Starts & Long Jump

1 — Light Jog 5 min

Same group jog to open practice. Athletes should know the routine by now — let them lead.

• Easy jog around the perimeter of the practice area as a group
• Conversational pace — use it to settle in and focus
• Cue: “Shake out your arms, relax your shoulders, find your breathing.”

2 — Dynamic Warm-Up 8 min

Athletes should be leading this on their own now. Coach circulates and corrects form.

• High Knees — 2× 20m
• Frankensteins — 1× 20m
• Ballerinas — 1× 20m
• Figure Fours — 1× 20m. Walking hip opener — step forward, cross the ankle over the opposite knee, sit into the hip, step through. Opens the glutes and hips before jumping. Cue: “Sit into it, don’t just walk through it.”
• Karaoke — 1× 20m each direction
• Arm Circles — 10 forward, 10 backward
• Leg Swings (forward/back & side to side) — 10 reps each direction, each leg

3 — Skips 8 min

Keep building the skip progressions. Athletes are getting more comfortable — push for better quality, not just completion.

• A-Skips — 2× 20m. Focus on the foot striking directly under the hip. Cue: “Knee up, foot down — punch the ground under you.”
• B-Skips — 2× 20m. Extend the lower leg, then snap it back down aggressively. Cue: “Kick out, snap it back — like scraping mud off your shoe.”
• Skips for Height — 2× 20m. Maximum knee drive and push. Cue: “How long can you stay in the air?”
• Pogos — 2× 10. Stiff ankles, quick off the ground. Cue: “Springs, not sponges.”
• Pogos (1 Foot) — 1× 10 each foot. Single-leg balance and ankle stiffness.

4 — Power 8 min

Squats again to reinforce form, then broad jumps to prime the legs for the long jump later in practice.

• Air Squat — 2× 10. Reinforce form from Practice 2. Chest up, knees out, full depth.
  • Cue: “If your heels come up, widen your stance or slow down.”
• Broad Jump — 2× 3 attempts. Arms back, load the hips, explode forward. Stick the landing.
  • Focus today on the arm swing — it adds significant distance. Cue: “Your arms lead the jump — throw them forward.”

5 — Track Skills 15 min

Two new skills today. Split into two groups and rotate at the halfway mark.

• Starts (7–8 min per group)
  • Teach the standing 2-point start first: feet staggered, dominant foot back, slight forward lean, weight over the front foot
  • On “Go”: push hard off the back foot, drive the arms, stay low for the first 10m — don’t stand up early
  • Cue: “Your first three steps should be into the ground, not up into the air.”
  • Practice: 4–5 short starts of 20m each. Full effort, walk back to recover
  • Progress to a 3-point start if athletes are comfortable: one hand on the ground (throwing-side hand), same staggered stance, weight forward
  • Watch for: standing up too soon, false starts from rushing, arms crossing the body. Correct immediately — bad habits form fast
  • Cue: “Stay low until your body forces you upright — don’t rush the stand-up.”
• Long Jump (7–8 min per group)
  • Start with a standing long jump to establish the feel of the takeoff — two feet, explosive, land athletically
  • Introduce the approach: athletes walk back 5–7 strides from the board and mark a simple starting point
  • Teach the takeoff: plant the takeoff foot flat and slightly ahead, drive the opposite knee up hard, throw the arms up and forward
  • Cue: “Hit the board, drive the knee, reach for the sky.”
  • In the air: bring both knees up toward the chest (hang position) to maximize distance before landing
  • Landing: feet out in front, hands reach forward, push the hips through on contact so you don’t fall back
  • Cue: “Don’t sit back on landing — drive your hips through and step out of it.”
  • Give each athlete 3–4 full approach jumps. Measure and note distances — we’ll track improvement

6 — Core Challenge 5 min

Beat last practice’s plank record. Announce the target time before starting.

• Plank Hold — Team competition, hold as long as possible. Remind athletes of the record from Practice 2 and challenge them to beat it.
• Side Plank — 30 sec each side. Elbow under the shoulder, hips up, straight line from head to heel. Cue: “Don’t let the hips drop — squeeze everything.”

7 — Cool Down 5 min

• Easy walk — 1 lap around the practice area
• Quad stretch — 30 sec each leg
• Hamstring stretch — 30 sec each leg
• Hip flexor stretch (lunge) — 30 sec each side
• Calf stretch — 30 sec each leg
• Team huddle — Recap starts and long jump. Announce the plank record. Preview Practice 4. End with the team cheer.