CFTS for Jumpers

Expert Discussion Advanced Sports Sciences
1

I’ve been itching to start this thread for a while and now I studied enough CF products to discuss it.

Below is merely my own conjuncture and PLEASE critique to bits!

Periodization

Most horizontal jump programmes are very similar to sprint programmes, especially as a lot of long-jumpers also sprint. I think CF short-long setup seems to have a lot of potential for the jumps. Although Charlie has stated that jumpers would need more cycles than the triple periodization used for sprinters. Incidentally, Charlie’s High Intensity Training for Sports graph shows HI requirements from 200m to Oly lifters. Where would long jumpers fit? How many cycles would be necessary?

There also are other components that would need to be added, effecting volumes in other areas:

Short approach jumps -

High CNS ‘height’ imo. The stride numbers typically get bigger as the programme progresses, which ties in well with s-l acceleration work. Also a box can be added: in parallel to hill work?

It seems that the volume of acc/hills and maybe medball throws would need to be adjusted to incorporate these short jumps.

Introduced from the start or at least in GPP, reaching 14 strides by indoor competition period (also competing at 60m maybe). Then peaking again at 18+ in outdoor competition period (also competing in 100m/relays maybe)

Run-ups -

Usually a gradual acceleration with a very short speed peak (not even hitting top speed?). So not too high CNS stimulus.

It seems the speed volume would need to be adjusted to incorporate run-ups.

Introduced in SSP1.

Full Jumps -

Very high CNS ‘height’.
Not used very often and usually saved for competition although I have heard the Cubans use a large amount in training at times. Maybe used before tapers for a final HI stimulus?

And then there’s the question of how the volumes would change anyway, regardless of the extra components.

Tempo -

The main benefits of tempo are for recovery, work capacity and capillarisation/warming; bringing about power benefits. Which all benefit the jumper as much as the sprinter. However, would jumpers really need the same volume of tempo as sprinters? If not then that would suggest that tempo is also used for some sort of SE benefit, which seems irrational.

Speed and Special Endurance-

The role of SE in jumping has always confused me. Obviously you need to survive 6 full jumps… but recoveries are so long it hardly qualifies as endurance. Jumpers often compete in a few 100m races though, so some SE seems necessary. Charlie has stated that SE seems to regulate weight and make athletes muscles ‘denser’ which would benefit the jumps.

Are longer SE reps necessary for jumpers? Or would split runs suffice?

Plyometrics -

Jumpers typically have high plyometric volumes. Considering the volume of short approach jumps, how much higher should the volume of additional plyo’s be than that of a sprinter? In addition, the type of plyo’s used include lots of single foot contacts, much longer distances covered, and running approaches. All inducing a lot of muscle and CNS stress.

Abs -

The use of strength in addition to CF high rep work on the abs has been discussed recently. Is this strength requirement accentuated in the jumps? Considering the take-off forces and powerful leg shoots used?

Weights -

How would the hypertrophy phase differ, considering the detrimental effects of excess weight in the jumps? And would the upper-body volume differ?

The discussion of elite jump programmes past and present is also welcomed as i haven’t seen or had access to many examples.

2

I will just answer where I believe I have enough knowledge to answer.

I believe that short approach jumps (<10 steps) can fall into the low cns category. The target of those is to work on technique and can be done on the tempo days.

Full Jumps -

Very high CNS ‘height’.
Not used very often and usually saved for competition although I have heard the Cubans use a large amount in training at times. Maybe used before tapers for a final HI stimulus?

The cubans are crazy. I see their training regime live in a daily basis and if you survive it you are superman. So I would take anything from them with a grain of salt.

Speed and Special Endurance-

The role of SE in jumping has always confused me. Obviously you need to survive 6 full jumps… but recoveries are so long it hardly qualifies as endurance. Jumpers often compete in a few 100m races though, so some SE seems necessary. Charlie has stated that SE seems to regulate weight and make athletes muscles ‘denser’ which would benefit the jumps.

Are longer SE reps necessary for jumpers? Or would split runs suffice?

I personally believe that for a jumper, besides the physiological effect of SE, long high speed repeats are needed for the rythm feeling that is also needed in the run up. During a SE session you have more time to be aware of your posture, relaxation, etc.

Plyometrics -

Jumpers typically have high plyometric volumes. Considering the volume of short approach jumps, how much higher should the volume of additional plyo’s be than that of a sprinter? In addition, the type of plyo’s used include lots of single foot contacts, much longer distances covered, and running approaches. All inducing a lot of muscle and CNS stress.

I use plyos scattered all week long. Before a speed session right now I am doing 5 x LRLR+j. As a jumper I believe quality is extremely important and I believe that you have to be fresh for such a bounding session.

