Help with invert! *video

[Brandenman10]

Will someone please give me coaching tips!
I'm having trouble inverting and i feel like i can't come back anymore like my hips get stuck then the pole shoots me forward!

Video/ http://youtu.be/l0cbUK2Svys

[KirkB]

I think I already answered you here: http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=45616. As I said, the problem is not your invert!

If you are going to ask the same question with multiple vids, please ask them on your original thread. My advice still stands, as your vids still look the same (no surprise - it's only been 3 days since your last vids).

I also notice that you have another thread going here: http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=45277. If you want consistent advice from us, try to keep all your posts in the same thread. That way, each person that replies will give you consistent advice, based on your ONGOING progress.

Have you tried swinging on a highbar yet?

Learning how to swing properly takes weeks and weeks - and months and months, and years and years - so don't expect any miracles to happen in 3 days.

Kirk

[vquestpvc]

First of all KirkB hit on a very important factor which keeps you from inverting well: you should not focus on keeping the bottom arm straight at take off. If you are a very strong, fast individual that technique might work; of course after many, many difficult reps. Actually, it is not the bottom arm that bends the arm. It is the top arm; it is a leverage thing. Don't believe me? Place your pole tip against the intersection of a wall and floor. with the bottom hand only on the pole at the point you would hold it, have a coach pull the pole up and toward the wall. Now, with top hand only repeat the same. Which bends the pole more? In a video of a 15 year old girl vaulting 12', when she takes off her nose almost touches the pole with her bottom arm fully collapsed. As she continues driving forward and up, the separation between both arms and the pole increases to the point where both arms are extended (this can be seen in the PV video Beginner to Bubka). Further, if you know how to perform a human flag against a vertical pole, it is important to push with the bottom arm so that the legs can be extended out. However, you don't want that to happen when you're taking off. Actually, pushing with that bottom arm "blocks" you from inverting quickly and well.

After viewing your video, I would suggest you don't know how to jump. Instead, it appears that you run through the take off. Not sure what I mean, ask the high jump coach; ask a good long jump coach also as the take off is somewhere in the middle. All those bored students sitting in science class wondering how they will use "this" information missed the "opposite action causes an equal reaction"; foot down through the ground creates an upward action. Actually, pay real good attention in science class for multiple cues for the pole vault. Anyway. you have to learn to jump at take off and not run through the take off. How does this help inverting? Easy! If you jump up on the pole the trail leg will be extended better. Think about kicking a soccer ball or punting a football. The similar action is that one steps forward to kick the ball while extending the kicking leg; one cannot kick the ball successfully without stretching the leg out. Same in the pole vault. And actually, when stretched out properly, you can engage a stretch reflex action which creates a powerful whipping action; you should have gotten that from Health class. I would agree with KirkB that a horizontal would be great for developing a good whip, but the truth it is not realistic for most high schools to have such a device available. So, a simple drill to get an idea of setting up the trail leg is to use any set of steps of 3 or more. Facing the steps with hands spaced on a stub as you would on your pole (by the way, the hands shouldn't be too far apart - it's a bottom arm pushing thing), have the top hand and stub top on the shoulder (it would essentially be at the "curl" position"). Now step up to the third step with the lead leg while pressing the stub up (same as take off). Your motion should be up and in somewhat. Important thing is the trail leg is kept back as you step up; and straight What you additionally want to is feel yourself extent off the toe of the take off foot. Extending off the take off foot will be your cue to engage and whip the trail leg. To whip too soon puts you on your back and too late won't work as well. Practice developing this timing. Remember, this action is very similar to kicking a ball, you can't hesitate too long.

Lastly, in your video it seems clear that you are looking at the cross bar. By keeping the head up, the body stays down. So, you need to focus to the top of the pole. More particularly, I suggest the top hand as continued movement in the vault through the top hand; rowing, pulling, extending. Another cue you can use is "butt to the bar". As you swing to a "cover" position (basically an inverted "L seat" setting up a "Bubka") the butt should be point toward the cross bar. Here is the most important thing to remember: there are NO phases in the vault. From the beginning of the approach to take off into inversion, to extending off the pole to clearing..........it is constant movement. Anyway, there are my observations from your video. Good luck and vault high, but always safely.