• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Click here to download the  free ebook of Alberto Juantorena’s  detailed training workouts leading up to the 1976 Montreal Olympics

SpeedEndurance.com

Success in Track & Field ... and Life

  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
  • Track & Field
    • 400 meters
    • 800m & Mile
    • 1/2 & Full Marathons
    • Long & Triple Jump
    • Hurdles
  • Training
    • Weight Training
    • Abs & Core
    • Injury Prevention
    • Shoes & Spikes
    • Masters
  • Coaching
    • Freelap Friday Five
    • Interviews
    • Sports Nutrition
    • Sport Psychology
  • Archives
  • Shop
    • My account
    • Checkout
    • Basket

Force Application and Body Alignment, Part I: Drills for Touchdown and Posture

You are here: Home / Coaching / Force Application and Body Alignment, Part I: Drills for Touchdown and Posture
30
SHARES
FacebookTwitter

October 30, 2015 by Jimson Lee Leave a Comment

This tutorial is guest blogged by Mike Goss, CSCS, and Level II USATF, jumps, throws, and combined events. Mike is also in the Coaches Advisory for USATF-GA.

Click here for all articles written by Mike Goss.

The inclusion of force application and postural drills improves performance in running and jumping events. Guidelines for assessment and training should not be minimized in developing beginning athletes. Athletes I coach, from youth to collegiate, often have deficits in force application and posture. An understanding of these principles is necessary for solidifying their development. Conditioning and skills combined in a workout serve a “one-two punch” and secure the mind/body connection. Rarely is a bio-motor skill (speed, strength, flexibility, endurance, and coordination) having an impact in one area of readiness. I’ve included an anecdotal example to describe the above applications.

FORWARD SKIP WITH FORWARD STRIDE

Force application (dorsiflexion and foot strike) should often be addressed; body alignment goes hand in hand with force application. The drills and concepts are easily applied as a part of warm-ups, singled out as the primary focus of a workout, or as introducing plyometric training. The drills and images described in this article include cones and low plyometric platforms as targets – (upper body, hip, knee, and ankle) alignment upon foot strike. Set up is quick and simple; easily improvised with markers and plyo boxes. The recommended height for these platforms is 4”/10cm. Use of higher platforms defeats the purpose for novice and untrained athletes. Strength gains and display of skill are indicators for increasing box height.

CAVEAT – higher platforms should be used to facilitate eccentric strength, bracing and yielding, and explosive training. CAUTION AND A TRAINED EYE SHOULD DETERMINE BOX HEIGHT, VOLUME, AND INTENSITY. Athletes should never be unsupervised in a plyo’ workout. Emphasis is placed on body position, *accuracy, and force application.

It isn’t unusual to find athletes who perform efficiently with faster tempos. One of my former jumpers (Rambo) initially performed bounding drills most effectively with a weighted vest. His force application and technique were (sharp) deliberate. My observation, and his recognition is that he had more sensory perception. Our goal was to develop similar “feel” and force with his natural body weight. Bounding required aggressive pushing and plantar flexion. The practice reinforced his concentration on the feel and execution of proper mechanics / Kinesthetics (body awareness), posture, and positioning the center of mass. Most athletes I coach do not possess Rambo’s eccentric strength nor his desire to jump far; he loved jumping!

Rambo, as a collegian, improved from 44’ to 48’2” between his Jr. to Sr. year. He did not compete with a weight vest! Our goal was 50 feet; though he didn’t pass that finish line – the journey remains a great experience. He was a joy to coach!

I have a principle; “cookie cutter” plans are not optimal for everyone. A cooperative and motivated athlete deserves a training plan to maximize performance. Lack of physical flexibility inhibits the range of motion; a lack of flexibility in program design may inhibit improvement.

