Coaching and Care of Athletes

COACHING AND CARE OF ATHLETES jumpers may be classified as (I) the well-co-ordinated jumper, not quite in the top class for speed and spring, who gets his distance by perfect co-ordination of mid-air action, especially the running– in-the-air movement pattern; (2) the elevationjumper, who relies principally upon the spring in his legs, and usually employs the 'sail' form; and (3) the speed jumper, who relies far more upon his sprinting pace than he does upcm springing ability, or even mid-air co-ordination. Of this type some get good results with the running-in-the-air form; few have been able to develop their true potentiality by using the 'sail' style. For types (I) and (2), who are likely to build up speed at the normal average, a '2-4-8 stride' plan is recommended. This· requires a run of 70 to 85 ft. The first two strides are at half speed, the four strides at three-quarter speed; and the last six strides at nine-tenths speed. For jumpers whose ability to build up speed is below normal there is the '2-4- I o stride' plan, calling for a run of 6o to 70 ft., plus perhaps 2 ft. or 3 ft. The speed ratio is the same as in the preceding stride plan, but is applied to the '2-4- I o stride' plan as to half speed for two strides, three-quarter speed for four strides, and nine-tenths speed for ten strides. This plan gives the athlete more strides in which to reach the optimum speed. Speed jumpers need fewer strides in which to build up optimum pace, and are offered the '2-4-6 stride' plan, which calls for a, run of 70 to 95 ft. The speed ratios are half speed for two strid'es, three-quarter speed for four strides, and nine-tenths speed for six strides. Personally, I prefer to take my jumper to the sprint path, place him in the position shown by Owens in Plate XLVI, Fig. I37, and let him travel the distance of his natural run-up at increasing speed. I take the measurement of his first two strides, and work to standardize the length of each. Spike-marks will show also how near his take-off fopt falls to a test line scratched across the track, and his starting-mark is then moved forward or back as may be required. When I have stabilized his two starting strides, his striding at increasing speed to the take-off, and his ability · to hit the take-off line with his jumping foot nine times out of ten I transfer his work to the broad jump approach path, have him jump, and see how things are working out. With a co-ordination jumper I work to improve his speed and spring, with an elevation jumper I work for speed and form, 366