The free take off: key to success or giant hoax

[souleman]

By the way Ross, when does football start?

[agapit]

Can i ask why you choose hartwig as your vaulting hero?

perseverence

http://www.polevaultpower.com/6mclub.php

It hurt everyones arms to much from being under

just get people to work on shoulder flexibility. i guess i just like to worry about taking off on with a high plant rather than too much comples free take off stuff.

Should Bubka be the hero? #6 World Champ at 36 with 601 in a true dog fight. 15 Years #1 where one year they gave to Gataulin (no one knows why). How about Bob Richards? Mac has true perseverance Olympic gold at 32. I always though that a true athlete is not the one that jumps higher in perfect conditions, but the one who wins in a tough fight and not crumbles when it matters. 596 on the third attempt for the Gold is memorable it takes more than skills. How about 590 on the third for the gold in Soul with the head wind? Wow.

[Skyin' Brian]

Can i ask why you choose hartwig as your vaulting hero?

perseverence

http://www.polevaultpower.com/6mclub.php

It hurt everyones arms to much from being under

just get people to work on shoulder flexibility. i guess i just like to worry about taking off on with a high plant rather than too much comples free take off stuff.

Should Bubka be the hero? #6 World Champ at 36 with 601 in a true dog fight. 15 Years #1 where one year they gave to Gataulin (no one knows why). How about Bob Richards? Mac has true perseverance Olympic gold at 32. I always though that a true athlete is not the one that jumps higher in perfect conditions, but the one who wins in a tough fight and not crumbles when it matters. 596 on the third attempt for the Gold is memorable it takes more than skills. How about 590 on the third for the gold in Soul with the head wind? Wow.

well, there are plenty of greats out there and bubka is almost too easy a choice, but when i was getting into the sport hartwig was the best in the world at the time and his rise from being just an average high school vaulter and only a good not great college vaulter is a great story.

of course if we get into history maybe warmerdam has to be the man

[altius]

If anyone is still interested in this topic they might find the stills posted on The Pre jump - a giant hoax etc? of some interest.

[Russ]

I still have footage (super 8 mm film that's been converted to video) of me when I jumped in high school (1972-75). I was about a foot under 90% of the time. I took about 27 years off (a little break, eh?) and then began vaulting again in 2002 (age 45). Same thing: I kept taking off under. I've listened to Jan Johnson, Vitaly Petrov, Alan L. and everybody else "preaching" about the free takeoff, and after hundreds of hours of drills I've actually begun getting it (at least some of the time) at age 48! I honestly believe that it makes a difference. Yes, the physics involved with a "pre-jump" and "free take off" makes a tremendous amount of sense. In short, take off with just a fraction of an "out-step" and jump up at the instant of takeoff (sort of like you plan to do a basketball layup...or if you have imagination...a dunk). The physics and the "feeling" are light years better than taking off under. I'm a convert. Why do I feel like I'm talking at a "Revival Meeting"?