Hey Coach ,

In the jumps, everything starts with how well your athletes prepare for the ground.

Whether it’s high jump, long jump, triple, or pole vault, the best jumpers don’t just run fast or jump high—they manage forces with precision, speed, and timing. That takes more than natural talent. It requires an intentional training approach built around three core principles:

1. Movement quality and rhythm over raw output
2. Progressive overload and recovery that respects adaptation windows
3. Specificity in speed, posture, and plyometric work to prepare for the demands of takeoff

When these pieces align, your athletes don’t just survive a season—they thrive in it. Here are three key ideas that can immediately sharpen your jump training plan:

1. Speed-Specific Training for Jumpers

Drills

Not all sprinting improves jump performance. Coach Lane breaks down why your runway work should focus on sprint mechanics under load, not just general fitness. That means integrating fly-ins, in-and-outs, and approach runs that mimic competitive rhythm and posture. Your jumpers should be practicing these mechanics early, well before meets begin.

2. Plyometrics That Build Elastic Athletes

Goal

The best plyometric athletes don’t just hit the ground—they bounce off it like a golf ball. That ability comes from properly cued isometric bracing and a rigid ankle at contact. Starting with basic pogo jumps and building from there gives you the chance to coach these mechanics before you scale intensity. Without this foundation, posture breaks down, shin splints creep in, and progress stalls.

3. Training Loads that Evolve with the Athlete

Training the Jumper - Guidelines

Athletes don’t improve from what they do occasionally—they improve from what they repeat and recover from. Coach Lane recommends a three-week training block followed by a deload week to allow adaptation. That 21–28 day rhythm is also the right time to tweak your overload, whether it’s upping intensity in the weight room or shifting your cueing on the runway.

Big thank you to LSU coach Todd Lane for sharing his insights in his clinic, Training Design for All Jump Events. Coach Lane’s approach blends biomechanics, practical cueing, and long-term planning in a way that’s both accessible and elite-level. Check out the full clinic for more jump-specific training insights and tips to elevate your athletes to the next level.

Always be growing,

The T&F Community of Coaches helping Coaches