BTB

[MadeinTaiwan]

I have just finished reading BTB and i was hoping Mr Launder or anyone else who knows could help clarify one question.

In BTB there was one aspect which wasn't talked about. That is what is the role of the hands after take off is completed, obviously they drive up at take of and then are axis for rotation during the swing but then when the hips break and the axis changes to the shoulders what do the hands do?

the way we train is that the hands should "push" but in a straight armed rowing like motion not in the sence of blocking to bend the pole but in a motion similar to bowling a cricket ball.

i was wondering if this is correct and if so does it start at the same time as the swing or when the axis changes to the shoulders?

thanks

[Mecham]

I think in the first chapter, it is noted. When a book comes off the printing press it needs to be re written. lol

[altius]

A very good and important question - which could provide the opportunity for a lot of input from coaches before I say anything . Bubba, DJ and especially Agapit could all make a contribution here and i hope they will.

[cougarscoach]

Knowing the author and having spent a fair amount of time with him, I'll take a stab at starting the conversation that others will no doubt help to clarify.

Before a vaulter can consider the movement path of the hands, there are some preliminary matters that must take place. Most important of which is a tight connection to the pole, through the top arm(hand), down through the shoulders, back, abs, etc.. In fact, the body, at takeoff, should be strong and rigid from the toe - to the top hand. In this way the pole can be driven up at the instant it impacts the back wall of the box. This of course prevents loss of energy, by hitting the pole hard and preserving as much of the velocity/energy from take-off and transmit it onto the pole. If performed correctly, the takeoff will be seen as a complete extension of the body-through break of contact of the ground.

if all of these pre-requisites take place, the vaulter will enter into a pole/vaulter system where the vaulter's center of gravity is elevated as the pole bends/rolls over the box. During this phase if the vaulter is "behind" the pole, then the pole will provide less resistance(loss of energy) therefore it will bend away from and beneath the vaulter(as Petrov pointed out). If these conditions exist, then the working action of the arms is less important than the overall movement up/forward of the pole. To do otherwise, as Agapit has pointed out, would lead to a re-distribution of energy in the system and would lead to energy losses and slowing down affects.

What Alan Launder has excelled at is providing a teaching method that in everyway integrates all of these important elements into the vault. His attempt (and in my opinion - great success) at providing the education of this technical model is un-paralleled and becomes usefull from early beginners - all the way to elite vaulters (who even at this time are implementing Alan's concepts into their vault).

In other words, if all of these other elements are accounted for in technical training, than a derivitive of that will be the proper movement patterns of the hands.

[cougarscoach]

by the way, Mecham received a few days of training from Alan Launder in this technical model. Maybe he could relate, in public forum, some of his experiences regarding what he learned

[MadeinTaiwan]

the way i think about is that if you have a strong take off and swing then once the hips break, in order to help the rotation of the body be fast enough to cover the pole, then it would help to be aiding the rotation from both sides of the axis(the shoulders). can you give me some thoughts.

[Mecham]

At the camp, we put in the "break of hips" or "locking the hips" into a drill. We were just swinging, in a good take off form. a couple cadiences, and then WAM! swing up and go. Well, this kid from BYU (really nice guy. ) Did just that, locked the hips, and SWOOSH! He had so much more energy from locking the hips and swinging, thank just brining the legs up, that he actually did a backflip off the high bar!

[fong520]

At the camp, we put in the "break of hips" or "locking the hips" into a drill. We were just swinging, in a good take off form. a couple cadiences, and then WAM! swing up and go. Well, this kid from BYU (really nice guy. ) Did just that, locked the hips, and SWOOSH! He had so much more energy from locking the hips and swinging, thank just brining the legs up, that he actually did a backflip off the high bar!

wat do u mean locking the hips??

[Mecham]

At the camp, we put in the "break of hips" or "locking the hips" into a drill. We were just swinging, in a good take off form. a couple cadiences, and then WAM! swing up and go. Well, this kid from BYU (really nice guy. ) Did just that, locked the hips, and SWOOSH! He had so much more energy from locking the hips and swinging, thank just brining the legs up, that he actually did a backflip off the high bar!

wat do u mean locking the hips??

Its like a gymnastics related move for when you swing up. I think its like shortening the axis of rotation. When you lock the hips as you swing up you get more energy in your legs to get them up above you, so you can do a "bubka"

That might be a sucky explanation, but, ask altius. He explained it to me once. lol

[lonestar]

In response to the original question on this thread, you might find Agapit's comments about use of arms/hands of use in this thread:

http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/vie ... ight=model

[agapit]

In response to the original question on this thread, you might find Agapit's comments about use of arms/hands of use in this thread:

http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/vie ... ight=model

Hey good reference. I am visiting Russia at this time and able use this gtreat power - internet.

I think you coach could help you. Personaly I think, my hands (arms) would be acting very similar to the way they would act on the rope.

[MadeinTaiwan]

thanks for that link it explained a lot.

agapit, in that link you talk about pulling to accelerate the rotation, but altius talks about pushing to accelerate the rotation, are you guys talking about the same thing or do you disagree on this?

thanks