Jump Training For Beginners | Low Hurdle Progressions

Jumping and landing techniques are crucial to teach to younger and lesser experienced athletes that have never done any form of plyometric or jump training. In order to be able to correctly perform plyometrics the execution of jumping and landing must be mastered first.

The primary issue with landing is the inability to stabilize the legs via the hip musculature, and the feet via the lower leg musculature. The hip weakness can have a major impact on the functioning of the feet and ankles as well. The other area of concern with landing is the strength of the musculature around the pelvis and spine. The muscles must be strong enough to dissipate forces away from the pelvis and spine.

Without going into too much detail the major concern is that the knees are able to remain in line with the feet and not cave in (valgus) during landing and jumping. The other concern is the ability of the pelvis and spine to avoid extreme flexion or extension of the spine during landing.

Many plyometric activities require the athlete to rebound off the ground quickly using little bend of the knee and primarily force production from the lower leg. Examples of this form of quick jumping would be jump rope, line drills, and hop scotch type activities. But when more advanced jumping from higher heights are being introduced the athletes must learn to push the hips back and allow the shoulder to come forward during the landing. If the hips do not go back, during a jump that will require the knees to bend quite a bit due to the height of the jump, the knees will get pushed forward as the athlete goes way up on the balls of the feet. This technique puts large amounts of stress on the knee joint and soft tissues. Another potential injury that can occur from this knee forward approach is to the lower back. When the knees push forward the hips will follow and the lower back will hyper-extended in many cases to maintain balance and an upright position. If this is done aggressively there can be damage to the structure of the low back.

This is why it is a must that all athletes learn how to jump and more importantly how to land.

Here are some basic plyometric and jumping/landing exercises and progressions

In-place jump and hold

Low hurdle jump and rebound and hold

Low hurdle continuous jumps

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Plyometrics for Beginners

First formalized in the early 1960’s as a scientific training system by Dr. Yuri Verkhoshansky. The earliest published use of the term seems to be in a Soviet publication in 1966. Dr Verkhoshansky favored the term ‘shock method’ to distinguish between naturally occurring plyometric actions in sport and the training system he devised to develop speed-strength. Plyometric training has been demonstrated to improve jumping ability Such “bounce” training is widely utilized in strength programs designed to develop power or speed-strength.

Plyometrics are a form of explosive exercises that creates what called a Stretch Reflex in the muscle. The muscle goes from an eccentric action to a concentric action quickly. The nervous system is highly excitable during this action. The goal is to improve how quickly an athlete can apply force to the ground or another object and move either the body, as in sprinting or jumping, or a ball or implement, as in throwing or hitting. 

With youths and beginners, the variables of maturation and experience compound the problem of determining when and how to begin a plyometric training program. Even thought the actual purpose of plyometric training or shock training, as it is originally referred to, was initially intended to be done at higher intensities, it can and should be modified so that even the pre-adolescent athlete can participate in activities that require quick jumping. Examples of these would be jump rope, hop scotch, and Ladder drills. It is important to understand that the athlete must have a solid strength foundation in order to advance into more intense plyometrics. But even youngsters can participate in lower level plyometrics A maximum squat of 11⁄2-2 times body weight has been recommended by some Eastern Bloc authorities as a prerequisite for plyometric training. This goes along with traditional training patterns which normally follow the sequence of maximal force development preceding speed or plyometric training in the yearly cycle.

However, Eastern Bloc literature concerning youth strength training utilizes various forms of “bouncing” activities starting as young as 7-8 years. A squat of 11/2- 2 times a child’s body weight as a prerequisite for such training is highly questionable and was probably never intended for such a population. Maximum strength activities are not recommended for pre-pubescent or pubescent athletes, yet plyometric activities can be utilized throughout childhood. The key to all of this is proper training loads, dependent upon age and stage of biological development Even among mature athletes, a minimum strength level necessary to begin a plyometric program has been questioned. This is not to say that maximum strength training is not necessary, for it occupies a very important part of power development. Plyometric training should be taught using very basic drills and gradually progress to a more advanced level that is suited and needed for the particular athlete or group of athletes.

Prior to beginning any plyometric program the coach should instruct all athletes on the proper techniques of landing and jumping. Even though, during plyometric exercises there isn’t much time spent on the ground, Landing is the most important aspect of keeping the athletes safe. The following drills are all simple to learn and teach and allow athletes of any age athlete to learn coordination while improving upon the foundation of plyometric training.

Line Drills

Ladder Drills   

Low Box Drills 

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