NickNewman,MS&Dr.PhilGrahamSmith,PhDBeyondtheForceVelocityCurvewithAssistedJumpsTraining–Part2AssistedJumpsandOverspeedTrainingThepurposeofassistedjumpstrainingistoexposethecentralnervoussystemtofastertimeprogramsstoredwiththemuscle-tendonsystems.Assistedjumpstrainingrequiresanexternal support system in the formofanoverheadbungeecordorelasticbands.Theathlete is attached to theoverheadbungeeand theirbodyweight is strategicallydecreasedwhile they perform various plyometric exercises. These conditionsmake itpossible to achieve such shortened muscular firing rates, ground contact times, andtime programs within the central nervous system. Assisted jumps training can becomparable to amore commonly used speed developmentmethod called overspeedtraining.Overspeedtraining forsprintingelicitssimilarneuralandmuscular responsestothosefoundwithhigh-velocityjumptraining.ThepremisebehindoverspeedsprintingisthathavinganathletesprintatsupramaximalvelocitieswillenhanceCNSfiringrates,reducethe inhibitory mechanism within the neuromuscular system, and increase stridefrequency. Overspeed training enables an athlete to experience sprinting speeds andreducedgroundcontacttimesnototherwisepossibleviatraditionalmeans.Commonlyusedmethodsofoverspeedtrainingincludedownhillsprintingandsprintingwhile being pulled by a bungee cord device. As with assisted jumps training, it issuggestedthatoverspeedtrainingenhancestimingmechanismsandcreatesnewmotorprograms.Avarietyofstudieshavefoundthatoverspeedhasbothanacuteandchroniceffectonincreasedhorizontalvelocity. AssistedJumpsTrainingResearchAssisted jumps training is far fromanovel concept. Itsuse canbe tracedback to the1970s,andperhapsevenearlier.However,verylittleresearchandpracticalapplicationof themethodhasbeenperformed.Beforediscussingspecificprogrammingconcepts,wewilltalkaboutsomeoftherelevantresearchonthetopic.GiovanniCavagnawas the first tostudytheeffectsofassisted jumping. Inastudy forAerospaceMedicine in 1972, he demonstrated that jumping in low-gravity conditions(usingasuspensiondevice)decreasedtimeofforceproductionascomparedtonormaljumping conditions. Subjects using the assisted device demonstrated force outputsimilartothatofnon-suspendedsubjects,butinreducedtime.

YuImachiofJapanemergedasthepioneerintheresearchofassistedjumpstraining.Inanearly study,20malehighschoolvolleyballplayersweredivided into three traininggroups and tested on their vertical jump height. After a 10-week training period, theassisted jumps training groups using protocols of minus 10% and minus 20% bodyweighthad improvedvertical jumpperformance significantlygreater than that shownby participants in the group performing plyometric training under normal conditions.Each subject performed 10 maximal effort vertical jumps with 15 seconds of restbetweeneachjump,threetimesperweek.Asimilarstudywasperformedusingfemaleathletesandshowedsimilarresults.In a more recent study, Imachi compared takeoff velocities and force production ofassistedjumpingwiththatoffreejumpingexercises.Theresultsindicatedthatassistedjumpstrainingdidnot improvethemaximal forceproductionof theathletes. Instead,theimprovedjumpingabilitywasaresultofgreatertakeoffvelocity.Brazilian jumps specialist Nelio Moura is perhaps the best-known contemporaryproponentof assisted jumps training.Although little is knownabouthis protocols forusing the method, there are several videos of Olympic champion long jumper IrvingSaladinousingthedeviceintraining.IhavehadseveralemailconversationswithNelioregardingthemethodandhementionedthatheusesitallyearandwithathletesofallagegroups.Neliohashadincrediblesuccessoveralongtimespanandweshouldhighlyrespecthisopiniononsuchtraining.ProgrammingAssistedJumpsTraining

