Straddle technique in high jump

Answer 1

If you are asking, "Is the straddle technique the best way to high jump?" the answer is probably "no". (In the straddle technique the jumper kicks his lead leg over the bar and then flattens his front side along the top of the bar as he flips over).

Almost all world class high jumpers use the "Fosbury Flop."

In both techniques the idea is to get the "center of gravity" to go over the bar but as low as possible.

In the flop, by going over the bar on one's back and arching the back so the head, shoulders, upper trunk, and trailing lower legs are actually below the bar it seems to be possible to clear the bar, but have one's center of gravity actually go under the bar.