My Jumps Blog: Tuesday February 28th 2012

Second week into a very important 6 week training block. Emphasis is on development of speed and reactive strength. We tested at the start of the phase and will test again at its conclusion….

Last evening was devoted to ‘triple jump technical rhythm development’. We did three specific drills…

1. From a short fast approach run the jumpers hopped out  from a flat take-off platform then did 5 hops left – STEP – then 5 hops right. They alternated legs for each rep and did a total of 8 reps. The sum total of high impact landings was 40 per leg. Technical emphasis was on that first contact from the take-off platform; a high cycling action of the hopping leg; active flat-footed landings; an upright upper torso and coordination of the arm action. Its important that when they step after the initial 5 hops that the step be shaped well and looks like a held, wide, split stride….
2. The second drill was similar but instead of hopping out they stepped [stride]. Again; the first landing from the platform is key because of the increased landing forces. If they can limit any unwanted compression and effect an ‘active landing/take-off’ the next 4 steps will benefit. Again, emphasis was placed on good posture and flat, active landings. The number of contacts per rep was 5. They did 5 reps which made a total of 25 high impact landings.
3. The last drill was simply a combination of the first TWO drills. They had a short approach run to the flat take-off platform then did 3 pairs of hop/stepping. The first and last pairing being their dominant side. Its very important for a triple jumper to develop the ‘weaker’ side of the body. This will lead to better stability throughout the phases. We find this drill difficult in its early learning stage. The jumpers have to ‘think’ throughout the duration. But once learned and mastered is a great drill for overall triple jump development. The number of contacts was 18 [ 3 sets of 3 pairings]…

NOTE: The total number of high impact landings/contacts was under a 100. I never go beyond a 100 contacts with younger triple jumpers because of the danger of injury. Once they are technically more efficient and can handle the loading’s only then will I increase contacts to approx 130-150.

We concluded with 6 very fast runs to 50mts from a roll-on. Emphasis was on ‘posture and mechanics’….

Our next session is not until Thursday where we will do short approach work from 8-10 strides..

Take a look at Henry Frayne [Australia] jumping a pb of 8.27m in the Syndey Classic very recently. Along with Mitchell Watt – Australia are becoming quite a force in world long jumping…

My Jumps Blog: Monday February 27th 2012

Trained yesterday at the Cardiff Athletics Stadium. Weather was glorious…..

Back to basics for a few weeks: Triple Jumpers working on the transition from the step landing into the jump phase. Not unduly concerned with the jump landing but insisted they land in a low crouched position in the sand. If they can do this well then we can start looking at putting a leg chute on the end.

• Used ‘my toys’…..low SAQ hurdles, flat take-off platforms and of course lots of ‘chalk marks’ on the runway.

Long jumpers working on that slight sink of the hips on the penultimate step. Must never be coached. Simply ask the jumper to place a flat foot on to the runway on the last but one stride. This will automatically [and naturally] lower the centre of mass by a ‘few’ centimetres.

NOTE: All the way down the runway the jumper has been ‘up on his toes’ – so the placing of the non-take-off foot FLAT on to the runway will result in a slight lowering….

For a complete change we all did some high jumping. Worked on layout – getting an extended hip position above the bar and holding it…

Worked on the dynamic vertical drive of the inside thigh..

Finished with some short approach jumps.

• Concluded the session with a series of explosive rebounds with jump into pit x 10

POSTSCRIPT: One of our group was placed 7th in the AAA’s U20 Men’s Long Jump in Birmingham with a leap of 6.80m….

My Jumps Blog: Saturday February 25th 2012

This is the first of a series of FOUR simple technical drills I use to introduce the basic movement patterns of the hop and step phase…..

Others to follow soon….

My Jumps Blog: Tuesday February 21st 2012

Started a new 6 week programme last evening at Cardiff Athletics Stadium.

• Major objective to develop eccentric strength development as well as technical development…

Began with TWO tests -

1. 3 x 5 spring jumps
2. 3 x 5 hops [dominant leg only]  * [all the group posted new pb's]

There followed a series of specific drills to develop both the jumper’s technical ability and eccentric strength development.

Drill 1: Short run on to 10cm flat take-off platform – hop from platform on to a ‘jump pad’ which was positioned 2mts away – on landing on the pad the jumpers accelerated away. Great drill for developing the hop landing…[10 reps]

Drill 2: As above but now the jumpers followed the hop landing with a step phase over a low SAQ hurdle…[10 reps]

Drill 3: High double footed jump on to platform [to pre-load] – drive up and land in front of SAQ hurdle [the concept of load it and use it] – then land on two feet followed by a very fast 30mt acceleration run..[10 reps]

 

My Jumps Blog: Monday February 20th 2012

A good weekend. Went to the last of a series of three UWIC [Cardiff] Indoor Athletic Open Meetings. Not a great fan of indoor athletics but they are useful guide when monitoring and assessing your training programme.

