long/triple jump coaching

PAUSATF puts on a "super clinic" every year with a lot of great coaches in all the events. They archive notes from presentations each year, and they can be found below. Lots of good info there

https://www.pausatf.org/coaches/track-field-superclinic/

I used Boo Schexnayder's videos. This looks like it's helpful, but the full DVDs are much better.

http://digitaltrackandfield.com/long-jump-triple-jump-boo-schexnayder-coaching/

Here are 3 tips for you:

1. kids need to generate a pretty powerful vertical force in taking off in the long jump, and they need to learn to generate a more horizontal force in taking off on the hop phase of the triple jump.

2. The takeoff in the step and jump phases in the triple jump is a rebound takeoff, like the pogo style jumping of Masai Warriors. Kids need to understand the difference between the rebound takeoffs and the regular takeoffs which occur in the long jump and in the hop phase of the triple jump.

3. The best workout for the triple jump was designed in the 1950’s by Yuri Verkhoshansky. On a football field, going 20 yards per “pass”, do multijumps for distance. First, multihops, (LLLLLL, then RRRRRR, then do multisteps, LRLRLR, then do multi hop-steps, LLRRLLRR. Do each of these two times, (a total of 52 bounds) working on upright posture, keeping the feet dorsiflexed, and uppercutting with the drive arm.

I have my jumpers do this workout 1-2 times a week - that’s it.

I would use other drills if I thought they were necessary, but in the past 10 years I’ve coached 11 high school state champions, 4 Junior Olympic national champions, 4 Track and Field News High School All-Americans and 4 NCAA D1 All-Americans- all in the triple jump, using just that one workout!

Thank you! This is VERY helpful. A couple things -

How do you find out which foot the initial hop will be off of or is a certain side required?

Also, with middle schoolers, I am aiming more for technique (which your suggestions suffice!) than having them actually do the entire jump in practices. Do you have your athletes do the actual jump at ever practice? Or do they mainly work on sprinting and technique such as the workout by Yuri?

Good questions. Remember that in the triple jump the three takeoffs are either RRL or LLR. It does not matter whether you start with the right or the left foot, athletes can learn to do it either way. Christian Taylor won the 2012 Olympics going LLR, and switched to RRL and won the 2016 Olympics. The LLRRLLRR multi hop-step drill teaches athletes how to do the triple jump starting from either leg, because it has both the LLR and the RRL patterns. (Verkhoshansky was a genius)

Exactly as you suggest, I also have my athletes aim only for technique in practice, we do not do complete jumps into the pit in practice, we just do sprinting and the Verkhoshansky drills on the grass. (This also minimizes shin splints and stress fractures)

Once they learn to do the LLRRLLRR (or RRLLRRLL) drill with good technique and can get some distance, they can triple jump in a meet using a short and slow approach run. Each meet you can speed up and lengthen the approach run slightly as the jumper gains confidence and strength. For example, In 2014 I coached a young man who had jumped 47-10 as a high school junior. I trained him this way and he went 47-11 the first indoor meet with a slow approach. Through the season I gradually sped up his approach and he jumped 48-7, then 48-10, then 49-4, then 49-11. Finally, on his last jump at the State meet I told him to run 100% down the runway and he jumped 50-7.

You're getting good advice for more advanced jumpers. But keep in mind you are coaching middle schoolers. 12 to 14 year olds should definitely not be doing intense plyos and sprint sessions. You can introduce these a bit, but keep it light and mix it up with skills teaching and general athletic games.

You also asked if you should do full jumps every practice. Youshouldn't, 1 to 2 times a week is the most they should be doing full jumps. Maybe 10 to 12 full jumps a week total per week. You can augment with some short approach jumps one day a week as well. For triple jump, 0 to 2 stride approach TJs, for LJ, 2 to 4 stride.

For games, have them replace sprint workouts older athletes might do with cone runs, relays, etc. Replace some jumping drills with jumping over pvc hurdles. Replace weights sessions with two handed medicine ball tosses and box jump. Pair them up and turn it into team competitions.

Middle school kids should also have the opportunity to try other events. Once a week, introduce to them basics of another event, just for exposure and to mix it up.

Having debated with drain the feces swamp before, I know he is generally knowledgable and means well. At what age young kids should start doing intense plyometrics has indeed been a subject of debate. So lets end the confusion.

Full on triple jumping is the most intense plyometric exercise there is. If 12 to 14 year olds should not be doing intense plyometric exercises, then, as a matter of logic, they shouldn't do the triple jump at all.

But if your kids are going to do the event, they need to do less intense plyometric drills to learn how to do it correctly. The Verkoshansky drills on the grass are actually one of the less intense plyometric drills (hurdle hops, depth jumps and box drills are all more intense.)

Cone runs, relays and medicine ball throws are excellent strength and conditioning drills, but they won't teach you how to do the triple jump. The wonderful thing about the Verkoshansky workout is that not only does it work great for teaching technique to beginners, it can also be made more intense so as to continue to benefit more advanced jumpers.

Learning additional events is absolutely the correct approach for developing athletes, but whether 12-14 year old kids should sprint is not a serious topic of debate.

My concern with the plyos is the number of reps. I would keep it to a much lower number with middle school kids. If you're going to do them, I would also suggest keeping them "light." IE: focusing on technique rather than trying to make them powerful.

Triple jump is plyos in disguise, yes.

I wasnt suggesting middle school kids shouldn't do sprints or sprint workout. I was suggesting gamifying them so they're less boring. Hence the relays and cone run suggestions. Those are still sprints.

Drainthefecesswamp’s point that multijump exercises should be performed with an emphasis on technique, as opposed to simply trying to put maximum force into the ground - is absolutely right. I also agree with the principle that one should not do more multijumps than necessary to learn the skill.

Back in the 1970’s we did way too much volume - we bounded the length of the football field (25-30 bounds per” pass”) for a total of over 300 ground contacts in a workout.

The current general consensus is for no more than 100-120 bounds in a plyos session. My advice to the original poster - a single session total of 52 bounds on grass emphasizing technique- is in fact quite “light”.