Every time that I have had a conversation with
some triple jump coaches, I have always heard the same thing -that plyometrics
should be used on all jumpers, with this I agree, but the question is- how it
should be used?
When it comes to plyometrics, we have to
consider that each human body reacts differently to any type of training.
Although Plyometric training must be included in
every jumper training program even for beginners, the problem is, and here is
my point of observation, for beginners, these exercises have to be specific for
each athlete. Even professional athletes have to work with specific plyometric
exercises that develop their technique and improve reaction, coordination, the
sense of time and space and distance and also other technical qualities that
will prevent to avoid any type of injury in the future.
As I explained before, each athlete reacts
differently to each exercise, e.g., if we train 2 athletes, we have to take
into account that a reaction exercise (dynamic or static), for one, can
be good, but for the other, it can cause injuries.
So here, our role as a coach is to try to find
or invent an exercise specifically for the other jumper and this exercise has
to have the same objective, which in this case is a reaction exercise.
To become a good triple jumper, you must never
forget to work on the technical foundation of this discipline, and plyometrics,
no matter what must be included in your training programme.
A good foundation will guide the athlete to a
great result. There are different types
of plyometric exercises, such as hard impact exercises, reaction exercises from
the static or dynamic position, etc, and because of the risk attached to these
exercises, they should definitely be done under the supervision of an
experienced coach to avoid any type of injury.
The result of the lack of the technical foundation
of this discipline (in this case speaking of plyometrics) is that unfortunately, you will see many young talented jumpers with bad techniques, and at the end of
the day, most of them will never achieve the results they are dreaming of.
Triple jump is one of the most complicated
technical disciplines in athletics, and therefore it is necessary to have a good
coach who has the experience and knowledge capable of developing a jumper and
taking them to reach their full potential.
