Long Jump Drills For Track and Field
The long jump is a very skilled and powerful event in track and field. It requires technique, explosiveness, and speed. To increase your long jump distance you must increase both sprint speed and the ability to transfer kinetic energy into a powerful jump. This drill will help you build power, increase sprint speed and distance in your jump. Let’s take a closer look at the training video below.
How Do You Build Power To Increase Your Long Jump
Plyometrics have been a big part of power training these days in the world of athletics. This specific drill highlights the ability of an athlete to explode vertically off the ground. By transferring your legs during this drill you will build the hip strength required to increase sprint speed and explosiveness off the ground. Over the past decade plyometrics have really started to take over. Research has indicated an increase in power by challenging the body’s stretch reflex. The stretch reflex refers to the time at which your body impacts the ground, the muscle stretch, and then explosively contract. By training this specific sequence of events you will increase your body‘s ability to produce more power.
In the video above you have seen this clearly. The athlete lands on the ground and loads his muscles. Next, the athlete has increased his output potential from the load give into his body on the way down. As he impacts the ground, he then can use this built-up kinetic energy to explode off the ground with more power. When you are completing this drill it is important that you get back off the ground as quickly as you landed. If you land and hesitate, you will lose the kinetic energy built from the jump.
Increase Speed To Increase Your Long Jump
Two increase your long jump it is also important that you increase momentum to the sand. With more speed running towards the sandpit you will have a greater ability to jump farther. This short distance can be challenging to build speed. You must efficiently understand how to build momentum through the dig phase of your sprint. Take a look at our 40 Yard Dash video that you can find in the search bar above. During this video we take a close look at how you should begin your starts to efficiently increase your sprint speed. You also want to regularly train with the Kbands Wall Drill. This specific exercise will help build hip flexor strength to increase sprint speed during the dig phase.
Long Jump Practice Makes Perfect
As always if you are new to the long jump it is important that you complete as many repetitions as you can at a high-level. Learning the footwork and step sequences to get your body ready for the job is very important. If your footwork is off, you will lose all of your momentum built from sprinting towards the sandpit. Continue completing repetitions as often as possible until you have developed the proper skills to repeat consistent form. At this point it is time to bring in drills like the one above. Before completing your long jump repetitions you can add exercises like the one above to your workout. Complete 4-6 sets before getting into your long jump repetitions. Stay very explosive and listen to the video as we explain the repetitions necessary to optimize your results. This specific exercise should not be completed after other exercises. This is a high impact activity that must be completed with a fresh body.
Plyometric Workouts Will Help Your Long Jump
As mentioned in the above paragraph, completing repetitions over and over again of the long jump will help with your footwork. After you have developed this footwork, it is important that you continue to expand your training and plyometrics. Increasing your body‘s ability to fire simultaneously as you jump into the sandpit will only help the distance you are able to travel. Search there are plyometric training section to add more drills to your training. Never complete more than three or four plyometric drills back to back. Your body requires rest to enhance it’s abilities. Keep the reps short and explosive while taking a good long minute rest in between sets. If you have any questions or concerns please leave a comment below and I will be sure to help you achieve your goals.