This is the page where Jessica's Coach, Toni Minichiello, attempts to answer some of the many questions we receive to the site.
Read on you may just learn a few coaching tips...
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Question: High Jump
From: Bruce Robertson, UK
Who wrote:
Hi Toni,
I am a level 3 high jump coach and am wondering what drills you use with Jess to keep her tall in the jump phase?
ANSWER:
Bruce
You asked what drills I do with Jessica to keep her "tall in the jump
phase". If I understand you correctly you mean to keep her tall at take off
and not dive into the bar.
I talk to Jessica about her inside shoulder (the one closest to the bar at
take off) and keeping it going up through the jump. Typical drills are
jumping up and reaching up with the hand. We also do a similar drill by
running a curve off 5 steps and jumping close to a wall (not too close about 2 - 3 feet from take off to the wall) The speed is slow also as it is just an easy drill.
Doing this close to a wall means that you have to drive the shoulder up or
you hit the wall. I usually find that the reason people dive is because the
head is what leads the direction of the jump, so I ask that they keep the
head going up.
The other drill I do is take of jumps going over the side of hurdles again
working the free leg and forcing the athlete to go up at take off.
I hope this covers the question you asked. It's I believe about creating a
movement pattern that can be repeated, if an athlete dives in then it is
difficult to break and at some stage under pressure they will likely revert
to diving.
Toni
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Question: Javelin
From: Alison, USA
Who wrote:
Toni,
When Jessica throws the jav., why doesn't she do a longer run up and then withdraw the jav? In Osaka I noticed she started with the jav already back so losing speed and a lot of distance on someone like Kluft.
ANSWER:
Alison
I have to agree with you that a longer run-up would be better for Jessica.
She had thrown off a longer run-up in Loughborough and Bedford at the Under
23 champs. However when she takes the Javelin back she was not able to get into the best position often loosing the left side or leaning forward.
In short, it's about confidence and getting a result off the longer approach
it was always going to be a gamble if it went well and she threw a minimum
of 36m. We could not guarantee this off the longer approach. We did toy with
the idea of one throw off the short if this went well then off the longer runway.
It was still a Personal Best but in truth she needs a longer run-up which
will happen this coming season.
Hope that answers your question.
Regards
Toni
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