Tip #1 Take a Snap Shot of How It Should Look

The first and most important aspect I teach with the vertical Jump is the starting and landing positions. I want the athletes to know what it feels like to be in the correct position to load the body correctly. Here is what you should look for:
•    Toes/feet straight ahead
•    Ankles dorsi-flexed completely
•    Knees over toes vertically/shin angles back
•    Hips driven back
•    Spine neutral/slightly arched position- do not start flexed in the spine
•    Head and eyes straight ahead
•    Arms need to start back behind the hips

Now, this seems like a lot, but it is the basic body position I will start with. The key is to not force an athlete too low for two reasons. First, if they can’t get that low without going into poor posture we want to avoid the low position. Secondly, going too low causes the athlete to work too much; it slows down the speed of the movement. They should be slightly below or at a quarter squat. Now that we have the starting position we move on…

Tip #2 Load to Explode

First off, what I am teaching is how you achieve the best vertical jump from a standing position. In live play you may not be able to lower down or do a counter movement. You may have to just jump quickly. In this case we are allowing the loading or counter movement.

I want the athlete to start tall with the arms above the head. Quickly drop down into the low position. This action of dropping quickly and suddenly reversing the action is the loading phase. Upon loading, quickly drive the arm up close to the body and perform one of two things. One, if you are trying to reach high then the arms extend up over head (could be one or two arms reaching). Two, if you are just trying to jump high without using the arms to reach you should “block” the arms at chest height. This quick stopping of the arms gives a quick boost to the body during the final stage of the in the air phase of the jump. On to the third phase.

Tip #3     Finish the job

I hear it said often that we want to pull the toes up so the ankles are dorsi-flexed as soon as the feet leave the ground. I don’t agree with this. I want the athlete to finish the push off by pushing the toes into the ground just like a basketball player following through on a shot. Once the follow through is done and the athlete is in the air, then the ankle can be pulled into dorsi-flexion for a better landing.

Tip #4     Arms + Tubing = Higher Jump

There has been research that shows using light tubing tethered to the ground and used by the arms in the jump can increase vertical. I am sorry I can’t find the research but I read additional research done by Gray Cook on this topic.

I actually used this method and tried it out with my athletes. I took a measurement of his regular jump for 3 attempts and it was 23 inches. Then I had him perform 3 reps with a light band held in his hand while I stepped on the other end. He did 3 quick jumps and we rested for 2 minutes. I repeated this for 3 sets. I tested his regular jump again for 3 jumps and he went to 25 ½ on all 3. So I immediately implemented this technique into our program. I simply call it tubing jumps.

Tip #5 Repeat Jumps for Greater Carry Over

I like to have our athletes perform the jumps 2-3 times in a row and get as close to the same height all 3 times. It really doesn’t matter to me how high an athlete can jump for one time if they can’t do it well in a game. We all know athletes jump, many times, while off balance or multiple times in live competition.

The trick is to see them repeat the jumps 2-3 times with maximal effort on each jump but equally great landing posture so each jump can be performed well. If your athletes tend to rotate in the air or lose their balance they need to learn to land under control and be able to quickly go back up.

So there you have it, five simple but powerful tips to get your athletes to jump higher. Here is a simple program you can use to help your athlete learn to jump.
Day #1
1.    Teach the athlete the starting and landing position from both a static position and by dropping into it from a tall standing position. Perform 5-8 reps or until they can grove the correct pattern
2.    Perform 5 single rep jumps and stick the landing each time. Reset and perform the next rep.
3.    Perform 3 sets of 5 repeat jumps. This time there is no waiting at the bottom. If the technique is poor stop and recheck how the technique should be. Allow for at least 90 seconds or more between each set.

Day #2 (should be 3 days later)
1.    Perform 3 sets of 5 reps of tubing jumps. Allow for at least 90 or more seconds of rest between sets.
2.    Perform 3 sets of 3 box jump-ups. This is when you only jump on the box, not down off. Choose a box that will challenge you to jump high but still allow you to land in a perfect landing. Jump as high as you can and stick the landing on the box, step off and repeat for 3 in a row. Rest 90 seconds or more before each set.
3.    Ball toss and catch- Toss a basketball, soccer ball, football, or volleyball up over your head, time your jump and catch the ball at the peak of your jump. Perform 2 sets of 5 reps. After each rep, be prepared to toss the ball up immediately. Rest after the 5th toss and repeat.