Abs -

The use of strength in addition to CF high rep work on the abs has been discussed recently. Is this strength requirement accentuated in the jumps? Considering the take-off forces and powerful leg shoots used?

I don’t believe is necessary. A powerful leg shoot is result of correct use of your legs, you don’t need crazy abs to do it, you just have to learn to “pendulate” your legs the correct way.

3

Not sure I quite agree… pure ‘technical’ short work is submax, is this what you are referring to? Because often short approach work is maximal, and obviously full body putting the CNS stress high… a lot of the time PR’s are looked for off short distances according to the time of year, so 6 stride pr november, 8 str pr Jan, 10 stride feb etc.

So maybe the question is whether to do submax short work or maximal short work? Or whether to have maximal short work 1xweek on a HI day and submax short work 1xweek on a LI day??

Good point… but then form usually breaks down during SE… so should the reps and distances be modified according to the maintenance of form… more so for the jumper than sprinter?

Do you think that ab ‘strength’ is more important for the jumper because of the impact forces seen at take-off?

4

I refer to easy things such as popups, postural work, landing drills, etc. Nothing much taxing. Btw. that’s a slow progression.

So maybe the question is whether to do submax short work or maximal short work? Or whether to have maximal short work 1xweek on a HI day and submax short work 1xweek on a LI day??

The problem of doing tech work on LI days is that you might probably have very little pop due to the hard day before, so that you are more or less forced to do submax work. I jump off a tempo pace approach and am able to work all the tech issues. I would like to have both LJ sessions on HI days, and if not possible keep one on a HI day and one on a tempo day.

Good point… but then form usually breaks down during SE… so should the reps and distances be modified according to the maintenance of form… more so for the jumper than sprinter?

From my personal experience form doesn’t break down whilever you ain’t doing long repeats or at least it doesn’t do to the point of being much noticeable. The point is to get used to tall running, efficient form, smooth stride. It depends on the individual anyway, but I would like to keep the overall volume low and the intensity high, so there wouldn’t be much place for playing with rep number arround.

Do you think that ab ‘strength’ is more important for the jumper because of the impact forces seen at take-off?

Doing multiple repetitions with bodyweight won’t help you there. Stimulus from weightraining is more than enough.

The biggest problem is how to implement bounding into CFTS. Scatter it 3 times a week prior speed and keep the volume low per session? How should a sample spp week look like?

Mon: 4 x LRLRJ + 4 x s-f-s + weights
Tu: Tempo pace jumping + 1200m ext. tempo / circuit
Wed: 5 x LRLRJ + 5 x 40m + weights
thurs: tempo / circuits?
Fri: double footed plyos (hurdle hops, depth drops, etc) + 3 x 30 + 2x130

Or keep it

day one: lj work + sprint
day two: plyos / bounding + weights
day three: recovery / tempo / circuits
day four: lj work + sprint
day five: plyos / bounding + weights

(volume migh seem low but i have had lots of injuries, all of them in the track, so I am eager to increase volume)

Quality should be paramount.

5

For your consideration:

Take this for what it’s worth regarding the jumper I trained to over 7.70m.

I trained him CFTS style, and while I’m not sure where I’ve stored his training log (as I hand wrote it at that time) if memory serves me correct we went 2-3 CNS intensive days a week with 2-3 tempo days as he also competed in the 100m (10.47FAT PB).

I had him do no jump work at all on tempo days, only tempo, abdominals, and auxiliary weights.

This is bad because I really can’t remember how I structured the CNS intensive sessions; however, the training means themselves, for what it’s worth, consisted of the following:

  • 10m block starts 2-3 times per week
  • 30-60m speed work 2 times per week
  • 80-120m SE once a week
  • pop ups
  • short approach jumps
  • standing triple jump alternate steps
  • explosive scissor jumps for max height
  • single leg depth jumps
  • half squats
  • bench press
  • auxiliary weights
6

And the crowd went silent in disbelief…

7

I’m a jumper with pr over 7.80m and this training which James Smith mentioned is VERY simular to how i train. It works very well.

8

Thanks for the insight!

This is the type of setup that I imagined would work best, as short-approach jumps, and even pop-ups are CNS intensive.

Were you working S-L? L-S? How many times periodised? Can you elaborate on the volumes in comparison to CFTS… espiecially tempo.

Did you consider any type of low-intensity jump circuits on tempo days? It’s just that many coaches seem to use a certain amount of jumps ‘conditioning’, which to me always appears to be of too high and intensity.

9

Welcome to CF.com! Can you elaborate on your training anymore? It would be much appreciated! :slight_smile:

10

The program was S-L. He enlisted my coaching just prior to the outdoor season so that took indoor out of the equation.

Remember, however, my memory is foggy with respect to details.

