When the Triple Jump Becomes the “Cripple Jump”**

**So You Want to Take Up the Triple Jump?

When the Triple Jump Becomes the “Cripple Jump”**

By Stuart Dempster

One of the most extraordinary world records in athletics is the men’s Triple Jump mark of 18.29 metres, achieved in August 1995 at the World Championships in Gothenburg by Jonathan Edwards.

(see video link to see 2 world records in subsequents rounds!).

To put that into perspective, it is the equivalent of a 6-metre hop, 6-metre step, and 6-metre jump — consecutively. The next time you’re at a track, measure it out and try it yourself. On paper it sounds almost impossible — yet when Edwards performed it, it looked effortless.

That effortlessness, however, is deceptive.

What is often overlooked is how Edwards arrived at that performance.

He did not specialise early. In fact, he only began serious triple-jump-specific training at around 20 years of age, initially with just one session per week — an age when many athletes have already burned out or retired.

As a schoolboy, Edwards participated in sport simply for enjoyment. He played a variety of sports through his physical education curriculum and initially aspired to play rugby for England, though his slight build ruled that out. Athletics was part of a broad sporting exposure, not an early specialisation pathway.

He would go on to compete in four Olympic Games, winning silver and then gold at Sydney 2000 — a career built on patience, progression, and long-term development.

Triple Jump: A Health Warning

It is essential that coaches, parents, and athletes understand the realities of this event — particularly when dealing with young, developing athletes.

Children and adolescents can continue growing physically up to around 18 years of age. During this time, the growth plates at the ends of the long bones are relatively soft and vulnerable. Crucially, these growth points do not always show on standard X-rays, meaning damage can occur long before it is detected.

Biomechanical research has consistently shown that the ground reaction forces in the triple jump can reach approximately 14 to 22 times bodyweight — on a single leg.

To put this into context:

A young athlete weighing 50 kg may experience 700–1,100 kg of force through one limb, repeatedly.

Developing bones, joints, and connective tissues are not yet equipped to tolerate these loads safely, especially when exposure is frequent or poorly managed. High-volume triple jump training in youth athletes significantly increases the risk of:

Stress fractures

Growth plate injury

Chronic joint issues

Premature withdrawal from sport altogether

This is not theoretical. It is something many coaches have witnessed repeatedly.

A Smarter Alternative

There is a better option.

The standing triple jump provides an excellent developmental alternative. It promotes coordination, rhythm, and leg strength without the extreme impact forces generated by the run-up.

It is easy to organise, removes frustration around board accuracy, and allows young athletes to experience the movement pattern safely. Most importantly, it respects the athlete’s stage of physical and psychological development.

This is a classic example of why we must adapt the activity to suit the child — not force the child to fit the activity.

The triple jump is not a children’s event. It is an event for physically and psychologically mature athletes, introduced at the right time, in the right doses.

Summary

✅ Triple jump produces exceptionally high impact forces, placing significant stress on lower-limb bones and joints, particularly during landing phases.

✅ Repetitive exposure to these forces can lead to bone fatigue and stress fractures if loading is not carefully managed.

✅ Adolescents have unique skeletal vulnerabilities due to growth plates and ongoing development.

✅ Youth landing mechanics often result in higher relative impact loads than adults, increasing injury risk without adequate strength and neuromuscular preparation.

Long-term athlete development is not about holding athletes back —
it is about ensuring they are still standing when it matters most

2 x world record jumps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zwUZEFk7WE