Carolina Kluft Plyometrics

Here is a taste of what it takes to become the Olympic Heptathlon Champion.

The plyometric drills Kluft was performing are very similar to those shown in the Linford Christie plyometric workout that I posted previously.


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What I would like to look at today is the way in which Klufts workout was structured. Clearly a whole number of different elements will need to included in a heptathletes training session. In order to achieve the maximum benefit from the training session it is important carefully consider the order in which the different training elements are performed.

Following the warm-up Carolina Kluft first performed some high jump work. This can be classed as technical training. It is usually advisable to perform technical work early on in the training session before the athlete is carrying any fatigue.

The next element of training was the plyometric drills and then the final element was a 600m time trial. This training session clearly shows a pattern of moving from the least fatiguing element of training being performed first to the most fatiguing element of training being performed last.

It would have been counterproductive to have performed the 600m time trial before the plyometrics since it would have reduced her force production capability and increased ground contact times during the jumps. In contrast, very little fatigue will have been carried over from the jumps into the 600m time trial.

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY