High Jump Knee Punch 101

The High jump is a very simple and beautiful event when done correctly. Like most sports or events either the coach or the athlete have complicated the simplicity. I like to say that every event has a trigger. The job of the coach is to identify that trigger and then find a way to convey the importance to the athlete of mastering the execution of that trigger. For example, the sprinter in the blocks is triggered by the arms, the long jumpers trigger at take-off is he knee. Likewise for the throwing events the trigger is the free arm elbow. When looking at the high Jump the trigger is having a very quick, tight, and aggressive knee punch. Most high jumpers give away everything they gained in great run by over extending the take-off leg and trying to load up. This in returns delays the knee punch and the arm movements. As the dominos continue to tumble this cause the athlete to open up on top of the bar and travel well down the mat. This extended exposure in the air most often results in knocking the bar down. The Main objective to the event is to go vertical and pull the heel up tightly to the butt. The end result is a beautiful knee punch where the foot does't get outside of the knee and the athlete stays vertical and doesn't jump into the bar. Below you will see a few training clips where we use the box and bands to work on this:

There are also drills many drills that can be done away from the high jump within the warm-up that can and will reinforce the heel-raise and kneepunch.

WORDS OF HOPE & ENCOURAGEMENT

For those of you who know me you are more than aware of my passion and  commitment  to track and field. More precisely my commitment to doing thing more efficiently and effectively. I will admit that the reward of saying things differently and challenging tradition isn't high praise. Most people are so blinded by one way thinking and traditional folklore that they refuse to give anything else a try. I always ask how can you knock something without even trying it. What you have to realize is that  not only did I read all the same books you read, I went and trained with the people you guys so often quote in your comments. What I am offering in many cases is a simplified and modified way of getting the desired results of what you have been reading and studying. It doesn't benefit anybody because you read all the books and learned all the terms if you cant coach or teach it to the individuals you are working with. This is all about adaptation and assimilation. Just a few days ago I received the following words through an email and i felt compelled to share them with my readers because they touched me deeply.

"How we are missing such great knowledge here. It won't go to waste. Knowledge and experience is power, for it can not be discounted. A time would come soon when all ears would
take heed...and listen to your words and hail your work.

I am still hoping that Jimson (Speedendurance) can arrange for you to visit Europe sometime so that your work can be shared with Coaches and Athletes all over. They can attend
your session, your clinics (Europe version), then they will marvel at your work. What all these Athletics clubs need to do, is to put/gather fundings together through one source, and
request your audience and services so that most Coaches can attend the Clinic. It shouldn't be any harder, should it?

Have you spoken to Jimson about a plan similar to this? We can't waste your talent here."


Ladies and Gentlemen I want you to know that I do this for you and will continue to try and bring you the best tips and most quality information that I can Provide.

Best Regards,
Kenta' Bell
www.thinkingfeet.com

FORCE APPLICATION DRILLS VIDEO

Based on my most recent article on foot contacts and force application there has been a huge demand to see examples of how to train/execute some of the things I have been describing. This is also for the people who caught my telecast and had questions as well. Keep looking forward to more great articles and content. Also see my website www.thinkingfeet.com

Long Jump Take-off Instructional Video

As Promised I'm continuing to provide more content for my readers and followers. I understand the plight and struggles of the young developing coach and athlete. I wasn't always a successful Olympic Athlete and National Champion. I found it frustrating and difficult many days as a high school and collegiate athlete to find consistent and reputable information about my sport and events. Let alone find video that was straight to the point and user friendly. This particular video is part of my ThinkinFeet system of training. If you like it or hate leave a comment.
www.thinkingfeet.com

Podcast of Last Nights Teleconference

For anybody who want to join the podcast but was unable for any reason I would like to send you to the following link where you can listen or download the podcast and enjoy it later. I tried to be clear, open and informative. We had an opportunity to cover a lot of topics in very short period of time. please enjoy.

http://speedendurance.com/2013/02/05/kenta-bell-coaching-sprint-force-mechanics-podcast/

Ben Davis High School (BD JUMP CLINIC)

