High Jump Drills
Flop into Pit w/out Bar
Reps: 10-20 jumps; decrease as comfort level increases
Purpose
- Develop back-bend sensation of flop technique
- Develop comfort in jumping backward into high-jump pit
Teaching Points
- Stand with back to pit in Hips Tall position.
- Bend at hips while driving arms back.
- Jump up, driving arms up over head.
- Dive, bending back into pit.
- Arms/feet are extended up toward sky.
Points of Emphasis: Jump — don't just fall back
| When to Use: |
- Beginner high jumpers
- Early in practice session
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Flop into Pit w/ Bar
Reps: 10-20 jumps; decrease as comfort level increases
- Develop back-bend sensation of flop technique
- Develop comfort in jumping backward into high-jump pit over bar
Teaching Points
- Stand with back to pit in Hips Tall position.
- Bend at hips while driving arms back.
- Jump up, driving arms up over head.
- Flop over bar, bending back into pit, landing on back.
- Arms/feet are extended up toward sky.
| Points of Emphasis: |
- Need burst of power on takeoff
- Emphasize thrusting hips and arching back
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| When to Use: |
- Beginner high jumpers
- Early in practice session
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High Knee Marching
Reps: 3x30m
Purpose
- Develop push-off of ball of foot
- Develop knee driving action up
Teaching Points
- Drive thigh of the leading leg up to the horizontal.
- Drive up onto ball of supporting foot.
- Work arms, and drive knee upward as powerfully as possible.
Points of Emphasis: Consistency in push-drive action of knee and thigh
When to Use: Warm-up
High Knee Running
Reps: 3x30m
Purpose
- Develop push-off of ball of foot
- Develop knee driving action up while running
Teaching Points
- Run slowly, raising thigh of the lead leg up to the horizontal.
- Drive up onto the balls of feet entire time.
Points of Emphasis: Consistency in push-drive action of knee and thigh
When to Use: Warm-up
Jump to Head a Suspended Ball
Reps: 10x; Decrease as ability and season progress
Purpose
- Increase vertical jumping capacity
Teaching Points
- Suspend a ball 30-60cm above athlete's head.
- Using a three- to five-stride run-up, jump up off the takeoff foot, and hit ball with head.
| Points of Emphasis: |
- Explosive drive off of ball of foot
- Bounding off ground sensation
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When to Use: Early in season
Curve Sprinting
Reps: 10-12 full figure-8 circles
Purpose
- Develop inward lean sensation of "J" approach
- Develop controlled, fast sprinting during approach
Teaching Points
- Sprint in a figure-8 shape
- Curve to left, then to the right, and lean toward inside of curve while sprinting.
Points of Emphasis: Emphasize inward lean maintaining upper body control
When to Use: Warm-up, early in season
Curve Sprinting
Reps: 10x30m
Purpose
- Develop inward lean sensation of "J" approach
- Develop controlled, fast sprinting during approach
Teaching Points
- Sprint from 100-meter finish line into curve on track.
- Run through curve.
- Jog back and repeat.
Points of Emphasis: Emphasize inward lean maintaining upper body control
When to Use: Warm-up, early in season
Pop-ups w/out a Crossbar
Reps: 5x; May decrease as skill level increases
Purpose
- Developing consistent plant, takeoff and arm coordination
Teaching Points
- Take a three- or five-step approach to practice plant, takeoff and arm action.
- See how high the athlete can pop up on each plant.
| Points of Emphasis: |
- Solid plant of takeoff foot
- Explosive takeoff and drive of knee and thigh
- Good lean, looking back over shoulder
- Not riding the bar — bar clearance
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| When to Use: |
- Early in practice session
- Fine-tune technique or mechanics of jump
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Five-step Curve Practice
Reps: 5-10x
Purpose
- Develop consistency in approach
- Develop rhythm in running the curve
Teaching Points
- Keep crossbar low.
- Work on curve, plant and takeoff.
| Points of Emphasis: |
Concentrate on arms and hips as athlete goes up and over bar |
| When to Use: |
- Early in practice session
- Fine-tune technique or mechanics of jump
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