Figure2.Force-VelocityCurveforResistedandAssistedJumpingWhen performing assisted jumps, it is important to realize that the increased jumpheightisnotanacuteeffect,asyouarebeingassistedbyelasticenergy.Letusaddresshow‘reducing’bodyweightworksinreality.Itistruetosaythatthestretch–recoilfrom

the bungeewill indeed lead to greater vertical displacement of your center ofmass.Consequently, during the landing phase of each jump you will experience a greaterstimulus for increased forces (and therebypassiveeccentric loading),which is initiallydirected in the Achilles tendon. Following this, the bungeewill progressively developtension and dampen the loading around the knees and hips as they respond to thegreaterlandingforces.This“assistance”meansthatthekneesandhipsdonotflexexcessivelyandareabletodevelop sufficient eccentric musculotendinous loading to promote a faster couplingtime and maintain a respectable ground contact time. This moderate amount ofdamping through the knees may allow you to more safely perform repetitions withreduced risk of jumpers’ knee. Over the course of a training phase youwill adapt toincreasedpassivelandingforces(butundoubtedlystill lowerthanactual impactforcesin the long, triple and high jumps), while still generating high (but not excessive)eccentric loads in theAchillesandPatellar tendons.Thisgives thestretchreflexes thesensationofanappropriatelevelofoverloadandfastcouplingtimeintotheconcentricphase.Successful training programs must adhere to a combination of principles relating toreadiness and response. It is therefore impossible to single out a particular trainingmethodorexerciseprotocolwhendeterminingperformanceimprovements.However,basedonresearchandcasestudiesperformedbyourselvesandotherjumpsandsprintcoaches, we can confidently state that Assisted Jumps Training is a method that fitsnaturallywithintheschemeofaprogram.Itcanbeprogrammedmuchlikeotherhighlyintenseplyometricexercises.Duetothevelocitycomponent,itisbestgroupedwithmaximumvelocitydevelopmentsuchasflysprintsoractivitiesofthatnature.Werecommendimplementingthemethodafter theathlete’s generalpreparationphaseandusing it throughout the competitiveseason. The neural demands make it a potential primer exercise during competitionweeks; however, we would reduce volume considerably during this time. Potentialexercise choice is limited to those in a vertical plane; otherwise, regular plyometricchoicescanbeutilized.

Target ReactiveStrength

Method Assisted/FacilitatedJumpsMethod

Intensity Maximum-10-30%BodyWeightReduction

Sets/Repetitions/RestIntervals 4-6x5-10repsw/3-5minrest

ExerciseChoices Vertical Jumps / Stiff Jumps / Depth Jumps /SplitJumps

Table7:ProtocolsforAssistedJumpsTrainingLogisticsandtheAssistedJumpsDevice If you are considering making your own assisted jumps device, the most importantfactor is the ability to adjust the bungee cord tension. Different athleteswill requireslightlydifferentadjustmentsettingswhentryingtoachieveaspecificreductioninbodyweight.Wehaveuseddevicesthatareattachedtoapulleysystemonawallthatcanbeeasilyadjusted.Althoughthisisagreatsetup,itisonlypracticalifyouplanoncreatingasemi-immovabledeviceandhaveapermanentspaceforit.Thepartsneededforadevicesimilartothisincludeabasicbungeecord,abelaysystem,acarabineer,arope,andaharness.Werecommendthedevicethatwecurrentlyuse,whichisverysimpleandalmostmadespecificallyforthispurpose.Thisassistedpull-updevice,foundinalocalsportsstore,iseasilymoveableandverysimpleindesign.Simplyattachaharnessanditworksperfectlyasanassistedjumpstrainingdevice.