There is a simple yet effective jumping program to use. This is great for beginners but can be used by all levels. You must learn to raise the intensity level by your effort and concentrate on each repetition. You do not need to do high reps to become a better jumper.

Don’t forget about the weight room. Becoming stronger and learning to apply that strength quickly will help your vertical as much as anything. Be safe and jump high.

Whether you are a coach, a trainer, an athlete, or even a parent of an athlete this is one speed clinic you don’t want to miss. Listen to Hollister Struck and me discuss what will be covered at the seminar.

For more information on how you can attend this clinic visit http://www.strengthbystruck.com/

One of the best sayings I heard many years ago (I wish I could remember who said it) was, “The weight room is for strength training. If you want endurance training get out of the weight room.”

Distance running for competition isn’t about who can run the longest, it is about who can run the distance the fastest. Strength training serves to increase the speed at which races can be ran.

The goal of a distance runner should be to increase the power output of the body. If every stride is more efficient and produces more power, it stands to reason the stride will be longer. You will not gain much power output when lifting 10 lbs for 30 to 40 reps. Quality strength program can be used by all distance runners.

Strength training will not only increase strength, but can also increase power, reduce injury potential, increase stability, and if done correctly, increase mobility. The misconception is strength training will produce big, bulky muscles which are what distance runners do not want.

Strength training can be manipulated to accomplish a plethora of gains. I can make my athletes lose weight using strength training. I can also make them gain weight. I can make them incredibly strong and not gain any weight, or I can make them more explosive using strength training. Strength training is a training method. It is one of many methods of improving performance.

Distance running is an overuse type sport. Strength training is a great way to help avoid the many injuries that are common to overuse sports. If for nothing else, that would be a great reason to implement a strength training program for distance runners – to avoid injuries. But if you’re not careful you might find yourself running faster and performing better in your races.

It’s time distance running coaches join the crowd and start using strength training with their runners. I know there are many that do, but why not all of them?

When we look at human movement at its simplest form strength is the foundation. So why wouldn’t strength be beneficial when we are talking about sport performance which includes running? My wish is for more coaches to take advantage of the benefits of strength training.

What I have always said is show me what you can do as a strength and conditioning coach with a 13-year-old who doesn’t have much ability. You have to take someone who doesn’t have incredible power and coordination, and teach them to move correctly. I laugh when they guys who say, “My guys scored best at the NFL combine. Yeah they may have gone from a 4.40 to a 4.39.” The point is, they could still run a 4.40 without you. These guys are the easy ones to train. They come with a full tank of gas ready to go and are highly motivated.

Have you ever trained an 11-year-old who is overweight, wants to play soccer, and doesn’t know how to skip yet? Every aspect of your coaching ability gets challenged. You have to know how to break skills down once you have assessed their limitations. You have to understand how much you can give them without overwhelming them. You have to have patience and to be prepared to change your entire plan of action simply because it isn’t working.

I have spent my time with the professionals and enjoyed it. But it wasn’t hard. They were already great at what they do. I just needed to keep them healthy and improve certain aspects of their ability. I have worked with hundreds of college athletes, and they also bring a lot to the table.

Regardless if the athlete is a 10-year-old or in the pros, they are need great training. But don’t tell me a strength coach’s merit is based on who they have in the big leagues.

If you ever saw some of the kids I have trained you would say there is no way you can improve them. But with consistent effort and constant adjustments they became very good movers. It is because of patience and understanding what they need. So rather than telling me who you have trained in the pros, tell me what young kids you have trained and how they turned out after being under your program. And tell me if they still enjoy training or are they burned-out and psychologically hurt because of your harshness. Did you make a difference in their life?

