Rules: The jumping pit was
roughly 50 feet long. On one side of the pit was a fixed point called the
bater. The bater was the point from which all jumps were
measured. The length of the jump was recorded with a wooden rod called a
kanon. One difference between the ancient and the modern jumper was
that the former gained his forward acceleration by running up and swinging the
weights. A jumper held onto the weights until the end of his flight, when he
jettisoned them backwards. Then, he came down on the soil with his feet
together.
Characteristics of a Good Jumper:
A good jumper needed to be able to achieve great speed within the limited
runway distance. Power was important because a good spring off the bater was
necessary to achieve distance for the jump. Coordination was also essential.
This included figuring out and executing the synchronization of kicking, of
swinging the arms, and of throwing the weights into the air.
Additional Information: The
jump was considered one of the most difficult of the original Olympic events,
principally because of the timing and coordination. For this reason, the jump
was at times accompanied by a flute player, whose sounds underlined the rhythm
and musical flow of a properly executed jump.
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