People
keep asking me the same question every time- why is it so difficult to improve
distance in triple jump when they train 5 days a week and they train really
hard?
I
had been doing research in different European countries about why it is so
difficult for a woman to jump even over 13.50 and the men 16 or 16.50m.
Triple
jump is not an easy athletics discipline, therefore a good training program
guided by a coach with extensive knowledge specialized in triple jump is
fundamentally necessary.
Although
in Europe there are good coaches specialized in this discipline, there is a
lack of practical knowledge and experience amongst some of them.
When
a coach selects an athlete to be a jumper, the first thing to do is start
working with the special triple jump base. When I talk about the base, I am
talking about to improving development and the quality of athlete through
special exercises such as those shown in the examples below;
Here
I want to give you an example of what you can do to work with your athletes. Remember
as a coach you have to make your own training program for each athlete.
1-
To
improve coordination, rhythm and explosiveness, exercises between high and low
hurdle,
2-
To
improve distance, series of jumps uphill, also exercises between hurdles and
cones with different distances
3-
To
improve time and space, series of jumps down hill
4-
To
improve reaction time, box plyometric (statics)
5-
To
improve the speed between the jumps, box plyometric exercises with speed. (plyometric
speed has to be made also on the track so fast as you can but with rhythms)
There
are so many exercises you can use but it is up to you to look for those that
they are suitable for the athlete.
I
want to explain to you that before the athlete starts working with those
exercises, to avoid injury the athlete has to work with different exercises to
strengthen the ankles, knees and natural physical strength. This work should be
performed in different types of surfaces like grass, sand, tarmac and pavement
(exercise on pavement can only be done
under an experienced coach)
It
is also very important to work with gymnastic exercises to improve the posture of
the athlete as well as the positions of the legs in each flight phase.
Something
very important that has to be in every training program of each athlete, is the
continuous work of core exercises with medicine balls and others equipment for
strengthening the hips and body stability and a special weight circuit for
triple jump, done in the weight room.
I
hope this information has been of help, and if any of you have any questions,
please let me know.
