Curious how many coaches still use these Mb hop sprint drills? I have moved more towards Mb hop toss drills - I found they are less stressful on the body and allows the athletes to perform more reps per session.
The same as any other drill/exercise, I reserve the use of any particular activity for athletes who are able to perform them effectively enough to generate quality outputs in an orthopedically sound fashion.
I’ve had mixed results with the throw + sprint and hop + throw + sprint. I’ve used them all; however, not with all my athletes as some athletes just don’t have the awareness and coordination to make them, in my view, worth while.
Bottom line, if someone can do it well and it makes sense in the programming then proceed; if not, find something else.
How heavy were the MBs that you used? I find that using a lighter ball (6-8lbs) was best with this drill (and without the sprint added).
Always depends on output capacity of the athlete.
Heaviest has been 7kg for a NFL center (200kg bench press, +9ft broad jump), all the way down to 2kg for pre-adolescent youth athletes.
Most of my skill players at PITT used 8-10lb with some bigger skill players using 12lb.
We have used up to 2 hops + throw + 10m sprint, it all goes to hell in a handbag if they try the 3rd hop. We have used 7kg med ball for stronger guys but its not long before technique deterioates, more consistent with 5kg, under 17 guys 4kg, females either 3kg or 4kg. Normally do a set of 5 reps, standing squat + throw + 10m, set of 5 jump throw sprint, then 5 reps of double jump if technique is okay. We usually start off with a set of 5 reverse overhead med ball throws just to get things moving.