TOGU Jumper
How important is stability in the hip, knee and ankle joints in football?
Can targeted strength and coordination exercises reduce the risk of injury in sport?
In modern sport, sport-specific exercises for injury prophylaxis have become essential.
Besides the tactical and technical aspects, athletic training is also essential for athletes.
The focus here is on injury-preventing, athletic muscle building and not on mass building,
as male and female footballers in particular should be agile and fast.
The following collection of exercises provides a selection of sensorimotor variations from
the warm up area, injury-preventing jumping and landing exercises from the strength area,
general strengthening exercises for the trunk and upper body area and a challenging
volley challenge with the TOGU Jumper. The number of exercises is meant to be a guide,
but of course it depends on the fitness level of the athlete.
As highlighted in a study conducted by the German Football Association, regular use of
injury-preventive exercises reduces the risk of injury, and jumping and landing
jump and landing training plays an essential role.
TOGU Jumper
The reason why I like to use the jumper very much is, apart from the balance and
sensory motor training, above all the possibility to achieve increased force effects
during the landing. The jumper acts like a trampoline, which means that the joints
in particular, with their corresponding muscles, tendons and ligaments of the lower
body, are put under increased strain and are therefore well prepared for the match
conditions.
Injury prevention in competitive football – screening and intervention:
https://www.dfb.de/fileadmin/_dfbdam/160122-
Verletzungspraevention_im_Leistungsfussball_%28Regensburg-Studie%29.pdf
11+ A complete warm-up programme for injury prevention:
https://www.dfb.de/fileadmin/_dfbdam/16988-Elf-Plus-Manual-Deutsch.pdf
Exercise examples and possible uses of the Jumper
Warm Up
1) Description:
– One-leg stand on the jumper
– Leg is spread sideways (abduction in full range of motion)
– Ball circles around the torso
– Standing leg slightly bent
Repetitions Warm Up:
– 8 repetitions per leg and ball direction = 32 total
Repetitions Strengthening:
– 3 passes
2) Description:
– Single leg stand
– Ball circles under thigh
– Raise & lower leg
– Standing leg slightly bent
– Upper body remains as upright as possible
Repetitions Warm Up:
– 8 repetitions per leg and ball direction = 32 total
Repetitions Strengthening:
– 3 repetitions
Variation: Alternate lifting & lowering right & left leg
3) Description:
– Jumping on the jumper
– Single leg landing
– Opposite arm position
– 3 ground contacts & jump with the other leg
Coaching Points:
– Pay attention to leg axis stability
– Knee joint should be on the vertical line between hip and ankle joint
– Upper body remains upright and does not tilt forward
Repetitions:
– 10 repetitions per leg
– 2 repetitions
4) Description:
– Lateral jumps on the jumper
Coaching points and repetitions see exercise 3
Jumping and landing exercises
4) Description:
– Lateral jump onto the jumper
– single-leg, dynamic jump
– one-legged landing
Coaching points:
– Focus on the landing
– Observe leg axis
– The more dynamic the take-off, the higher the flight phase and thus the more difficult the landing
Repetitions:
– 15 repetitions per leg
– 3-4 repetitions
5) Description:
– Jump with the leg closer to the jumper.
– landing and jumping with one leg
– Rotation in the hips required
Repetitions:
– 15 repetitions per leg
– 3-4 rounds
6) Description:
– Juggling
– Integrate technical challenges (e.g. Around the World)
Upper body and trunk strengthening
7) Description:
– Push-ups, then roll the ball to the other side.
– straight body line
Repetitions:
– 10 repetitions
– 4 repetitions
8) Description:
– Both legs on the jumper
– Roll the ball under the body to the other side
– Hip remains horizontal and on the line between shoulder and ankle joint
Repetitions:
– Roll 10x under the body
– 3-4 repetitions
Variation:
– alternate lifting & lowering one leg
Goal Kick Challenge
9) Description:
– Pass to the jumper
– Shoot the ball volley on the goal
Author: Michael Thek
Exercise and sports teacher and football athletics coach.
Content creator on Instagram with the profile “fussballathletik”.
