The purpose of this study was to explore the utility of an 8-week rope skipping intervention in enhancing standing long jump performance was assessed by means of specific kinematic parameters acquired by 3-D space photography. The fifteen male college students from the physical education institute were randomly recruited as the research subjects. Participants first completed a standing long jump test without rope skipping intervention. Participants subsequently took part in a second standing long jump test after rope skipping training. Two high-speed digital cameras with 100 Hz sampling rate were synchronized to capture the movement. The captured images were processed using motion analysis suite, and the markers attached to joints on images were optical auto capture. Based on the results, the velocity of the center of gravity at take-off and landing were significantly improved. In addition, the study confirmed the requirement for forward tilt of the hip joint at landing to increase the velocity of the center of gravity and hence long jump distance. The detailed kinematic analysis described here provided further evidence of the benefits of integrating non-specialized and specialized training activities to enhance athletic performance and offers a contribution to movement theory and practice.
Keywords: biomechanics; exercise; kinematics; sports performance; strength and conditioning.