John's BLOG
Coaching, jumps, sprints & more
Everything about jumping and sprinting and how to improve your performance
It was not that long a go when I posted that my channel John Shepherd track & field coach writer editor had 100 subs, well that number has now doubled. Many thanks to those of you who have clicked to sign-up, or who have watched some of the videos. I try to upload once a week. The videos are a mix of my training thoughts and practices as well as a bit a vlog into the lives of amateur coaches and athletes. It's tough for all of us trying to fit everything in around work and so on. There's been a lot of debate about coaches not being valued and, I guess, from a rewards point of view most of us aren't in track and field. I coach as I wanted to put something back into the sport after all the "free" help I have had. Yes, I've managed to make a little money more recently from coaching but in the great scheme of things in terms of commitment this doesn't pay my way as it were. Perhaps more needs to be done to support coaches in our sport. I can foresee a time - as perhaps with officials - that there will be a shortage. The generation of athletes may be less willing to coach after they have retired. Time is being pressed more and more and I wonder how many people will want to use up so much of this vital commodity in future to coach.
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The indoor season seems to be here before you know it. Obviously as a coach "you have to know it" but it's either a sign that we now have 11 months in a year or that times passes much quicker when you are older...
In any case group members were competing on both sides of the Atlantic. At Lee Valley the south of England Champs took place and it was a case of dusting off the cobwebs as it was for the U.S contingent. Sarah A got second in the women's long jump with a safe jump from behind the board that measured 5.42. She'd done two no jumps in rounds 1 and 2. Shame as these were good jumps of around 5.80m, but they don't count... but at least the NJ distances are indicative of what's possible Later in the day Jonathan I took part in the TJ and had conversion difficulties in terms of coming into the board. He still managed a reasonable 15m 19cm, but we both know there's a lot more in the tank. There's no substitute for getting back onto the saddle of competition. In the States - Jonathan G ran 6.92 for 60m as his opener. Down on his best time of 6.73, but again and with a few more races I'd expect him to be there or thereabouts. Oliver N jumped an equally reasonable 7.29m in a comp where all jumpers seemed down on their bests. The 8m man in the field only managed 7.5 metres. Looking forwards to next weekend when the U.S team will be in action again and this includes Shola. Hopefully the performances from the squad will build across the indoors to the outdoors and the performances I know they are capable of materialise.
Triple jump timing is crucial - as the season approaches jumpers must not be out of touch with speed and long approaches. Don't become the king or queen of short approaches - give yourself plenty of time to get back down the run-up to near to or to your comp run-up. Failure to do so will leave you with conversion difficulties when it comes to your long run-up (not to mention the pressures of competition). Get confident and get your rhythm and the big jumps will come. What you do in your other workouts and in the training plan must be designed to make speed conversion easier... lots of run-up and take-off work... bounds with a long approach etc. Dial it up gradually but at the 'hot' end of the scale.
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