We all have tough jobs, and I will never say anyone has it easier than the next guy, but don’t use the name dropping game to put gold medals next to your name.

I believe every sport coach and trainer at some point in their career, preferable when they first start out, should work with beginner athletes and have to teach fundamentals. That alone will make you appreciate coaching and development.

Sometimes I have to shake my head and just laugh it off when I have people commenting on how they didn’t like a DVD because there wasn’t enough drills in it.

I could agree if I promoted my products simply as sources for more drills. There is nothing wrong with this approach as long as you state the purpose. But I have always stated my products are about content, purpose, strategies of learning and teaching, and how to assess movement using your visual cues.

Teaching, to me, has gone downhill over the years. I don’t only mean in the fitness field, I mean in schools and colleges. It is becoming more about testing and comparing rather than learning and discovering.

I personally love to discover why my athletes move and how they move. I want to roll my sleeves up and coach the heck out of them. To share what I have learned with an athlete or coach and help them understand it is a thrill to me. Why others don’t love this is hard for me to understand, especially when they have chosen to be a fitness instructor or coach. Isn’t that the role, to want to teach and support learning?

I want you to sit back for 15 minutes and simply look at how the fitness industry and academic industry are getting very similar. There are lots of standardized tests which mean time spent on making participants better for the test. There is not a lot of time for exploration and discovery. It is very strict and orderly. I am not going to say being orderly is bad, but with the younger populations, part of learning is self discovery.

Look at the fitness industry and how dominated we are becoming by the books that have 200 abdominal exercises, and the speed books with 100 ways to use a ladder. Once again, these are not bad. As a matter of fact they are great resources. But what should always come first is the foundation of true understanding of how to move, how to run faster, how to cut and change direction better and what to look for when athletes are not doing it correctly. We need to learn how to cue athletes better. We should know how to break a skill down when an athlete is struggling so they can be built back up. We need to understand before we start teaching. It is much like shooting darts at a bull’s-eye while in the dark.

Sports Speed, Etc has been about education because I have been about education. I suppose I should use the word learning. I am more of a proponent of learning than education. The reason I say this is because, to me education has become more about reaching the grade, rather than the journey, process, and true knowledge.

So, if you every thought about purchasing a product from Sports Speed, Etc or any other resource, but didn’t because it didn’t have enough drills or exercises in it please think again. The knowledge you gain will empower you to create thousands of drills and exercises because you will now have a purpose.

A big issue with youth sports right now is doing what ever it takes to get the win and sacrificing development. In basketball many of the 3^rd-5^th grade coaches are teaching kids to run zones and press hard all game long. Sure it will create turnovers, but not because the press or zones are any good. It’s because the understanding and skill levels of the offensive players are underdeveloped still. I can teach my kids how to move the ball versus a zone defense, but because they are 10, 11, and 12 years old they don’t have the strength to shoot a pure jumper over the zone, they don’t have the experience and understanding of how to break a zone down, and they can’t accurately throw a skip pass at this age. So a zone creates poor development of the players. Even the team running the zone or full court press takes a backward step in development because they are not learning true principles of defense they are just being opportunistic.

Recently, I had to miss a tournament due to my travels and speaking. I had a report from my wife, daughter, and many others about the behavior of one coach who was furious because we don’t allow zones at our home court. He repeatedly made comments throughout the game regarding not being allowed to play a zone. I see him as a coach who doesn’t get the big picture, can’t win without his crutch of playing a zone, and probably shouldn’t be coaching youth sport in the first place.

This is not the first time I have written or spoken about this topic and it continues to amaze me how shortsighted coaches can be. I know of a program that allowed their youth coaches to run zones all the time in the younger grades. That same program is a very poor defensive team at the junior varsity and varsity level now. The kids didn’t learn the fundamentals of defense while they were young and now it is biting them in the butt.

