"Skilled Development" for any technical event is a key component in the overall training programme
Every jumps coach should possess a large bank of specific and relevant drilled practices to enhance the approach run, the touchdown, the take-off, the flight phase and the landing -
Photograph 1: Some of my youngsters performing basic movement patterns
The ability to spot potential in a novice or beginner jumper is an exciting moment. So what are you going to do about it?
Are you able as a jumps coach to develop skill and maximise the undoubted potential this talented young jumper possesses?
Photograph 2: Working on the touchdown and take-off shape
Technical training programmes must be carefully prepared before any training begins. As a coach you must be able to develop these types of skill programmes. So you must have a good knowledge of your event.
My book contains large sections on how to skill-build effectively. I look at the STRIDE JUMP, the HANG and the HITCH-KICK styles of long jumping.
After having coached jumps for over 30 years I believe that the starting point should be the STRIDE JUMP. All the basic bio-mechanical fundamentals are contained within this simple style. If a young jumper can master this style at a very early age then the transition to hang and hitch-kick is made a lot easier.
To move into a stride jump from a quick approach run is the underpin of jumping long. Many years ago I attended a course in Cheltenham with the great Russian long jumper Igor Ter-Ovanesyan [8.35m] who said that "long jumping is simple running on to the board, and then running off that board".
A stride jump gives the jumper that feeling of continuing beyond the board and the feeling that they have used the speed attained on the runway and kept the loss of speed in the last 6 strides to a minimum.
All the best,
Nigel nigel.lewis2a@virgin.net
NEW
Developing a Skilled Performance
The Whole-Part-Whole Method of developing SKILL
An issue that jumps coaches have concerns with are what are the best methods of practising the skills being learned. Should skills be be presented and practiced in their entirety [whole method] or should they be broken down down into smaller component parts [part method]?
Should some combination of these approaches be used [whole-part or part-whole]? Most coaches who have been involved in sport are familiar with instances when they had to simplify a skill in order to grasp precisely what was required of them. Similarly, many school-chidren are familiar with the days and weeks spent on skills, practices and short routines rather than just playing the game. So, should whole or part methods be the mainstay of coaching practice? Research suggests that the deciding factor has to be the nature of the task which is being learned.
Generally speaking, the whole method is preferable for skills in which elements are performed simultaneously, whereas the part method may be used for skills which are performed sequentially. When using the part method caution should also be taken to ensure that the jumper alos learns to intergrate the part into the whole. Failure to do this may result in destroying the fundamental unity of action.
Drills are essential for developing jumping skills but all coaches must proceed with caution.
Drills are specific and must only be used when the situation arises. They are used to assist in the learning process and MUST have a positive transfer into the whole skill.
So selection of skilled practices/drills is key to development.
Some Essential Long Jump Drills
THE TOUCHDOWN
Possibly a negelected technical component. Touchdown comes before take-off. Take-off in my opinion is 'leaving' the ground. I spend a lot of my coaching time working on the touchdown and have developed a sequential series of skills and drills for it.
Any skilled developmental is hierachial. You begin at the bottom [the base/foundations] and you build very carefully not missing out on the development of every part of the skill.
A technical coach must be able to break down the event into small bits and then be able to link them together to form the whole. The ability to see a weakness in a component part is essential and comes with experience. In order to analyse and then give back relative feedback acoach must have a deep and thorough understanding of the event.
The ability to see 'something' at high speeds and to be able to analyse this 'something' is a coaching skill that takes many, many years to develop.
Touchdown is one aspect of the skill that is very difficult to see when the jumper is coming in very quickly but a trained and developed coaching eye will be able to see:-
the compression [angle] at then back of the knee,
the landing foot on to the board
plus the relative angle of the foot to the shin at the moment of touchdown.
These are 3 essential things a coach should be able to see and comes with experience. If you have the technology to be able to film this then all the bettter.
Nigel March 2010
