Straddle technique

With this clearance position, the straddle has a mechanical advantage over the western roll, since it is possible to clear a bar that is higher relative to the jumper's center of mass.

With the parallel straddle, the lead leg is kicked high and straight, and head and trunk pass the bar at the same time.

Charles Dumas, the first high jumper to clear 2.1 metres (7 ft), and John Thomas (silver medalist at the 1964 Summer Olympics) used this technique.

After Yashchenko and Ackermann, all world record holders and Olympics medalists in high jump have used the flop style.

In 1993, an American high jumper Steve Harkins brought back the straddle style in the Master's division, beating a 'flopper' at the World Championships in Miyazaki, Japan.

At 2.013 metres (6 ft 7+1⁄4 in) at the U.S. National Championships in Bozeman, Montana; in March 1993, Harkins was the last jumper ever in the Master's to have used the straddle style, breaking the World Record that day.