The urge to win and compete is natural, but having the insight to develop for the long term is what will truly make a difference. How many times have you seen programs where the junior high teams win all the time, but when they get to varsity they can’t win. In many of these cases it has to do with early development of young kids compared to their competitors. It also has to do with the win at all cost mentality at the youth level. These teams make it appear that they are doing the right things and the varsity coaches are not. But what most don’t see is the varsity program is suffering because of how the youth coaches performed. If they bypass the foundations of developing a player’s skills and knowledge it is difficult to catch up at the varsity level because the habits are formed. I am not saying it can’t be changed, but it would be much easier if the players were taught properly in the first place.

So this is my rant again against youth coaching. I am sure it won’t stop any time soon but as I said to my wife the other night; “I don’t feel good about how youth sports are going.” The parents at 5^th and 6^th grade games are rude and cruel in the crowd. Coaches are trying to win at all costs, and the players are not being properly developed for future success.

The coaches that do understand this…CONGRATULATIONS…and keep up the great work. Plus, try to preach the good word about development to those who don’t get it.

I was in Iceland. It was a fantastic journey that started last Wednesday with a flight to Boston then an all night flight into Iceland. I arrived at 6:30 am and my first seminar was that night from 7 to 10 pm. The very next day I started at 9 am and went to 5 pm, virtually the same on Saturday, then culminated with an energizing seminar with 70 participants on Olympic lifting.

It was simply amazing for me to spend such quality time with so many wonderful Icelandic coaches, trainers, and therapist.

What I loved most is how they helped me grow. Being challenged on my own intellectual parameters is humbling. Because the attendees want to learn and improve they ask great questions. These questions are what make me a better teacher.

I have to dig deep and be ready to support their questions with either great answers or a simple “I don’t know, but I will find out for you.”

Seminars like this enlighten me on what others are thinking. When I get questions regarding my program design principles for sports speed it helps me understand people’s needs and their thought processes. It’s truly a gift to me, to be so challenged and forced to dig deep; just the way it should be.

The first four days I worked with an eager group wishing to learn more about being better at their trade and how to network with others to become stronger in business and associations. It was a wonderful experience. My Iceland friends want to be better- just like all of us. They will be fantastic at what they do because they care.

I also spoke on program design as it relates to athletic performance and training fitness clients. During these sessions, my entire goal was to teach the attendees the importance of goals when designing a program. These goals should follow principles of movement, strength, mobility, speed and quickness. If they can understand that a program should be built on these principles which are directed by the goal then they have most of the battle won.

On the final day, as I mentioned, we spent five hours diving into the technical aspect of how to build the foundation of Olympic lifting for their clients and athletes. These participants were focused and motivated. They made my job easy. They were willing to do the reps and the motor programming to groove a pattern of lifting. Certainly they were not going to be perfect in a day, but they created a foundation to build on so someday they can be excellent at teaching, demonstrating, and implementing the progressions.

My entire trip to Iceland, although exhausting, was inspiring. I made many new friends, gained knowledge, and shared what I have learned from so many other great professionals over the years.

Thanks Iceland!

A long time ago I worked very hard to put myself in the situation I am in today. I studied, researched, tried and tested, and kept learning the methods that make my athletes successful. I worked hard. But because I did, I am in a position where I get to travel and speak to so many people across the nation and all around the world.

You can make it happen as well. I spent roughly 12 years in the trenches training and coaching before I was ever exposed to the possibilities. I never knew I could create DVDs and books, present at seminars, and write articles for thousands of people. I would have never had the chance if I didn’t lay the foundation.

Today, the Internet allows anyone to create products and sell them. The problem is it becomes limited because eventually they will have to face the music and if they have not done the work they will get called on it. When I speak on stage I am sharing the methods I have taught for more than 20 years. I can answer questions. I can help people who don’t understand. I am not just trying to sell a product. It is about helping and changing lives. You can’t do that if you don’t do the work and learn.

The great thing is you are in complete control. I am in Iceland right now because I worked hard for many years. People wanted me to create a live seminar so they could come and learn my information. So I did. One of the attendees at my live seminar was from Iceland. We made a connection and the rest is history. It would have not happened if I had not made it happen.

Sit down right now. Write down your goals. Make them big and exciting. Don’t worry about how it will happen. Just plan out what you want to be good at. Start each day by learning more and more about your trade. Get good, REAL GOOD! Next, get yourself in front of people. Take the feedback and keep building. The next thing you know you are doing exactly what you set out to do.

