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This is my first year Vaulting, and the season is almost over, and i was wondering how i can stay in shape during the off season, or if there were any exercises that i could do on my own?

Some things to do: High bar, pole runs, sprinting drills, sand vaulting, walking/jogging plants...

Some things to avoid: Lifting (more than once or twice a month), stubby drills, sitting around, eating chips...

powerplant42 wrote:Some things to do: High bar, pole runs, sprinting drills, sand vaulting, walking/jogging plants...

Some things to avoid: Lifting (more than once or twice a month), stubby drills, sitting around, eating chips...

mind if i ask why you're against stubby drills?

They might be helpful for visualization or to help get the wrists use to moving the way they should during a plant...

Other than that, they are essentially worthless because they provide no 'feel' feedback like a pole or a high bar.

<Personal Opinion> While I agree with the notion that technical work is far more important than weight room work, I feel that if you are only going to be in the weight room 1 or 2 times a month, it would be too infrequent to make any gains in strength. What about twice a week, never to failure, full range of motion, stretching before and after to maintain flexibility, slow on the negative reps, fast on the "up" movements? It just seems like if you're going to be in the weight room only twice a month its not helping at all.

Keep jumping! There are clubs, summer meets and camps. If you filled out your profile then we'd know where you live and if there's a club or camp around you, I'm sure those involved would contact you. The great thing about off season work is that you can focus on particular areas that you need to work on without the pressure of a meet in a couple of days where you have to make heights staring you in the face. Also during the off season you can move back a step or two to in turn move ahead. What I mean by this is that if your plant is crummy that means you have a problem with the run up. During the off season you have the time to concentrate on your run up and plant even if you have to start from square one. The off season is the time to refine your technique. Fill out your profile and find that club near you and keep jumping. Later...........Mike

Perhaps you're right Wally...

Then avoid it altogether!

Unless of course you're headed to the beach... THAT'S a different story.