I have a question about the, not ever measuring short approach jumps thing…
I have always been used to measuring what i thought to be the best jump during each practice session. Maybe put a marker after each jump, then measure the best one at the end of the session.
This was for a few reasons,
1 – as a performance indicator
2 – to show if you are ready for the new short approach distance in training
3 – to help with goal setting for up and coming meets etc…Without any measuring at all, how does the athlete know what he/she is ready for? or if they are ready for a longer approach in practice?
If you train alone this is the only way you can create competition, but typically I only do this with kids on what I believe is a PR jump being done in practice to boost their confidence and these kids are beginning jumpers who are not very competent. I like the idea of competition without measurement this relates back to one of Vern’s blog postings a while. Although, I don’t see what Vern sees as a huge problem in it being overused. My athletes come to learn my stopwatch and measuring tape are tools for me to control the practice environment unless it’s a test day. IE rest/recovery and pace with the stopwatch and measuring approach/hurdle distance reference marks with the tape. Sometimes I do competitions were we keep records for practice activities, but mostly they are used in terms of competition for testing purposes like a 5 hop test, 5 bound test, 2 x 200/300m relay I use as a relay practice which is Special Endurance related.
As the season progresses your short approaches get longer as you get faster and more competent at hitting the board and this continues to happen your competence and self-confidence grows and you don’t think about the board, but think about the event in general and you know what’s going to happen and how it happens and exactly how you are going to execute the entire jump from start to finish before it even happens.