You can make it happen!

I love Olympic lifting, but it isn’t the only thing I do. I like power lifting, but I only use it when needed. I am known as the Speed Guy, but I don’t only train speed. Flexibility is important too, so I implement various flexibility routines to meet my athletes’ needs. It isn’t one size fits all. It is about doing what is right for your situation.

Let’s take a broad look at team training. Maybe you’re a high school coach or a college strength coach. The number of athletes you work with at one time might be 50 or more depending on the program. It is nearly impossible to individualize the program to meet the needs of every athlete, but you can meet the needs of your program and the athletes as a whole.

This is where you must create a system. Use templates to plug into each phase of training. From these templates you can teach your athletes how to ascend or descend the exercises to meet their needs. So your system is one template for all, but with built-in variations for those who need it.

How do you create a system? Just like anything else. Assess your situation. Decide what is needed. Create a program model that fits best. Build templates with the ability to have variety. And implement it.

One last thing… ALWAYS understand the system you have created may need to change and adapt. Why? Because you are always assessing the results of your program. If you don’t see the results you wanted, then change the program. If it isn’t meeting the needs of the athletes then change the program! If you learn something new that is more efficient, don’t be afraid to make adjustments to your current program.

Set up systems for success.

Why did Jordan, Montana, Gretzky, and Reggie always want to be in the spotlight during the big moments? It seemed when they came through in the clutch they weren’t surprised, but when they didn’t they were amazed. Why? They expected to win.

Why do some have it and most don’t? Like I wrote earlier; I don’t think we exactly know. A lot has to do with individual personalities. I do know there is one contributing factor we can control to give us greater confidence at the big moments…preparation.

I bet Peyton Manning is stunned that the ball was intercepted and his team lost. Why? He was prepared to win. He lived the moments in his head a thousand times. He saw every defense they could possibly throw and he was prepared. So when most fail due to nerves, lack of confidence, and preparation, the elite are dumbfounded because they expect to win.

Why is preparation so important? It not only makes you more confident when you have taken the time to prepare for the “big game” or moment, but you have also developed muscle memory. Muscle memory allows you to deliver the skills at a high and unconscious level. In other words, you can perform the skill without thinking about it.

Preparation allows you to make immediate and correct adjustments to any situation. If option A isn’t available and option B is not great, you can quickly go to option C. Great players that are prepared know this and can make this decision in an instant.

Even though we may not be able to make every athlete have the cold-blooded confidence and killer instincts of Michael Jordan, we can teach them that preparation creates greater confidence.

I am not sure what determines a person’s views on investing in their own personal knowledge and improvement; could it be genetic, or a bad experience in the past, or possibly a learned response?

It is understandable when someone purchases an item that didn’t work, or it was completely not what they wanted. But to have such a lack of thirst in wanting to get more knowledge and better themselves is hard for me to comprehend.

I certainly do not expect people to be as crazy as I am about investing in their knowledge, but I feel frustrated because it is so obvious they don’t get the big picture. The old saying, “you get out of it what you put in it” is so relevant.

When there is a product out there that might give me even one tip on how to coach better I am all over it. I have literally purchased products that have nothing at all to do with my work, but I wanted to know something about it.

Let’s shift gears for a moment and talk athletic and sports skills performance. My daughter Jae plays point guard on our sixth grade team. She has learned to handle the ball pretty well for her age. She will go through stretches where she likes to put in extra practice and it shows. But then because she doesn’t want to or she just doesn’t have time she won’t get much practice for 2 or 3 weeks and it shows. She will get frustrated in a game when she isn’t dribbling or passing as well (which passing at the point guard position has so much to do with the dribble due to angles and positioning). I always ask her, “How much practice have you put in?” She sheepishly replies, “Not much.” My response is you get out of it what you put in. It’s not right or wrong, that is just how it is.

