Jumping events are defined as acceleration to an optimal speed, followed by an attempt to maintain the highest level of that velocity through the point of takeoff.
Speed Endurance workouts gives jumpers the confidence and capacity to challenge the intensities they use in competitions. But what do speed endurance workouts for jumpers look like? Certainly, they cannot handle the same volume as sprinters?
Well remember, jumping is sprinting! 90% of achieving success in the speed and power events is achieving success in the run. I took some ideas from Dan Pfaff and tried to apply them to collegiate system. I think this framework could work even better on the high school level.
The type endurance I find most beneficial to tap into for high school and collegiate jumpers is Short Speed Endurance (SSE):
Length of Run: 80-150 meters
Volume Per Session: 300-800 meters
Intensity: 95%-100%
Rest: 5-6 minutes between reps & 6-10 minutes
between sets
What is important to understand is I want to work my way into SSE by the Competition Period. It’s necessary to take the extensive tempo to intensive tempo to speed endurance route.
To the athlete, at those specific times of the year, most workouts will feel like speed endurance workouts! I will attempt to cover SSE situations for all jumping types: those who do multiple jumping events, those who only do one jumping event and for jumpers who may also share sprinting duties.
General Preparation
I tend to focus on mastering one distance at a constant rate during the General Preparation Period. I have found success at the volume range 1,000-1,100 meters and training at 70-79% intensities (Extensive Tempo parameters). Rest periods are 2 minutes between reps and 4 minutes between sets.
Once all target times are hit, and running posture is preserved, there will be an increase in interval distance and a decrease in volume. The only constant is the rate of speed per interval. You can break the following examples into sets if needed.
Example: 12x90m
Example: 10x120m
Example: 8x150m
Example: 6x200m
Example: 4x250m
Special Preparation
During Special Preparation cycles, speed endurance is introduced via ladders: long to short within a session; short to long between sessions. As intensities increase to 80-85% during this time of training, ladders help to anticipate fatigue. Rest intervals range from 2-4 minutes across the board.
Example: 1×200, 3×150, 2×120
Example: 2×200, 3×150, 1×120
Example: 1×250, 2×200
Example: 1×250, 1×200, 1×150, 1×120, 1×90, 1×60
Special Prep Speed Endurance for Jumpers with sprint duties:
Example: 2×250, 1×200, 2×150
Example: 1×300, 1×200, 1×100, 1×90
Example: 1×350, 1×300, 1×250, 1×200
Example: 1×250, 2×150, 2×120
Special Prep Speed Endurance for High Jump athletes:
Example: 2×120; 2×90
Example: 3×90; 2×80
Example: 1×120, 1×110, 1×90, 1×80
Related Article: 3 Phases of Horizontal Jumps Approach
Pre-Competition Period
The Pre-Competition Period is when coaches begin putting athletes in low-level competitions, but not the meat and potatoes of the season. For this reason, you still want to push the envelope. But make sure you are giving the proper rest quantities! 3-5 minutes are pretty safe here. Intensities are 85-90%.
Example: 9×90
Example: 6×120
Example: 6×150
Example: 2×250; 2×180
Pre-Competition Speed Endurance for High Jump:
Example: 1×120, 1×100, 1×80, 1×60
Example: 2×90; 2×70
Competition Period
If you’ve progressed safely and correctly, you can begin to work with SSE parameters during the Competition cycle.
Example: 1×150; 1×120; 1×110; 1×90
Example: 1×200; 2×150; 1×120
Example: 1×180; 1×150; 1×120; 1×90
Example: 2-3×90 – 120
Example: 4xSprint-Float-Sprint @ 60, 75, 90, 120, or 150
Sometimes, I will mask speed endurance work in the form of approach rehearsals. An example of this would be if I wanted to do 2-3×90-120 meters, I make the first rep an approach rehearsal on the track. Another example is making a session half approach rehearsal and the other half sprint-float-sprint, because those are similarly themed exercises.
More: Complete Program Design for the Jumping Events
Speed Endurance sessions only need to be done once a week for true jumpers. Sprinter-Jumpers may need to do twice a week. These sessions are followed by 48-hour recovery periods before the next intense (multi-jump, weight room, or track) session.
Do what you have to do to save posture and running mechanics. If you have to cut parts of the workout, so be it. From there, do the same workout again and try to get further along than last week. Because the jumpers are not the best at understanding pacing and percentage efforts, it may take a few sessions to get the workout right.
Be creative! Try some of these samples and let me know your thoughts. I enjoy sharing ideas with other coaches. You can also follow me on Twitter @reubenajones, where I tend to get (and answer) some really good questions about jumps training.
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