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How do you start the training year?
Do you use so-called “traditional” linear periodisation methods or more sequential methods such as conjugated block periodisation or undulating periodisation.? And how do you periodise neural intensity and load to specifically prepare the CNS? In this video intro (from one of my YouTube member videos) I explain what I will be doing in the first of my 10 blocks of training in a training year. As I have been saying regularly recently - once you gain an understanding of how central the CNS to optimising performance - it becomes the hook around which you (probably) should hang your training approach. The CNS is the driver of performance. To become a YouuTube channel member and gain access to exclusive content at Coach-Athlete (including my training plans) or simply support the channel as a channel Supporter click here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyVAgma7MDT1Wqzw40Mb13g/join
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I carried out a poll on my Instagram which asked what jumpers and sprinters did on their return to autumn/fall training.  It was great to see - albeit from the smallish sample - that many athletes were sprinting and jumping (via take-off drills) from day 1 of their return. As you may know I am all about keeping training specific to what's required as much as is possible. This is now more recently hooked around my greater understanding of the centrality of the CNS. We don't want to take the edge of this and programme it to a lower level of functioning when it comes to sprint and jump power, for example. If we keep high CNS inputs then we can up the functioning of this system and sprinters, for example, should sprint faster! These are themes which I explore in my latest YouTube channel video at the time of posting (Sep 2026). Take a look and listen to my rationale for ditching junk meterage and junk circuit training in favour of a relatively high intensity start to the autumn season with equally high CNS inclusions.  https://studio.com/apps/john-shepherd/speedjump
This is how my Sprint & Jump app can generate BIOMECHANICS data Click on the HERE to see a specific video The video below explains. You can get access to: Take-off angles Horizontal and vertical velocity Step length Even ground contact time The data generated will give you a very good idea as to what’s happening. You do of course need to consider this data against your coaching eye. An example: If you have a jumper who is not getting enough height by way of take-off vertical velocity and an optimum take-off angle you will be able to track this and see whether improvements are being made. This is a relatively new use of AI and the more it’s utilised the more it will improve. It’s very important to film in a specific way as shown in the video. Also don’t expect it to be 100% comparable with data obtained from force plates and numerous high speed camera placements and analytical tools. However for a very low cost eg $25/month for a yearly subscription you can get this data and so much more (personalised fully interactive training plans, for example). https://studio.com/apps/john-shepherd/speedjump  Instability Breeds Stability - The Central Nervous System, Neural Plasticity & Neural Blueprinting
Getting the best from the long jump, triple jump or sprinting requires a training programme that merges the physical with the psychological and the neural. The Soviets realised this decades before the rest of the world and they trained their athletes this way initially within a "Functional System" approach. Let’s take a look at FS; what came after and in particular make reference to what appears to be the fulcrum – the Central Nervous System. Social Media Recently on social media there has been a small but noticeable rise in the number of pages talking in detail about CNS training. And, I guess I am amongst them. I have been training the CNS since I started coaching over 15 years back – although I perhaps did not fully realise this! I have always mixed and matched drills and movements and set challenges for the jumpers and sprinters I coach. Nearly all my coaching career I have used restricted arm movement drills, for example. These means that the athlete cannot use their arms to contribute to the sprinting or jumping action because they may be, for example: holding a bar overhead, cradling a medicine ball or having their hands on their hips. I saw this to be a great way to physically and technically develop the hip complex. The hip flexors and extensors are the axel around which the legs spin and the more power there is in this area the greater the speed generated everything else being equal. Technically I referenced these and other drills against a belief that the constraints would challenge the athletes to “learn” how to better utilise their hips to sprint and jump and increase their power. Enter the CNS... I hadn’t quite made the connection to the CNS. The CNS is an information highway in the body. The brain sends signals (electrical and chemical) via the spinal-chord out to all parts of the body. These signals are interpreted and action occurs. This can be conscious and unconscious. When you take-off in the long jump you need to hit the board and move from it at optimal speed. The CNS will be working flat out (hopefully) in order to hit the board, position on the penultimate and leave the board, with the most effective technique and with minimal braking. So, the CNS will be constantly “scanning” – sending out signals and responding to these. If the flow of these signals is unrestricted - and let’s