.
Follow up in chat and ask questions. The AI remembers your analysis and speaks the language of high jump coaching.
The progression below is conservative. the goal is to groove correct technique before bar height becomes a goal. Every week ends with a video re-test against the previous week to confirm the pattern is sticking.
Approach-only drills, no jumping. Goal: J-curve shape.
Penultimate-step drills + free-leg drives. No bar.
5-step approach + jumps over low bar. Goal: clearance form.
Full approach + jumps. Goal: takeoff timing.
Competition heights. Refine arch and clearance.
Speed in the curve, deeper penultimate, optimize takeoff angle.
These drills come from coaching practice (Dahlman, Petrov-Bubka tradition, Slippery Rock camps). Each card lists the phase it targets, the method, what to watch for, and a prescribed rep volume.
Approach shape, lean, consistent start mark.
Run the full J-curve approach without jumping. Mark every penultimate-step landing.
Drift on early strides; insufficient lean.
CoM lowering in the penultimate step.
From a 4-step approach, exaggerate the penultimate-step depth. Low penultimate, high takeoff.
Penultimate same height as other steps.
Free-leg knee drive at takeoff.
From a single step, drive the free knee high while jumping. No bar.
Free leg passive (no swing).
Hip-thrust arch over the bar.
From a low box, drop back into a back arch over a soft surface. No bar.
Arching too early; head leading instead of hips.
Primary sources behind the numbers and methods on this page.
Five common questions about high jump that come up in coaching.
A directory of every high jump page on the site, from broad analysis tools to specific phase deep-dives. Each entry points to a focused write-up.
Download the app. Film a rep. See what the AI sees. Free first analysis, no card, no account required.