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When it comes to developing jumpers, strength training is essential—but not all strength is created equal. The key isn’t just building more strength. It’s building the right kind of strength that directly supports takeoff, sprint mechanics, and flight control.

The right strength approach applies at every level—whether you’re helping athletes break into varsity or pushing for podium finishes in college.

From General Strength to Specific Power

General Strength Training

Most coaches start in the weight room with traditional lifts like squats, and that’s fine. But the transfer of a basic squat to actual jump performance is surprisingly low, often around 30%. In this course, Coach walks through how to progress strength training from general lifts to more event-specific movements like weighted bounds, resisted takeoffs, and properly angled step-ups. As athletes advance, this specificity becomes essential to unlocking performance gains on the runway.

Power Without the Bulk

Types of Strength

For jumpers, strength should be developed without unnecessary muscle growth. When athletes lift too heavy or use the wrong rep ranges, they may gain size that reduces mobility and slows sprint speed. Coach explains how to target the nervous system instead, emphasizing bar speed, lower loads, and movement quality. You’ll also learn how to use contrast training and eccentric work to build explosiveness while avoiding the downsides of traditional hypertrophy programs.

Thanks to Coach Jeremy Fischer for sharing these insights in his clinic General Strength Training for the Jumps. If your athletes are strong in the weight room but stuck on the runway, his clinic is full of great insight to realign your training and unlock better jump-specific performance.

Always be growing,

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