Figure3:AssistedJumpsDevice

Figure4:AssistedJumpsDevice

It’sTimetoAddAssistedJumpsTrainingtoYourTrainingProgram Heavy resistance training developsmuscular strength and rate of force developmentpropertiesthatcanincreasethepotentialforpowerproduction.Plyometricandballistictraining impact the velocity component and the efficiency of the stretch-shorteningcycle. Assisted jumps training is able to create new time programs with the centralnervous system enhancing fire rates and other intramuscular coordination qualities.Understandably, research on assisted jumps training has been very limited up to thispoint.Whilewe findgreatvalue in case studies,wealsounderstand their limitations.However,fromthefindingswedohave, itseemssafetoassumethatoptimaltrainingforspeedandpowershouldincorporateallthreeofthesetrainingmethods.Todate,thepositivefindingsappearconsistentandshouldleadtoenoughinterestforcoachestoimplementthismethodintotheirtrainingprogram—attheveryleast,forthesakeof variety. Successful trainingmethodologiesoften share similar, if not identical,characteristics. These include characteristics such as intensity, specificity, overload,heavy, light,slow, fast,shortor longrecovery,etc.Coachesunderstandexactlywherethesefitintotheirplanandthereislittleargumentovertheirplace.Weprogrammanyfacets of the training program across a wide spectrum, from non-specific to specific,slowandheavy to lightand fast, static todynamic, simple tocomplex,andmore.Weunderstandtheneedforvarietyandprogressionand,forthemostpart,weunderstandhowthedifferenttrainingmethodspromotespecificadaptation.Thediscussionof strengthdevelopmentwill alwaysbe a favoritepastimeof coaches,butthespeedandvelocitycomponentsofmovementandtechnicalapplicationclearlyserveafargreaterimportance.Withthatbeingsaid,itissurprisingthatassistedjumpstrainingandoverspeedsprintingarenotmorewidelyused.Ifyourreasoningisthatit’satimeandlogisticsissue,that’sapoorexcuse.Assistedjumpstrainingtrulydoesn’trequireexpensiveequipmentorfancydevices,andalmost all facilities have the necessary space and ceiling requirements. Perhaps thereason for its exclusion is a lack of awareness. If you are obsessed with jumpdevelopment, youwill leave no stone unturned in your pursuit of higher heights andfartherdistances.Wehopethatthisarticlewill inspireyoutoat leastresearchfurtherand experiment, in the way that most training methods began their journey toacceptanceandnormalcy.Goodluck!

AuthorsNickNewman,MS,CSCCNickisthecurrentDirectorofScholasticTrainingatAthleticLabinCary,NorthCarolina.Before joining the Athletic Lab team, Nick dedicated 10 years to the study andapplication of the development of athletes ranging frompre-adolescent youth to theprofessional ranks. Nick earned his bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science fromManhattan College and later earned a master’s degree in Human Performance andSportPsychologyfromCaliforniaStateUniversity,Fullerton.Nickisajumpsandsprintsspecialistand, in2012,hepublishedhishighlyacclaimedbook,TheHorizontal Jumps:PlanningforLongTermDevelopment,whichhasbeenendorsedbyseveralworld-classspeed and power coaches. Nick prides himself on his ability to teach and relate toathletes of all ages and levels. His passion and expertise in athletic development issecond tonone.Nick is aCertified Strength andConditioningCoach, a certified Trackand Field Technical Coachwith theUSTFCCCA, and a Sports Performance CoachwithUSAWeightlifting. DrPhilGraham-Smith,BSc,Phd,CSCS,CSci,FBASESPhiliscurrentlytheHeadofBiomechanicsattheAspireAcademyofSportingExcellenceinDoha,Qatar.InadditiontohisacademiccareeratLiverpoolJohnMooresUniversityand theUniverityof Salford,hewasalso the consultantHeadofBiomechanics at theEnglishInstituteofSport.HeisanAccreditedSportsBiomechanistandFellowofBASES,a BOA registered Performance Analyst, and a Certified Strength & ConditioningSpecialist (NSCA). He has over 25 years applied experience providing biomechanicalsupporttoUKAthletics,Aspire,andQatarathletesandprofessionalfootballandrugbyclubs.His is also co-founderof ForceDecks, an intuitive systemdesigned for strength,power,andasymmetrydiagnosticsinprofessionalsport.

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