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[01]Long Jump Penultimate Step

Penultimate step, in detail

Penultimate is longer and lower

The penultimate step should be 3-6 inches lower at the foot strike than the last step. This lowers your center of mass and stores energy for the takeoff.

Ground contact is longer on penultimate

Penultimate step has slightly longer ground contact than other approach strides, you're loading. Then you punch off the takeoff leg fast.

Most long jump errors live here

Approach inconsistency, board accuracy, takeoff angle, all of them are heavily affected by penultimate technique. Fix the penultimate, fix half the rep.

Setup step

Measure your penultimate on video

AI compares your penultimate to the last step on video, length, height, ground contact time. You see the gap, fix it with drills, re-test.

Follow up in chat and ask questions. The AI remembers your analysis and speaks the language of long jump coaching.

  • Free first analysis, no account required
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  • AI chat follow-up on every analysis
Long jumper mid-flight in hitch-kick technique, Track & Field AI frame analysis (penultimate-graded)
Long Jump · Sample analysis “Penultimate step is 4 inches shorter than your average, pushes your takeoff 3 inches behind the board. Extend the penultimate by 3 inches.”
[10]Common questions

Long Jump Penultimate Step FAQ

Common questions athletes and coaches ask about this topic.

How much lower should the penultimate be?
3-6 inches lower than the last step at foot strike. AI measures the difference.
Why is my penultimate the same length as my takeoff step?
You're not loading the penultimate, just running through it. Drill stationary penultimate-takeoff sequences.
Can a bad penultimate ruin a good approach?
Yes. The penultimate is where the approach becomes a takeoff. Get it wrong and the rep is wasted.
[INDEX]More ways to dial in your long jump

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A directory of every long jump page on the site, from broad analysis tools to specific phase deep-dives. Each entry points to a focused write-up.

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Check your penultimate step.

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60s
Time per analysis
Free first analysisNo card
Coaching languagePlain English
Long Jump modelEvent-specific