The Video above is from this past weekend BD Jump Clinic. I had the wonderful opportunity to do a learn-by-doing clinic at Ben Davis High School. I would like to sincerely thank Coach Alicia Wallace for sharing and supporting the vision of coaches and athlete education. I am a firm believer that to continue to save and grow our  sport we are in need of  a paradigm shift in how we manage our clinics and camps. We are going to have to move from the class room and banquet rooms to hands on physical and visual learning. No more are the of clinics where the coaches are more concerned about impressing their counterparts with fancy charts and scientific jargon. I am going State to State, school by school to  hands on educate the coaches and athletes on the most simple and effective way to teach and execute the fundamentals of running and jumping. This weekend we spent one hour in the classroom with a short presentation and lecture. I was honored to have 2000 Olympian DeDee Nathan lecture and share her story and experiences. From there we spent the next three hours on the track physically doing and learning. I was hands on demonstrating, correcting and educating how and why things are done and how they apply to the actual movement or skill. I am proud to say that this was an enthusiastic and talented group of young athletes that I had the opportunity to share my ThinkingFeet system with. The video above was taken at the end of the camp after the young man had gone through the Thinking Feet Long Jump bench system. Within very little time amongst a group of many we were able to simplify and clean up his understanding and mechanics. The end product was this beautiful and simplified jump. You can find more about the ThinkingFeet System here: www.thinkingfeet.com 

The Way Community Center

This past Thursday I had the opportunity to Speak to a group of young teens and families at at a Christian based community outreach center in Pegram, TN just outside of Nashville. I typically do many of these speaking engagements per year. I don't think any has touched me the way this group  and their energy has. From he moment I pulled into the parking lot I knew something was going to be different. The music was blasting from the building and  I could see kids jumping around and the windows were lighting up in psychedelic colors. The community center isn't State or Federally funded. They are currently supported by six families. They have only been in their current location for 3 weeks and they are doing the most with the least. Over 65% of the children they deal with are in homes below the poverty level and yet these kids have such big dreams along with open and honest passion. Aside of providing tutoring, mentoring, and a safe haven for kids after school they also provides weekend meals.  For so many young adults around the country the only nutritional and healthy food options they have are breakfast and lunch at school.  This particular situation forced me to completely abandon and abort the script that I had planned as a lecture. As I sat in the back and observed something in my spirit led me to engage with them on a deeper  more personal and intimate level. From my many trials and errors and hearing the story of professionals from all demographics I really came to understand and learn the dynamics of HOPE. I have come to understand that HOPE isn't easy and that hope comes with its own special set of demands that can easily overcome the average  person. I find that as kids we hope and dream a lot and by the time most of us get older and scuffed by life we have no hope at all. What you get when you begin to Hope is the reality that your dreams may not come true. That means all of a sudden you are bombarded  with fear, worry, doubt, and deep personal concern that you didn't have before. Therefore, most find it much more comfortable to not hope or have vision. I shared with them that anything worth having is worth going through something for. Hope isn't immediate. Its not the instant gratification as most of us in the technology and buzzed energy drink age have come accustomed to. Hope is something that you have to birth. In the process of Birthing hope and a dream their are long bouts of waiting and nursing a vision that nobody has seen and only you can feel. Then after months and maybe years of waiting and protecting that dream an opportunity presents itself where you have to deliver/labor the dream of yours. As we all know the labor and deliver process can be long, hard, and painful. And unfortunately, we sometimes lose people in the delivery process. Now that you've finally got a chance to see you Hope and dream delivered and in hand you are not through just yet. You soon will realize I have this new and beautiful thing and it doesn't come with a handbook and the rules and advice don't work in all situations. For the next few months and even years you find yourself stretch and extended from all ends. Your time isn't yours anymore and you are having many long and sleepless nights continuing to nurse and pamper your dream. In the short, I'm really trying to get you to understand that having a dream and  hope takes time and much patience. You are going to have to have  to understand that everything has its time and season and anything worth having has a maturing process that only makes it better  with time.

In Closing, I encourage all that see this post to this blog to visit www.thewaycommunitycenter.org. I desperately ask that you share and contribute anything you can afford to give to this great place and great group of people who are feverishly doing all they can from the Grace of the hearts.