The following drills explain and illustrate examples of force application and postural development for the athlete:

image005

image007

image009

image011

image013

image015

image017

FORWARD SKIP WITH FORWARD STRIDE

  • Reinforces posture alignment
  • Dorsiflexion is maintained with reduced tension
  • Shin angle is closer to perpendicular

VERBAL CUES

  • keep the head over hips
  • roll and push the foot forward, foot contact is not on the toes

 NOTES

  • WHEN PERFORMED WITH A BACKWARD SKIP & FORWARD STRIDE THE DRILL ASSISTS
  • WITH DOUBLE ARM TAKEOFFS IN HIGH JUMP AND LEARNING DOUBLE ARM BOUNDING

ANKLE FLIPS

  • Works dorsiflexion and reinforces posture alignment
  • Strengthens lower leg
  • Stiffening of achilles and eccentric loading

VERBAL CUES

  • start flat and land flat
  • use the lower leg and feet to apply force
  • maintain good posture
  • keep arms actively swinging with short range of motion from shoulders
  • heel down and toes up upon jump

image028

image040

image032

image030

image034

image036

image038

image040

image042

image024

image026

  • Bio
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Latest Posts
Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com
I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.
Jimson Lee

@speedendurance

Jimson Lee
Jimson Lee
Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Latest posts by Jimson Lee (see all)

  • Jana Pittman – 400mH World Champion, Bobsleigh, and now Doctor - December 8, 2020
  • Autogenic/Parasympathetic Breathing Techniques for Recovery & Regeneration – Episode 3 - May 22, 2020
  • PART 2: Viewing the Bio-Motor Abilities of 400m Hurdlers Relative to 800m Runners - May 13, 2020
Jimson Lee
READ  Barefoot Running

Category iconCoaching,  Track & Field Tag iconMike Goss

About Jimson Lee

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Shop Our Store

  • Bud Winter (9)
  • Championship Productions (6)
  • Clyde Hart (2)
  • Derek Hansen (1)
  • Electrical Muscle Stimulation (2)
  • Jim Hiserman (5)
  • Jimson Lee (3)
  • Uncategorised (0)

Articles by Category

Products

  • SpeedEndurance Products Jim Hiserman - Developing Distance Runners Volume 2: A Systematic Approach to Developing Individual Success within a Dynamic Team Culture $34.95 $29.95
  • Feed-the-Cats-Clinic-3-Pack-701 'Feed the Cats' Clinic 3-Pack $64.99
  • Tony Holler's Feed the Cats": A Complete Sprint Training Program Tony Holler's "Feed the Cats" Complete Sprint Training Program $49.99
  • Bud Winter and Speed City presents Arthur Lydiard 509x716 Bud Winter & Arthur Lydiard MP3 [Download only] $9.99
  • Globus SprintCoach LE Electrical Muscle Stimulation Globus Electrical Muscle Stimulation SprintCoach SPORT $849.00
  • Globus SprintCoach LE Electrical Muscle Stimulation Globus Electrical Muscle Stimulation SprintCoach SPORT Limited Edition (LE) $949.00

RECENT POSTS

  • Jana Pittman – 400mH World Champion, Bobsleigh, and now Doctor
  • Autogenic/Parasympathetic Breathing Techniques for Recovery & Regeneration – Episode 3
  • PART 2: Viewing the Bio-Motor Abilities of 400m Hurdlers Relative to 800m Runners
  • Remembering Mike Agostini (1935 – 2016)
  • Remembering CharlieFrancis Forum (10 Years later)
  • Microstretching vs PNF vs ELDOA: Live Zoom Chat (Episode 2)
  • Viewing the Bio-Motor Abilities of 400m Hurdlers Relative to 800m Runners (Part 1)
  • A Systematic Approach To Developing Individual Success Within A Dynamic Team Culture
  • How to do Repeat 100m Strides with No Marks or Measurements
  • Testing for Speed, Power, Strength, & Endurance [VIDEO]

Copyright © 2021. SpeedEndurance.com is owned and operated by Aryta Ltd. Privacy Policy