The other day I had the great pleasure of sharing the coaching duty with my former collegiate coach, Jim Kiefer. Coach Kiefer and I gave a clinic together to help teach high school coaches in the Southern California area. Coach Kiefer was really excited because he had personally cut, hammered and painted several sizes of wooden bounding boxes. Frankly, I was impressed because I once tried to make some boxes but failed miserably. The boxes were beautifully made and designed to boost any triple jumpers ability to fly.
Many jumpers have never had the pleasure of meeting a “bounding box” before. This is too bad because there is no better exercise for a triple jumper than box drills. If an athlete is able to master bounding on, over and between bounding boxes their triple jump will greatly improve. I have rarely seen an athlete who is proficient at the triple jump that has not had a turn on the boxes.
The size of a bounding box should never be higher than 12 inches or 33 centimeters in height. The best boxes have the following dimensions: width 2 feet (30.5cm) x length 2 feet (30.5cm) x height 6 (15cm) – 9 (23cm) inches. The wood should be sturdy enough to hold a person weighing 500 pounds (227kg); because that is the type of force that will be applied to the box.
Place the boxes in a straight line and bound on and off the boxes from one end to the other. Start with the boxes close together and slowly move the boxes apart. Keep the distance between the boxes relatively the same. Occasionally, put the boxes closer and jump over the boxes from one end to the other.
To increase power, start from atop the first box and bound to the end. To develop speed and agility, get a running start and try to get as much “air time” between each box.
Now, I must go try to steal some boxes from Coach Kiefer!!!
Tags: Jump
Mr. Triple Jump 
February 6, 2010 at 8:08 pm |
The clinic was great Willie! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. Your insight and drills will find their way into my athletes’ workouts this season… along with your enthusiasm!
February 6, 2010 at 11:14 pm |
It was my pleasure to do the clinic. Good luck with your athletes.
February 12, 2010 at 8:07 am |
How can I get an email to you about TJ drill? I sent an email to the address I had from the Atlantic City clinic and it came back. I was looking to get drills from the clinic and others he said he had.
February 12, 2010 at 8:28 am |
email me at willie.banks@olympian.org