Connect with us

Fitness & Sports

The Step Phase of the Triple Jump

The step or bound phase of the triple jump is the mid-link that joins the hop and the step phase. It is a wide, held, split shape and must be learned in the early stages of skilled development.

There are many ways of developing this important phase. All triple jump landings are on to a flat foot. There are no landings on to the sole and definitely no landings with the heel leading.

One simple way of developing the step is to perform flat-footed running over distances up to 60 metres. Emphasize to the jumper that every landing must be on to a full foot. The upper torso is kept upright with head and eyes looking forwards and ever so slightly upwards.

Once they can do this you can now progress to distance bounding – sometimes called a running bound]. From a short approach run the jumper performs 6-8 running bounds bringing the lead thigh to the parallel. Again, emphasize the flat-footed landings.

A very important coaching tip is to ask them to ‘attack’ the ground. Hit the ground, don’t allow the ground to hit you.

With the arm placement, some jumpers will prefer an alternate arm swing while some will prefer a double arm swing. Let them decide…
If they opt for a double arm the key here is get a good swing forward but then to ‘place’ the arms backwards rather than swinging them back dynamically. If they start to swing the arms backwards to vigorously it affects the balance and stability of the jump. So again, don’t allow them to pull backwards.

Because the step follows the hop allow the triple jumper to develop the long, low hop to landing. I like to develop the double arm action for the hop phase. When they then land in the hop the arms are positioned behind the body ready to move forwards and backwards throughout the step phase.

In the running bound drill the arms drive forwards with good swing up of the lead leg thigh – remembering to place the arms behind and slightly to the side of the body.

There are many specific drills you can use:

One of them is – RRL or LLR looking for distance and speed. Over a distance of 40-60 metres the triple jumper comes in from a short approach run [4-6 strides], performs two long, low hops on the right leg then steps on to the left leg – follows this immediately with two hops on the left leg and then a wide, split bound on to the right leg and so on.

Another drill you could use is running bounding over a prescribed distance or a set number of bounds – this is a drill where you can develop the concept of ‘attacking/hitting’ the ground with the lead leg on contact with the surface.

Triple jumping is one event where a coach is limited only by his own imagination when designing drills to develop the event.

Nigel Lewis

Trending