Aging straddle-high jumpers, a question for you...

[jhc68]

This is a limited demographic (HJSteve, Per, maybe gh, and a few others!)

Can you still stand in a standard doorway, swing your lead leg through and kick the top of the door frame?

I can, but barely and at great risk of injury!!!

[Marlow]

Re: Aging straddle-high jumpers, a question for you...

This is a limited demographic (HJSteve, Per, maybe gh, and a few others!) Can you still stand in a standard doorway, swing your lead leg through and kick the top of the door frame? I can, but barely and at great risk of injury!!!

Ha! I was a straddler as a junior in HS. I was doing the bent knee lead long before Matzdorf. I was . . . dreadful: 5'4. Taught myself to flop as a senior, went, 6', one inch off the school record! I continued to straddle in practice as part of my warm-up, made 5'6 at best. I could NEVER, including in HS, kick the top of a door frame!!! I could, however, hurdle a 4'6' crossbar!

[Dietmar239]

I am a flopper, but did kick a ceiling fan hanging from an 8.5' ceiling once.

[marknhj]

I am a flopper, but did kick a ceiling fan hanging from an 8.5' ceiling once.

The closest encounter I've had with a ceiling fan was in Orlando, 1990. Jumped up off my hotel bed when England scored in the 119th minute of their World Cup match against Belgium and almost amputated several fingers.

[Dietmar239]

I am a flopper, but did kick a ceiling fan hanging from an 8.5' ceiling once.

The closest encounter I've had with a ceiling fan was in Orlando, 1990. Jumped up off my hotel bed when England scored in the 119th minute of their World Cup match against Belgium and almost amputated several fingers.

Just think. If you had been warmed up like you were in competition you might have ended up hitting your head on the bed in the room above. Of course, you would have surely lost your fingers then.

[gh]

Am I correct in assuming, jhc68, that your question wasn't one of being able to kick that high with any kind of run, but in still being flexible enough to do it from a stand?

Being short (5-9¼) and horridly unflexible, i could never dream of ever swinging my leg up and doing that.

I could, however, kick a soccer goal's 8-foot crossbar with relative ease (then, not now), albeit being almost upside down at the point of contact!

[lovetorun]

Hey jhc68, you are a marvel in flexibility...but I wouldn't do it again at your age...to great a risk of injury, as you said!

BTW what is your PR? I can't remember, but I'm guessing you got up to about 6-9 (whatever that is in meters...2.08?)

[marknhj]

Being short (5-9¼) and horridly unflexible, i could never dream of ever swinging my leg up and doing that.

Me neither. I think there's a horses for courses element. I could never have been a straddler as I had very limited hip flexibility and tight hamstrings (I could only just touch my toes in my peak). But I had great lower back flexibility which was perfect for flopping.

(Just made an attempt in a doorway and didn't get within a foot. I'll report on damage done when I get back from the emergency room...)

[SQUACKEE]

Being short (5-9¼) and horridly unflexible, i could never dream of ever swinging my leg up and doing that.

Me neither. I think there's a horses for courses element. I could never have been a straddler as I had very limited hip flexibility and tight hamstrings (I could only just touch my toes in my peak). But I had great lower back flexibility which was perfect for flopping.

(Just made an attempt in a doorway and didn't get within a foot. I'll report on damage done when I get back from the emergency room...)

I would think that lower back flexibilty would come in alot more handy in your everyday life than kicking a damn door jam. 8-)

[Per Andersen]

Re: Aging straddle-high jumpers, a question for you...

This is a limited demographic (HJSteve, Per, maybe gh, and a few others!)

Can you still stand in a standard doorway, swing your lead leg through and kick the top of the door frame?

I can, but barely and at great risk of injury!!!

No chance. Would kill myself if I tried. Never used a straight lead leg as a straddler.

[gh]

OK, after some pre-trial stretching I've discovered I can swing my leg and kick..... the door knob.

[lovetorun]

OK, after some pre-trial stretching I've discovered I can swing my leg and kick..... the door knob.

LOL!

[rhymans]

I'm convinced that gh could kick the top of a door - at least after dinner on August 9 (I think) 1983 in Helsinki

[jhc68]

Yes, gh, I should have been more specific. Standing rather than jumping, and holding the sides of the doorway for balance is allowed.

I just re-confirmed that I can still do the deed without becoming physically disabled, yet. If there were just some kind of competition for doorway top kicking I'd be set!

That being said, as Squackee points out, it is a pretty worthless skill in view of the fact that my high jump season best has decreased by about two feet over the years. Maybe it has something to do the the 30 pounds of extra wt. I have added or being 63 years old?

[paulthefan]

Re: Aging straddle-high jumpers, a question for you...

This is a limited demographic (HJSteve, Per, maybe gh, and a few others!)

Can you still stand in a standard doorway, swing your lead leg through and kick the top of the door frame?

I can, but barely and at great risk of injury!!!

For fear of being found dead in the doorway by my loved ones I will not be trying.