Did not consider low intensive jumps on extensive days. While this may prove beneficial for a novice this was well beneath his capacity and there’s more than enough literature that indicates how a certain intensity must be reached on the competition exercise in order for positive transfer to occur.

You may recall me mentioning in the NCAA T&F coaching problem thread how this same athlete was physically capable of jumping over 8.30m so any lower intensive jumps on extensive training days in the CFTS model would have simply interfered with his preparation.

In a block approach this could have worked in which more extensive bounds/jumps serve as a preparatory mechanism for more subsequent intensive work; however, with an already talented jumper performing a CFTS influenced program I think to implement these types of means concurrently along with CNS intensive jumps would be counter intuitive.

As far as volumes go, I am unable to remember much beyond his tempo volumes would typically hover around 2000m of total work on grass; however, as the outdoor season went on I switched him to tempo on an exercise bike as his shins gave him intermittent problems.

On the bike I’d have him go for 13-20sec intervals and intersperse these intervals with abdominal and auxiliary work.

As far as total speed volumes, I remember staying conservative with respect to Charlie’s recommendations.

As far as jump work, you’ll have to forgive me for not remembering much. Although, I know that auto-regulation served a primary role in terms of shutting things down when we felt that we had accomplished what we set out to for that particular session- particularly with respect to full approach jumps.

Weight work was secondary, relatively higher intensity and low volume

11

Thanks.

Basically S-L program.

Accel development 2-3 x per week from week one of season. Very short stuff early on.

low intense bounding during prep 1 moving onto endurance bounding through prep 2 and prep 3 then onto speed type bounding during competition phase.

Short approach LJ work 1x per week. Starting off with say 10 strides and moving upto 16 strides in training.

Full approach runway work after prep 1. Always done with full take offs but never full jumps in training.

Box jumps after prep 1. Two foot for 6 weeks then moving onto one foot box jumps for distance.

Top end speed work after prep 2. With fly sprints and sprint float sprints. Runway work as well.

Weights - 2-3 times per week. Cleans, squats, step ups, bench. Always a mixture between max strength and power. Weight training is undulating and not block.

Med ball throws 2x per week. After all weights are finished for the day.

Between 8-10 units of training per week. Usually one full day off including various mornings etc…

Also, through prep 1,2,3 I do lots of small circuits things just to keep general strength and fitness up.

Oh, i forget tempo work. Once a week. this moves from Ext to Ints to Speed end.

12

I suppose more extensive bounding could be used in GPP?

I’m interested in how much full approach jumping was used in training, only I have never performed full approach jumps in training… always shorter approach or run-throughs…but have heard of it used in other programmes.

I understand your memory is hazy. However, also I’m interested as to the weekly programming in comparison to CFTS, and how many times actual long jumping was used weekly. So was it Speed/tempo/SE/Tempo/Speed/Tempo… so that there is max time between speed sessions a la CFTS? And in that case, would any jumping on the SE day be of a lower intensity/number of steps?

13

Were short approach jumps used in prep?

Interesting, so they start as a plyo exercise and move to being more specific…

This is similar to the LSU stuff that I have read. Especially the Ex-Int-SE… although this wouldn’t work in CFTS.

14

Short approaches yes used in prep 1. Technique development main focus.

That plyo exercise is very hard and focus needs to be a priority. Benifits are high but risk are very high as well…

I know nothing about the CFTS. What is that?

Why wouldn’t it work with it?

I’m confused lol .

15

Sorry CFTS is Charlie Francis Training System. Can you elaborate on the box jumps? I’m thinking that we’re getting depth jumps and box take-offs mixed up… Do you do any box take-offs?

16

Box take offs, yes during early season when trying to perfect technique with very little impact on the body…

Single leg depth jumps for distance, are basically standing on a 30cm box and jumping off with your left foot, landing on your right foot and then jumping upto another 30cm box…we progress this by adding running strides onto the first box…

17

In a CFTS model- yes.

This is where you’ll have to forgive me because I’m unable to remember these details.

Keep in mind this was out door track season of 2005 and between then and now, between PE curriculum, high school football, high school track and field, private coaching, consulting, and my programming here at PITT, I have written a few books worth of training programs.

18

No worries! Mon/Fri speed seems logical though imo, with the more intense jumping on those days also.

19

I think that box take-offs would fit in well during GPP of Charlies S-L… as acceleration and hills seem similar.

For the last 3 years I have done a HUGE Thursday plyo’s session in Prep… they’re noted in my log… up towards 300 contacts. Many single leg off boxes. Weighted vests are added and reps are cut, with the weight going up. Then the cycle finishes with no weight for two weeks. The vests dropped the CNS intensity tbh.

However the session is too much… all other training components are adversely affected as the CNS gets fried.

20

WOW! 300 contacts…

My BOX session consist of 3-5 sets of 3 contacts each leg. With 2x10 double contacts and thats IT!