Should I wear high jump spikes to improve my performance?

Have you been high jumping in normal shoes, running spikes or even barefoot? Do you think that investing in high jump spikes will improve your performance?

To excel in high jump, you want to have the right apparel that will allow you to train and perform effectively. BUT, upgrading to high jump spikes won’t automatically make you a better high jumper.  And in a lot of cases, making the switch to high jump spikes can be difficult for many athletes.

The mold of the shoe fits differently to other shoes that you are used to wearing. It might feel uncomfortable and interfere with your high jump run-up. You might need a period where you can “break them in”, so you will start performing better.

One thing that I wouldn’t recommend is wearing athletic spikes for the first time while doing high jump.

What can you expect from investing in high jump spikes?

High jump shoes contain extra spikes in the heel. This is very handy if you need to high jump in wet conditions as it can help to prevent you from slipping.  Additionally, when you are making your approach to the bar, you can attack the jump with more speed and transfer it into vertical height.

Do all elite high jumpers wear athletics spikes?

Not all of them have actually. Ivan Ukhov of Russia actually jumped in normal running spikes because he felt more comfortable in them. He cleared 2.41m during his high jumping career.

Here is video footage of him jumping over 2.40m in sprinting spikes.

Ivan Ukhov clears 2.41m wearing normal running spikes.

Here’s a few videos of some people doing the high jump without athletics spikes.

2m High jump with Jordan basketball shoes.

Here is a video of Thomas Zacharias clearing 2.10m using the straddle technique without spikes.

2.10m straddle without spikes.

And here he is years later doing the straddle bare-foot in his garden, and still clearing 1.75m.

You can choose to wear high jump spikes, but remember that they will only give you more support when doing the jump. If you want to improve your athletic performance, you will need to improve the overall athletic condition of your body.

Should you decide to invest in high jump spikes, make sure you invest in the right high jump shoes that will give you comfort, flexibility and ankle support.

Here are a few that you can purchase on Amazon, which should help with your high jump performance.

Asics

Adidas

Nike (Only in small at the moment)

Saucony

You can also click here to buy high jump spikes on VS Athletics.

Have you tried to jump without spikes? How did you find it? How high did you get?

Are there any high jump spikes that you preferred to jump in? Or did you jump in some different shoes? Let me know in the comment section below.

Bonus

If you’re interested in jumping higher, you can purchase my high jump training program that I used to jump over 2m. It’s available for $4.99. 

Click here to buy it now. 

If you would like to learn more about the high jump, you can purchase our high jump drills ebook for $9.99.

We also offer a complete bundle that will help you improve your vertical jump, diet & nutrition, mental cues, and high jump training. Individually, this would cost $59.94, but is available for $30 (Save $29.94)

Click here to buy it now.

Featured image credit: Start Fitness