[markk]

markk on July 14, 2004 at 1:50 am #9535

how long is should a triple jump aproach be? what r sum good drills for a begining triple jumper, i compete in august in the summer games, i've triple jumped once in competition in my life.

[jumpscoachmike]

jumpscoachmike on July 14, 2004 at 3:41 am #30697

The approach is a very individual thing….it varies from athlete to athlete but a rule of thumb is to have an approach that suits your speed and allows you to be at or near top speed when you arrive at the board. If you are a 'slower' athlete and have a runway that is too long, you will slow down as you get to the board and thus hurt your entire jump effort. On the other hand, if your runway is too short you may not reach full speed in time to take off. It is important to err on the shorter side (runway) though and lengthen the approach as you feel necessary.

As a triple jumper, you will need to be mechanically sound in some basic drills like bounding (using both legs alternately) and hopping (both L and R legs). Being able to properly swing your levers (arms and legs) and carry the knees throughout the phases of the jump in the correct manner is very important.

[markk]

markk on July 14, 2004 at 5:21 am #30698

ok, im a 200 runner so i assume ill need a slightly longer aproach,what would be the average number of steps a triple jumper uses, if there is one?

[jumpscoachmike]

jumpscoachmike on July 14, 2004 at 11:07 am #30699

markk, don't get ahead of yourself….because you are a 200m runner does not necessarily mean you'll need a longer approach. In fact, that isn't the way to look at it at all.

Take these things into consideration for the length of your runway approach: the speed you have right now as a sprinter, the amount of time/distance it takes you to reach top speed, and the point at which you are able to control that maximum speed (at your take off board).

You need to realize that a basic 14-16 step approach might be exactly what you need right now as a beginning jumper. I don't know how fast you are so I can't just prescribe a length for your approach. Keep in mind what i said earlier, that you should begin with a shorter approach (start with 14-16 steps) and then if you NEED something longer go with it. It will all take practice and time. Many male jumpers will easily run an approach of 20+ steps…different factors play into it.

[markk]

markk on July 14, 2004 at 9:30 pm #30700

ok thanks, ill just do that and lengthen or shorten it if i have to