call it of high frequency - then movement will be optimised. Enter the Soviets... As noted, the connection between the psychological and physical systems was made very early by the Soviets in terms of systematised sports training. This was broadly labelled as Functional Systems training as noted again earlier. The work of the Soviet sports psychologist Avksenty Puni was very much instrumental in this. The Soviets wanted to create resilient, robust and adaptable athletes. Indeed, this philosophy was also applied to the training of their soldiers and cosmonauts. Part of the FS approach was the desire to train via “self-organisation methods”. This appears to be the precursor of the more systematised CNS training methods employed later by the Soviets probably from around the seventies. Issurin... The work of Vladimir Issurin is significant here – indeed, I have come across him in terms of my previous work as a health, fitness and sports writer. Issurin bridges the gap to the contemporary world of sports training from Puni and FS. His focus is on "Coordination Abilities", trainability and training strategies for elite sport. And here the training under unpredictable conditions appears again. And more of a connection to the CNS is made via Soviet coaching methodology. It appears that I had been training within the FS and CS Soviet (and wider world of sports training) approaches before I knew it (or at least more fully understood what I was doing and why). By using unpredictability and variation the athlete “learns” to be more effective at their discipline and their CNS becomes better equipped to master and optimise their performance. There are a myriad of ways to do this - but there has to be a method behind this and there is also a further "hidden ingredient". In the next part I will look at the CNS training philosophies of renowned Soviet Coaches, such as Ozolin (Coordination First School) and TerOvanesyan (Power, control, variability), some of the "Methods" and talk more about how I do things and why I see it working.  I thought to myself I had better update my website... (does anyone use websites anymore??). Well, I have one and so hey-ho, better take a look. It's been over a year since I deliberately added some content. I was spurred onto to do this partly as I have launched a Sprint and Jump app which follows my coaching principles and is fully interactive - you can find out more about that HERE However, I though I would also give you a quick update on the last 18 months ... that's not going to be easy! It's been filled with quite a bit so these are just the highlights! Who knows time permitting I may return to update more on these retrospectively. In no real order of significance: European Champs 2026 I started coaching Yasemin from Turkey about 2 years back and in her second season she jumped 6.48m (from 6.29m) and made the Euros in Birmingham. It was great to support her there. Yasemin also made two Balkan Games, The Mediterranean Games and World Athletics Tour events ... we are looking for 6.60m and above next season - she is capable. Two amazing young males talents Michael Maguire and Daniel Emegbor... Daniel jumped 7.80m as a 16-year-old last year and 7.84m this year at 17 (the former a British u17 record). He went to the Euro u20's and World u20's in 2025 and 26 respectively. Micheal is now 16 but at 15 jumped 7.69m indoors for the best every leap by a 15-year-old in the UK. These young men are obviously really talented and I hope to guide them to longer distances. Note: Daniel does work with other coaches so it's a team approach with him Lots of other Pbs This year (2025) has probably been my best ever .. not only were the above performances achieved but the training group also contained many others of all age groups ranked in the top 10 in the UK including other number ones, There are too many to mention really - but Zac Elston topped the u16 rankings with 7.20m and Abraham Sharif was 14th overall long jump (at 20). So we have a very strong long jump cohort. Evolving Training Methods I have evolved my training methods recently to include a focus around the CNS - do look out for more on that hopefully here and on my YouTube channel and other socials. If you want the YouTuve video below will guide you into the latter. I hope to return to this blog a bit quicker than my last visit!  I was asked to create an AI coaching app. Like many I was sceptical of Ai and then the realisation took hold … 📲 LINK: https://studio.com/apps/john-shepherd/speedjump … If you don’t take part then it’s going to happen anyway. Better I thought to try to build something that does actually reflect an actual coach (me!) rather than let AI run roughshod over the coaching info out there pulling together random snippets trying to make sense of it all. It’s has taken me a long time to get the App ready for lauunch and train the AI to reflect how I coach but it's now live. "It’s loaded with my training plans, hundreds of videos and has been fed with numerous videos of mine and articles (as source knowledge).. This means it should respond to technical queries and plan training as I do (more or less)." It’s loaded with my training plans, hundreds of videos and has been fed with numerous videos of mine and articles (as source knowledge). This means it should respond to technical queries and plan training as I do. It can offer more... And it can offer more than me … well in part! It’s been trained to record speed and take-off angles and even ground contact times from videos uploaded to it (if filmed in a specific way). It's already had good reviews from users: "Exactly what I was hoping for. I totally