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When getting your steps by running back down the run way should a right handed vaulter start with their left or right foot? Had a discussion with a friend who says you have to start with the opposite foot....I said start with the left. After more thought it doesn't really matter as long as you start the same at both end right?????

ANY THOUGHTS?

since you are a right handed vaulter that means you will be taking off on your left foot. therefor you need to start off on your right step first so that you have an even amount of steps at the end of your vault. EX: 7 lefts = 14 steps

Actually - it doesnt matter at all which leg you start running with AS LONG AS you always start the same way. No matter what you'll be taking off on your left foot, so if you're counting steps, just make sure you're counting the left ones. If your first step is with your right, then wait till your left hits and you're step count starts there, and if you start with your left, then start counting as soon as you take the first step.

i'm a righty and take off of my left foot. i've always started my run on my right foot so i get an even number of steps. it gives better rhythm to my run. but i guess it doesn't matter either way, as long as you take off of the correct foot in the end!!

right or left handed you should toe your start mark with you takeoff foot..right handed vaulters, left foot and step with your right.. why? biomechanics.. if you start "cross' footed you have more of a chance of "swinging" the pole during the run.. if a right handed vaulter places his/her left foot on the mark and steps with the right.. the right grip is on the right hip and "insink" with the right hip throughout the run..

we all have seen or coached vaulters, some world class, that get the pole out of balance and start running incorrectly to compensate. once this happens if almost impossible to correct the run and pole carry in mid run.. the vaulter usually stretches, has a low, late plant.. takes off under and goes 20' in the air but comes down in the box.

a long jumper or triple jumper can correct the run after a skip or out of balance start..they don't have to carry a pole... but an out of balance pole carry will usually counter any running posture correction attempts the vaulter tries to make. take a 5lb weight and hold it in your right hand at your pocket.. walk accross the room... then hold the weight in your left hand, striaght in front of the chest, then walk back accross the room.. feel any difference?

dj

While I do agree with DJ that it is biomechanically superior to 'toe your start mark with your take off foot' - I'm not sure that it will have such an adverse/detrimental effect on the entire vault, especially for someone who feels more natural starting with the opposite foot. Also, when dealing with beginners, I've found that just getting them to run consistantly can be challenging enough - so allowing them to get used to their approach the way they would normally start a run can remove some of the confusion that young vaulters have.

With that said - everything that dj stated in his post is definitely true. I guess its just difference in coaching opinions. Once again, I was thinking of younger vaulters who were just starting out.

hey matt
i also use the procedure with bigginers.. all begginners from sand vaulting to the pv pit.. the positive effects of starting correctly outweigh the temporary "feel" the beginner may have..

i recently changed the "skip" start and run of a vaulter that had jumped for several years.. she improved almost a foot.. honest, correcting her run is all i did.. she knew how to vault and i can't take credit for that..

crossfooted, skipping, out of balance pole carry or anything that effects the pole carry at the start or during the run (and i'm not trying to sound rude) is not the best way to go..

two world class vaulters come to mind.. one male one female.. pole carry creates a poor pole carry.. or.. poor pole carry creates a "stretching" poor run.. ergo poor under plant....it has caused them much..much frustration for years.. (in my opinion)

hey,, by the way i will be in bowie maryland ap 21 to may 1.. are you in that area? e-mail me..

also florida pv there's a meet in cleremont saturday.. see ya?

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