The runup is the most important part of your triple jump approach. By the time you hit the board, your body must have accelerated to a point where you can control the velocity through each phase of the triple jump. There are a few things that you must achieve in order for this to happen.
Your runup must be consistent.
You cannot waste your acceleration efforts by stuttering towards the board. You must ensure that you hit the take-off board at full speed with your body in the ideal take-off position.
Therefore, you need to measure your runup so that you know exactly how many steps it will take for you to reach the take-off point.
You can use the information from this post about the triple jump runup.
Each step must allow you to increase your acceleration.
You must be at a point where you are accelerating at the board so you can maintain the velocity throughout the jump. Typically, jumpers will need to use a shorter approach to build and control their acceleration. As the athlete improves their ability to control the velocity throughout the jump and their maximum point of acceleration, they can improve their runup.
Build the acceleration in the first phase of your runup.
The first few steps of your triple jump are the most crucial. You want to make sure that they are powerful and maximise the initial acceleration prior to the point where your body will get into the take-off position. There are a couple of ways to do this.
Static bounding acceleration.
This is where you make the first three steps the most powerful from a stationary position. This will allow you to keep your runup consistent, whilst allowing you to get to your maximum acceleration quicker.
Rolling acceleration
This is where you use your body’s momentum through by adding a few extra steps to increase your acceleration quicker. The issue with this approach is that it can cause you to be inconsistent with your runup. It is usually a more advanced runup technique that triple jumpers can use. If you choose to use this technique, make sure that you always hit your mark and practice your runup so you hit the board every time.
Your running turnover should be at maximum speed by the time you hit the board.
Your body should be in the sprinting position where you are tall and your leg speed rotation is at its maximum. This should allow you to take-off and go into the phases of the triple jump naturally.
Give this a try and let us know how your performance is after implementing these tips.
Want to get faster and more powerful so you can improve your triple jump performance?
Below are items that you should purchase and incorporate into your triple jump development program so you can improve your jumping distance in the next 3 months.
Protect yourself from injury in the triple jump.
One of the common injuries that triple jumpers get is a bruised heel. Once you get this, it makes it more difficult to improve your triple jump performance since you will get pain every time you land on your foot. And it will knock your confidence.
To help minimize the risk of getting a bruised heel, you can get heel protection insoles for your shoes.
You can click here to buy some heel insoles on Amazon.
Asics triple jump pro athletics shoes
Specialized triple jump shoes will give you added protection and comfort on your foot and especially around your heel. If you are doing triple jumps that require you to handle alot of force on your jumps (Typically when you start jumping over 13 metres), then you will need to invest in triple jump spikes.
Click here to buy these triple jump shoes on VS Athletics.
Improve your triple jump training.
Improve your triple jump (For beginners only)
If you are fairly new to the triple jump, this ebook will help you with training insights to get you to the intermediate level quickly. You will definitely improve by at least 30 cm, however you should see yourself improve by 1-2m over the next 12 months.
If you are intermediate or advanced in triple jump, then you will want the knowledge and guidance from elite-level triple jumpers and coaches.
Buy the series from World Class Triple Jump series to take your triple jump performances to the elite level.
Click here to buy it on Championship Productions.
Learn about the mentality from triple jump world record holder Jonathan Edwards in his book “A time to jump.”