I’ve spent the last two weeks working very hard with my two young triple jumpers. We’ve been working on the development of the hop and step phase using a series of highly specific drills….

Both jumpers needed to ‘shape’ the step phase and be able to ‘float’ the step and hold on a little longer to this phase. We had also been working on taking speed in to the hop and keeping the take-off angle low [10 degrees]…

Coupled with constantly reminding them both that the hop landing is absolutely crucial we approached this last open meeting with high expectancy.

GREAT RESULT…

Bethan whose pb was 10.51 broke this distance FIVE times!!! She finished with a new personal best of 10.79m

Kyle whose pb was 11.41 broke this disance THREE times!! He finished with 11.73m

Well done to both of them.

But now its back to MORE hard work…..

My Jumps Blog: Monday February 13th 2012

Trained yesterday at Cardiff Athletics Stadium. Weather quite good. I did say that our indoor season had finished but we’ve decided that some of the group would compete in the last UWIC Open Meeting next Sunday. The triple jumpers have been working on a series of new development drills so we need to see if here has been any positive transfer into the whole skill..

Also, one of the group is competing in the England U20′s LJ Competition at the end of the month in Sheffield.

I’ll try to post a short video of the triple jump drills we’ve been working on…..

 

My Jumps Blog: Friday 10th February 2012

Trained last night in the ‘rain and cold’ at Cardiff Athletics Stadium…..

• Worked on eccentric strength development:

The session was based around THREE specific drills…..

NOTE All the jumpers had a short run-on, taking off into the first contact from a 10cm flat, take-off platform….so the emphasis was on that first contact and encouraged them to ‘drive’ out into the next hop or bound.

1. Repetitive bounding over 30mts x 6 with a two minute recovery between reps. Each jumper averaged about 12 ‘steps’ over the distance. There was also emphasis on the technical aspects an movement patterns…
2. Repetitive hopping [left and right] x 3 per leg. This was done over 20 metres….
3. Repetitive hop/stepping. This is quite a complex drill with a high skill level. It was the first time the jumpers had done it. By the 4th/5th and 6th rep I could see a huge improvement in technique. In a few weeks the drill will really have an impact on specific strength enhancement and technical skilled development.
4. Finished with 4 very fast runs to 50mts with a slow walk recovery.

POSTSCRIPT..

“Work!Work!Work! Anyone can train and get tired. But, a very big but is it really training? Are you making them better or making them tired?”

• Last evenings training unit was all about QUALITY and not QUANTITY. I never include more than 150 contacts when doing a plyometric training unit..

My Jumps Blog: Thursday February 9th 2012

TWO QUOTES FROM GAMBETTA 2012…

‘Tough to learn-What you don’t do in training may be just as important as what you actually do. Can’t do everything, so do what you do WELL!’…

‘In a new situation you can change training but to no effect until you change culture. Changing training is easy, changing culture is not’….

I’ve had new members in my group for a few months….It’s only now that they are acting, thinking and applying like jumpers…..

My Jumps Blog: Triple Jump Film Clip. 7th Feb 2012

Below is a short film clip of Bethan [one of my jumps group] winning the Under 17 age group Triple Jump Title at the recent Welsh Indoor National Championships held at the National Indoor Athletics Centre in Cardiff…

Bethan is only in her first serious winter preparation for the triple jump. This is just a part of a 4 year development plan…

WORK IN PROGRESS..

My Jumps Blog: Tuesday February 7th 2012

Indoor Season now over – still think that an indoor season gets in the way and hinders preparation for the all-important outdoor season…

BUT got back to the ‘hard graft’ last evening at the Cardiff Athletics Stadium.

We are now starting on a 6 week training block.

Last evening we did…..

1. 3 x 120mts [fast stride for 60mts with a slight increase in speed for the last 60mts..
2. 2 x 90mts [fast stride for 45mts with an increase in speed for the last 45mts..
3. 2 x 70mts [fast stride for 30mts with an increase in speed for the last 40mts...

• 5 mins recovery -  followed by a series of 'fast reactive rebound drills' using SAQ hurdles and one competition hurdle....[approximately 100 contacts - mostly low impact but the major objective was to attain maximum height from minimal leg flexion...

We then did a series of specific tests...

• From a stand: 5 hops left and 5 hops right [set of 2]…ALL MEASURED
• 1 x 5 Spring Jumps with a pause to adjust between each spring jump…MEASURED
• From a 6 stride approach: 3 steps and a jump into the pit [set of 3]…MEASURED

Concluded with a set of 3 very fast runs up the stadium stairs [approximately 40 steps]…

In due course I’ll post a few short film clips of the group working.