Inverting

[Onrutton]

What is the best way to teach the inversion phase of the jump? (drills)

[izzystikchik]

Low grip, short run.

Teach them to fully extend their top arm right before take off. Row through the top hand, give slight resistance with the bottom hand (it is a straight pole activity) and encourage a long sweeping trail leg.

Raise grip and lengthen the run when the vaulter's form betters.

Go for it

[Duncan]

For me, short run and high bar have made a big difference.

Hang from a high bar with your takeoff leg down and drive knee up as if you just took off - swing your trail leg long and fast while rowing forward with your arms (do not bend your arms). Shoot your trail leg over the bar and pop your hips up until they hit the bar and you are vertical. You will need this drill to help develop the strength to get vertical when vaulting. This drill develops strength and helps with the technique of swinging long.

Short run will also help. It is easier to get vertical from a short run than from a long run. So, try some vaults from 3 or 4 lefts (or rights for us lefties). I like to do this on a pole I can bend properly. My 4 step run pole is a 14' 150 holding about 12'6". Find a pole where you can jump from a short run where you can hold at a normal height on the pole and get a normal bend - in other words I would avoid choking up on a big pole and trying to stiff pole (that can be a good drill also, but I would prefer to simulate a real vault). So, depending on your ability and size, grab a 12' or 13' that is at your weight (or higher weight) where you can get in from a 3 or 4 step run. Concentrate on swinging long and rowing with your top hand without bending your top arm - just like on the high bar.

Of course if you don't take off properly, it will be difficult to invert also. The 3/4 left run can help with that also.

Duncan
www.njstriderspolevault.com

[ashcraftpv]

Best thing i ever did that helped my swing was rope swings with the rope modified to simulate holding onto the pole after takeoff. you take the bottom bit of the rope, slide a broken off section of pole up the bottom, then tie the bottom off a few feet above your head to make a triangle shaped loop in the rope. You have to experiment with the height of the knot so that when you're holding the pole section like you would be at takeoff it at a height where your arms are pretty much extended. When you get that figured out, i'd suggest buying a U-clamp to put on the rope under your know to keep it from coming loose.

once you have your rope ready, you start by running with the rope and simulating take off a few times, get your body in the right positions, etc. once you have enough momentum, then on your next takeoff, hit a good position, then swing! You should be able to swing copletely upside down and close off into the pole section (and maybe turn alittle). Do this about 5 times in a row. Its pretty tiring too. I've seen this setup at a few places i've been. but i can't get my school i'm coaching at now tolet me put one up anywhere.

[bvpv07]

If a vaulter is just starting out (i.e. has worked on the plant and is getting in well, but hasn't done anything related to the invert yet), one of the coaches that works with us has them get a stiff pole and a low grip, and take a run of 3 strides or so. Then, he tells them to swing through so that they land on the pit in a sitting position. Once they're good to go with this, he tells them to swing through so that they land flat on their back...then their shoulders...etc...until they are at the point that they are doing a quick, stiff-pole invert and can start working on the pull and turn (if it doesn't come naturally from the pull).

How easily this will go depends on, I think, the body awareness of the vaulter. If they are really aware of where they are, what they are doing/have done, and are comfortable being upside down, then this might progress rather quickly. However, if they aren't, then you might want to start them on a rope, ring, high bar, or delta bar drill where they are inverting themselves and feeling the row with their lats and the continuous leg swing.

[distancejumper]

our coach had us work on getting inverted by having us jump off the stage. he had us grab a pole and slowed the pole so we had some time to get fully inverted
...He only had us do this during the begining of the season when we were stuck in the gym

[Bubba PV]

I've got a link on my website that suggests you can get vertical in two weeks. Of course there is more involved but as the BTB book says, "what is technically desirable must be physically possible".

You can make your own device as many have, or you can use the monkey bars in your local park. Hope this helps! Bubba
http://www.bubbapv.com/Pages/GetVertical.htm