boxes can be good for a lot of reasons it helps give jumpers over the bar work,
plus they have more time in the air to experiment with things, such as driving
their head back to create a better arch etc. It also gets them trained to
jumping at higher heights so they don't look so intimidating (even though it is
with assistance) you can take a lot of jumps because it is a lot lower impact.
just make sure the box is secured with a 45lb weight or something so it doesn't
slide at takeoff.

grass jumping i wouldn't fully endorse. I imagine you can't go at quite the
same heights, and although it is easier on the muscles it could be less stable
on the joints i.e. knee ankle etc. it's not as secure of a plant. It depends
what age level though, if that is the only option it probably wouldn't hurt.
________________________________
> To: highjump@yahoogroups.com
> From: stephensjbs@...
> Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:07:07 -0700
> Subject: Re: [HJ] Questions
>
>
> Here's a couple of answers I bet no one is thinking of.....
>
>
>
> I coach elementery 5th grade through 8th grade, I use the box to answer the
simple question of 'will it hurt if I jump really high?' in addtion to working
with the athletes form. I see using the box as a major advantage especially with
younger athletes who can barely jump on to the landing pit mat.
>
>
>
> As for jumping on grass, never thought much of it. In my days of jumping at a
small school, we would jump from grass or dirt (in the days of cinder tracks) --
never saw any injuries. I would watch out for morning dew, the grass would be
very sippery!
>
>
>
> JS
>
> --- On Fri, 7/11/08, peypip wrote:
>
> From: peypip
> Subject: [HJ] Questions
> To: highjump@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Friday, July 11, 2008, 1:08 PM
>
>
> First off, great job announcing the trials Dwight. I only wish they
> would have shown more high jump!
> With some time before the Olympics start I thought I'd stir up a
> little activity on this board with a couple questions I have been
> thinking about for a while.
>
> 1) Jump boxes and ramps
> I know a few coaches who swear by them and other who never use them.
> Does anyone here use them? If so, when and why? If not, why not.
> I do not as I feel that it messes with their rhythm over the bar and
> can lead to bad habits such as rotating the jump foot to parallel or
> even away from the pit.
>
> 2) Jumping on grass
> This is one I only just started thinking about. The pole vault coach
> at our school bought our old pit and set it up at his house (he has a
> lot of land). Our AD went ahead and gave him an old high jump pit as
> well. He is probably going to put in a run up for the pole vault but
> as of now everything is just on the grass. This summer I have met a
> few of my high jumpers out there to get some jumps in. They all seem
> to like jumping on the grass. They wear their spikes and have had no
> real trouble with slippage. This got me to wondering if maybe
> training for HJ on the grass may not be a bad idea. It seems like
> many jumpers complain about shin pain in their jumping leg by the end
> of the season. I am wondering if you spent time jumping off of the
> grass if it might help to put less stress on the leg.
>
>
>
>
>