understand the learning curve. I also know this will get better quickly because it's continuously learning from users. Excited to see the app grow!" Rich J, Masters Athlete It’s even specifically tailored to me I put in my weaknesses my strengths my goals my height weight etc and have been giving it feedback everyday so it knows me just like how you would know me. I was having trouble executing the sprint iso press and I sent the an app a video then it critiqued it and I fixed it. It was pretty awesome. Kael Schlosser More of what it does.... ➡️ Get elite coaching in the palm of your hand from me! You'll have access to my proven training methods. Your workouts and training plan will be highly specific. They will be designed for your level and your goals. My approach uses specific drills, highly effective technical training together with focussed CNS work to improve your performance. And you'll also get expert technical and video feedback including biomechanics so that you can maximise every workout. ➡️ Selected benefits! Submit your sprint, jump, or drill videos for detailed technical feedback and recommendations—so you can perfect your form and technique. Input your scores, measurements, and goals to receive a constantly evolving training plan that grows with your progress, every week and season. Build explosive sprinting and jumping ability with science-backed workouts, plyometrics, and drills tailored to your sport and level. Hundreds of videos for ease of use Coach Shepherd's system uses numerous drills all of which target the CNS to improve you. You'll be able to watch these drills before you do them. Technical video analysis for sprints, jumps, and drills Submit videos for detailed feedback and actionable recommendations on every aspect of your technique. Including biomechanics feedback. #mytrainingapp #studio.com #trackcoachingapp #track&fieldcoachingapp See less Muscle Runners are not called Muscle Runners for nothing! Indeed some may find the Antepes’ name a little odd. However, these built-for-speed shoes are so-called because they are designed to activate the muscles which are key for sprinting and in particular the lower leg muscles. We take a further look at specific sports science which vindicates the specific benefits. GET 10% OFF THESE CARBON-FIBRE PLATE BUILT FOR SPEED TRAINERS - CLICK HERE Specific research Researchers from the University of Calgary pitted Muscles Runners against conventional running shoes and the latest sprint spikes. The main test was a 30m sprint performed at 80% and 100% velocity. The standout results were that the Antepes were very close to the sprint spikes in terms of speed capability and ground intact times. In fact there was 5 milliseconds of separation between the spikes and the Antepes on those tests. These results show just how great Muscle Runners are as a sprint shoe which can be used when you can’t wear sprint spikes or don’t want to. The Canadian research also analysed lower leg muscle activation as measured by electromyography (EMG) - specifically, the soleus and gastrocnemius calf muscles The EMG findings showed that soleus activation was much superior to that achieved in the conventional running shoes and not much behind the sprint spikes. The soleus is the smaller of the calf muscles whilst the gastrocnemius is the larger. The former performs a physically supportive role whilst the latter is more of a power producing muscle. However, despite its size and role, the soleus is crucial for sprinting and in particular acceleration. The Chinese connection??? The sprinting social media world has been recently full of coverage of Chinese sprinter Su Bingtian. Su has a 100m best of 9.83sec but unofficially holds the 60m world record for a time he recorded during a 100m race. He achieved 6.29sec when running in the Tokyo Olympic semi-final when he set his 100m best. This compares to his official 60m WR of 6.43sec. The current world record is held by The USA’s Christian Coleman and stands at 6.34sec. But why the mention of Su? Well, he apparently had calf muscles that were very weak - in particular his soleus “strength” was identified as being similar to an adolescent females. So, his coaches embarked on a specific programme to enhance the power of his soleus. It’s stated that work done on the Chinese sprinter’s calf muscle were a very significant contributor to his improved sprinting and break-through to true world class. More on why the soleus is important for sprinting and in particular acceleration When leaving the blocks on starting, the sprinter needs very strong ankles - these need to support and produce propulsive force when creating optimum accelerative angles across the sprinter’s body whilst the knee is bent. And when the knee is bent it’s the soleus which does the majority of the mechanical work amongst the lower leg muscle groups. So, the fact our built-for-speed Muscle Runners, as identified by the Canadian research - stimulated increased EMG soleus activity over and above conventional running shoes, for example, is a great indicator as to how these specific speed shoes are doing the”right” job. The right job that will specifically strengthen key muscles in a very sprint specific way. Ergo Muscle Runners! This is a blog post I wrote for Antepes. Some of my jumpers have been using them and have found the sprint spikes for the road to be a great adjunct to their training. MORE ON THE THESE DYNAMIC SPRINT TRAINERS IN THIS YOUTUBE REVIEW BELOW I show you how you can construct a triple jump session with the emphasis on hop and step exits and the movement of the contact leg. |
 
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