WSBB Blog: Jump Training for Fighters
Tags: Jumping, Fighting, Conjugate
Time to Read: 4min
When it comes to training fighters, continuing to build on their athleticism should be the goal of every coach. We build strength and speed with weight training, cardiovascular stamina with road work, so logic dictates we need to continue to add to the athletic capacity of the athlete so they are able to utilize newly found gains in strength and stamina effectively in the ring. By implementing jump training into a fighter training plan can not only make improvements in strength, speed, and explosiveness.
Jump training allows for a fighter to increase their explosiveness and athletic capacity. Jumping allows for a fighter to change direction faster, shoot stronger takedowns, and improve athletic coordination. At Westside, we have been using jump training for years to develop our athletes.
Below, we will cover a few of the different ways we have athletes jump to improve their strength, speed, and ability to be explosive.
When we first begin having an athlete jump it is important for them to learn how to jump and land correctly. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to begin with simple squat jumps. This allows the athlete to practice exploding into a jump and landing.
By beginning with squat jumps the athlete is able to learn how to control their body on the initial jump and the landing, this will help reduce low quality box jumps that could cause injury in the future. Once an athlete has learned how to load up, jump, and land, it is time to introduce jumping to platforms. Platform jumps should always be done while the athlete is minimally fatigued.
A typical box jump workout is simple. You will start at a moderate height, performing one to three reps each time the height is increased. The goal should be to end with the highest box you can jump to that day for one repetition.
It is suggested that this be accomplished in 30 reps or less. As an athlete progresses, depth jumps are added into the program. A depth jump is a jump that begins with a drop in from a safe height that allows for the lifter to create maximum amounts of rebound once their feet make contact with the ground. This can be done by dropping in and jumping straight up in the air for a vertical max jump, or can be done dropping in and jumping to a box for a max box jump.
The final jump exercise we commonly use is broad jumps. Broad jumping is done by loading up and leaping forward for a maximum distance. Much like box jumps, broad jumps can be done by either starting on the ground, or by dropping in from a box similar to depth jumps.
You can add in a medicine ball to throw during the broad jump to further challenge the athlete.
When it comes to building athleticism, plyometric training is needed to compliment strength training. As a fighter, being able to remain athletic and explosive while gaining strength is a necessity. Jump training provides the stimulus necessary to remain quick, agile, and flexible.
When you’re preparing for a fight you can leave no stone unturned in your training, use jump training to become more athletic, more explosive, and in the end more dangerous.
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