Athletes are just like every business professional, coach, doctor, trainer, parent or teacher. The more time spent on investing, the better the results. So for those athletes, business executives, coaches, trainers, parents, and teachers who try to avoid doing extra work or investing in their knowledge get what they deserve.

for no charge, (Name).

Take advantage of this ‘No Fee’ offer right now:

www.GroundBreakingMovement.com

See what this coach had to say about the system:

“I have been using your ideas (first step quickness drills, etc.) the past 1.5 years and it has made a difference in us getting to the ball quicker. We are presently 8-1 (8-0 in region play and racked #5 in AAAAA Georgia HS Football). The difference has been getting our kids into a more powerful/efficient position quickly and then use a proper mechanics to accelerate from that position. The first 10-20 meters improvements have been remarkably significant.”

“Thanks for sharing your ideas. Not everyone believes in what I am telling them (about your ideas), but then, they are not the ones who just clinched the 7-AAAAA region championship one week before the end of regular season and secured a #1 seed in round one of the state playoffs.”

David Machovec
Ducula High School, GA
And this elite fitness professional:

“Lee Taft’s Ground Breaking Athletic Movement DVD series is without a doubt The best I’ve seen on speed to date and has improved my ability to teach/correct my athletes which has resulted in an increase in movement ability which equals more acceleration!!! If you have not purchased this DVD series you are missing some vital information for the development of your athletes. His “Plyo Step” which he explains in the DVD is worth the price of the DVD and that is just one of many missing links he explains! ”

Thanks Lee!
Director of Enhancing Human Performance Ltd.
Spida Hunter
Try the Ground Breaking System out for 30 days at no cost (other than shipping) to you:

www.GroundBreakingMovement.com

In case you’ve not read my blog, Jimmer is one of the best college basketball players in the country.

A National Player of the Year candidate.

Needless to say, I’m proud.

But watching him play also reminded me how powerful being in the right environment can be for a young athlete.

Jimmer’s entire family played sports and I was lucky enough to be able to help him develop as an athlete as well.

So many kids miss out on that.

A lot of kids are never exposed to a positive coaching environment.

Many parents and coaches don’t know what to do, even if they have the time and desire.

That’s just another reason why I’m so excited about making the Ground Breaking System available for no up-front cost.

I can’t begin to imagine how many young people are out there, unable to realize their athletic potential because they don’t have the opportunity to be coached by people who not only want to help, but have the knowledge to help.

If you don’t already have the Ground Breaking System, try it out on me for 30 days.

If you don’t feel it’s made you a much better coach, just email me and say so.

Keep the System as my gift.

Try it out here:

www.GroundBreakingMovement

I’ve also worked hard to help other parents and coaches do the same.

Over that time I’d guess that I’ve had some sort of impact on thousands of young athletes and probably just as many coaches.

But honestly, I want to do more.

Not too long ago, I decided that 2010 was the year I was going to help as many people in one year as I have in the past 10.

I started by developing the Youth Speed & Agility Specialist Certification with the IYCA – a long time goal of mine that I know will help thousands of people be better coaches.

Now I want to do something else.

For the next 72 hours I’m going to let you try my Ground Breaking Athletic Movement program for only the cost of shipping.

You can try it out, study it and use it to become a better coach or athlete – with no risk to you.

At any point in the next 30 days, if you are not completely satisfied for any reason, all you have to do is send me an email to cancel, and you will never pay anything. 

If you decide to keep it, we will bill you just 1 installment of the normal $99.95. That’s it.

No, that’s not a misprint. 

I want you to try out the Ground Breaking System for 30 entire days before your payment is even processed. 

If you don’t feel as if it has a serious impact on your performance as a coach or as an athlete, just let me know, and we will cancel your payment and delete your credit card information…

 …and you get to keep the DVDs. 

You have to send nothing back. 

I’m committed to helping as many coaches and athletes as I can – so I want to get the Ground Breaking System is as many hands as possible.

See what I mean here:

www.GroundBreakingMovement.com

But remember, right now I can only offer this 72 hours as it involves some risk for me, so if you want to see what this revolutionary program is all about, click here:

www.GroundBreakingMovement.com