Approach too close (bar hits chest or hip)
Most common. You're taking off too close to the bar, hitting the bar on the way up. The fix is moving your takeoff point 4-12 inches farther from the bar. AI flags takeoff distance.
Hitting the bar in high jump is rarely about height. It's almost always one of five form mistakes. Each one shows up at a specific point in the jump, and each one has a drill that fixes it. Below: the diagnostic tree, plus how to verify the fix on video.
Most common. You're taking off too close to the bar, hitting the bar on the way up. The fix is moving your takeoff point 4-12 inches farther from the bar. AI flags takeoff distance.
Trail leg lazily folds under instead of snapping up. The fix is trail-leg drills: high-knee scissor over a low bar, then full Fosbury with a focus on the trail leg.
Your back arches after the head and shoulders are over, instead of in sequence with them. Drill the J-curve and bar-clearance arch separately, slow-motion first.
The bar tells you exactly which part of the jump failed. Film one attempt side-on, AI catches the frame where the bar got hit and tells you which mechanic broke. Fix the frame, re-test.
Follow up in chat and ask questions. The AI remembers your analysis and speaks the language of high jump coaching.
Common questions athletes and coaches ask about this topic.
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.