This article is guest blogged by Nick Newman, M.S., a top 5 ranked British Long Jumper and has a graduate degree in Human Performance and Sport Psychology from California State University Fullerton. He is also the author of The Horizontal Jumps: Planning for Long Term Development (Volume 1)
His previous article on this Blog was The Approach Run: The Technical Series.
During my previous article I discussed important technical components of the approach run for the horizontal jumping events. With this article I wanted to share different training methods and strategies for developing accuracy at the takeoff board.
Even the greatest technical prowess, speed, and power will not guarantee great jump distances in competition settings. The horizontal jumps are spectacular disciplines but can be equally as frustrating for athletes and fans alike because of the frequency that foul attempts occur.
For many years I have been interested how to enhance the ability of executing legal jumps that are as close to the athletes absolute potential as possible. It is easy to be legal on the board if the jumper does not fully commit to jumping his/ her furthest jumps. So to be successful jumpers must combine maximum speed and takeoff power with great accuracy. This is a very difficult skill to master.
How to Achieve a High Percentage of Legal Jumps
Many coaches and researchers have stated that fouling is a mental issue. I certainly believe the psychology of a jumper does play a large role. However I suggest that perhaps an equally important reason for foul jumps lies in specific skill development related to visual control and kinesthetic awareness.
First let’s take a good at how the psychology or “the mental game” of a jumper can hurt performance while on the runway. Most of these psychological traits or habits interlink with one another and combined can have a catastrophic affect when trying to execute a skill, game plan, mood, or arousal level related to the specific sport or event.
Psychological issues related to Board Accuracy:
Arousal Levels |
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Ability to Focus |
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Visualization |
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Self Talk & Cueing |
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Goal Setting |
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Personality Trait |
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About the Author
Nick Newman, M.S. is a jumps coach, athletic performance coach, and top 5 ranked British Long Jumper with a current best of 7.80m (25’7). He was born and raised in Great Britain, where he graduated in 2001 with a two year A-level in Sport Science from Durham Community College. His bachelor’s degree is in Exercise Science from Manhattan College in New York in 2006 and in 2009 he earned a graduate degree in Human Performance and Sport Psychology from California State University Fullerton. Nick has been a lifelong researcher and contributor to sport science, specializing in the jumps. His most recent work has been authoring: The Horizontal Jumps: Planning for Long Term Development (Volume 1) which was published in June of 2012. The book is available for purchase at www.createspace.com or Amazon.com. Visit his website at website www.jumprathletics.com.
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