Fixing the Second Phase in the Triple Jump

Fixing the Second Phase in the Triple Jump

by Boo Schexnayder

www.sacspeed.com

The Problem
The second (step) phase, is the typical trouble spot in triple jumping, and anyone who has coached the event has experienced the frustration that comes with it. To truly understand step phase problems, the coach must understand that the second phase is a point of collection for all triple jump problems. The step phase itself is easy to execute, so problems here result when mistakes are made elsewhere. Mistakes in the final steps, preparation, takeoff, and hop phase all hide very well at commission, but their results appear in the step phase. You can think of the step phase in the same way as the check engine light on your car's dashboard. When it comes on, there is nothing wrong with the light on the dashboard, it is being triggered by some other problem, and tracing that problem can be a challenge.

A Physical Challenge
Executing the step phase is a physical challenge. Tremendous vertical forces must be generated in the fraction of a second the foot is in contact with the ground. This is a difficult task that demands training. For this reason, with youngsters, we recommend sound teaching, and the coach should understand that the step phase will come around as the athlete grows older and stronger. With older athletes, it is unreasonable to expect them to execute the step phase correctly even if technique is good, until they have spent significant time in a good, well balanced strength program.

Diagnosis
There are a number of causes for poor step phases. In accordance with cause and effect coaching principles, we will look at the step takeoff, and work our way back, using flowchart style analysis to discover trouble spots.

Landmarks - Frontside Distances
Two landmarks are used in diagnosing step phase issues. The first is frontside distance. In sprinting, the foot should contact directly under the runner's hips on any step. At takeoff in the triple jump, the foot should ground so that the heel is only 3-4 inches in front of the jumper's hips. In any phase of the jump, frontside distances should be 4-6 inches.

Landmarks - Pelvic Alignment
The other landmark used in diagnosing step problems is pelvic alignment. At all times in running and jumping, the pelvis should be aligned in a neutral position with respect to the spine. This is indicated by a relatively flat lower back. If the pelvis is out of alignment and tilted forward, the lower back will show significant curvature and lordotic posture.

The Starting Point
The first step is examining the body's position at the instant the foot lands at the completion of the hop. The foot should ground with the heel 4-6 inches in front of the jumper's hips. This small amount of frontside distance is needed to create proper lift in the step phase. This distance should be identified at excessive, correct, or insufficient. Jumpers may point the toes prior to landing to compensate for instability, so if a toefirst landing is present, the frontside distance is considered insufficient.

Excessive Frontside Distance
If the frontside distance is excessive, this indicates that the entire hop leg cycle is frontside dominant. The excessive frontside distance causes a jarring deceleration that ruins the step phase. Trace back to the grounding of the foot at takeoff and you are likely to see excessive frontside distance there. If this is not the case, the jumper should push off more aggressively with a flatter trajectory. If frontside distances at takeoff are excessive, the coach must trace back and check running mechanics in the final steps. Usually mechanics here will be frontside dominant as well.

Correct Frontside Distance
If the frontside distance is correct, the next step is evaluating the quality of pelvic alignment just prior to the landing of the hop phase. If pelvic posture is good, the jumper should be able to execute the step effectively. When this is not the case, the cause is typically overemphasis of knee drive when entering the step. Proper frontside distance is impossible to achieve if the pelvis is misaligned, so the combination of poor pelvic posture and correct frontside distance never occurs.

Insufficient Frontside Distance
If frontside distance is insufficient, again pelvic alignment should be evaluated just prior to this point. If the pelvic alignment is good, frontside distance must be increased by increasing stretch reflexes at takeoff. As the jumper leaves the board, the hips should displace past the takeoff foot before the foot leaves the ground. This creates a stretch reflex in the hip flexor muscles that brings the leg forward, and this stretch must be increased by increasing the displacement. If the pelvic alignment is poor, check pelvic alignment at takeoff. If it is good there, the jumper is usually trying to cycle the leg through too aggressively. The leg should lag behind the jumper's body for an instant while the stretch reflexes are being generated, and it is a common error for the jumper to pull the leg through prematurely. If pelvic alignment is poor at takeoff, then running mechanics are the problem spot.

Closing
Space has not permitted great detail as we examined these landmarks, but hopefully establishing the groundwork for a flowchart based diagnosis system can be a first step toward removing the mystery behind step phase problems.