One of the challenges people have when it comes to doing high jump training is that they feel like they don’t have access to the necessary facilities to help them train. The good thing about the high jump event is that it relies more on the body’s physical conditioning rather than the technical aspects of the jump (until you want to get the maximise your height over the bar).
So if you live in a remote area where you don’t have access to high jump equipment, don’t fret. You can still do the right type of training in your home, which will allow you to excel in your athletic performance.
Condition your body with light jogging.
You should do a dedicated jog at least once a week for 10 minutes in your local area. You can make it a bit more interesting by using the Nike Running application on your smartphone or iWatch.
Do short sprints.
Conduct acceleration training over 30-60m. In high jump, you will need to maximise your controlled speed in 7 to 11 steps. Train your body to accelerate quickly for your approach to the bar.
Do hill runs.
As with short sprints, find a hill that is steep and that will force your muscles to work harder against gravity. This will also act like plyometric training. Conduct short acceleration sprints of 20-30 m up a hill for 5 repetitions.
Do stair runs.
Similar to hill runs, you want to use the stairs to get your muscles used to an explosive movement. Aim to find stairs in 10-20m in length and sprint up them as quickly as you can. The more flights of stairs you can cover at a time (2-3), the better.
Do skipping.
You can help condition your body’s elasticity by doing skipping. Aim to do the following.
- 2-3 sets of 100 single skips.
- 2-3 sets of 20 double leg skips.
- 2-3 sets of 10 triple leg skips (if possible).
You can order high-performance skipping rope from Amazon.
Do double leg hops.
Ideally, you can do this over hurdles or a high object. If this isn’t possible, then aim to get your feet over a consistent height. Repeat this exercise for 4 times for a set of 4. Make sure you aim to have a quick reaction time off the ground.
You can order a set of portable training hurdles from Amazon.
Take off training.
Find a high fence or wall and estimate a height that is 10-20 cm higher than your current personal best. Do some run-throughs where you will drive your knee to pass the maximum height that you have set. Continue to practice this as a part of your training routine.
Run-up drills.
You want to ingrain your run-up so that it feels natural. Make sure you are on a flat surface and practice your run-up, emphasising on each phase in the lead up to the take-off. Each phase should increase your acceleration, control and body position so that you will be launched over the bar.
Bounding
Bound on each leg with an emphasis on maximising height. Repeat this movement for 8-10 repetitions for at least 3 sets.
Single leg hops
Conduct single leg hops with an emphasis on maximising your height. Do this for 6-8 repetitions for 3 sets.
This hurdle equipment set from Amazon is handy for maximising your jumping height.
Stretching.
Flexibility is important. Dedicate up to 30 minutes a day to stretching your muscles so that you will be flexible for your competition. This means stretching your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, back and arms. This will allow you to gain more power in your muscles and practicing your arch will give you extra height in your high jumping ability.
Core exercises.
You can work on strengthening your core by doing sit-ups and leg raises. This will also help strengthen your hip flexors so that you can improve your knee drive and jump higher.
Are there any other types of training that you do at home that don’t feature on the list? You can also get 101 high jump training drills from Amazon.
Also, if you want to improve your high jump, you can buy this 7 day a week training program for $4.99, which will help you improve your jumping ability and overall high jumping performance.
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