Here is an article that can be found on neovault about proper warm-up:
http://neovault.com/training1.asp
A Complete Warm-up
by Sean Brown, CSCS, CPT
General Warm-up, Theoretical Explanation
The goal of a warm-up is to bring the body into the state where it is ready for physical activity at the highest level of intensity. A warm-up should build in intensity, by starting relaxed in the form of a slow two lap jog and ending with a full speed sprint.
Ultimately the warm-up serves the need to ready the body for intense physical activity; to raise core temperature and excite motor neurons. The process in which the athlete arrives at this place serves as an opportunity to work on running mechanics and focus the athlete on his or her form.
Warm-up pole vault drills are the same way. The purpose is twofold, readying the body for the forthcoming activity and stress as well as reinforcing or instantiating proper pole vault mechanics.
The warm-up often sets the tone of the workout
It is when the athlete physically and mentally prepares the body and mind for the days workout. In other words it should not only be a physical exercise but a mental one as well. Many athletes, particularly pole vaulters, are lazy when it comes to warming up. For pole vaulters this may be due to the fact that the pole vault is such a dynamic and exciting event that a warm-up in contrast seems especially boring and unnecessary.
It therefore helps to understand the role a warm-up plays not only in that days event but in the big picture as well.
Before we get into specifics we should discuss the big picture. The pole vault above all else is a sprinting event. If you do not possess speed you will not jump high period. A pole vaulters potential can ultimately be determined by speed on the runway. With this in mind, it makes sense to work on improving our approach whenever possible.
Mindful Training and Intensity
Mindful training may or may not be a new term to you. The concept of mindful training can be described as thinking while you train. But not just thinking about anything, but rather the task at hand. The idea behind the concept is to bring focus to the training session increasing training intensity and ultimately yielding greater results from the training program.
This brings us to the notion of training intensity. Training without intensity will cause the athlete to become stagnant in their training. Because it is only in pushing the boundaries to we cause significant change to happen. But on the same token, if we misuse intensity we are sure to cause injury. Through time an athlete should know when and where to apply greater intensity.
The following warm-up will take you through some fairly basic exercises coupled with a description of proper intensity and mindfulness.
Please note that it takes years of training for an athlete to reach particular levels of body awareness.
Mindfulness and awareness can be used interchangeably. So in effect as I go through the exercises I will share with you what I am aware or mindful of.
Note that there are as many warm-ups out there as there are individual workout programs. Some are better than others. But what can really make the difference is how the warm-up is performed. The perfect warm-up on paper performed poorly will be less effective that a mediocre warm-up performed well.
The following warm-up is set up and performed with the pole vault in mind. If we look at the typical pole vault approach and describe its phases we can then look at a warm-up and see how it addresses those phases.
In a 9-stride approach the vaulter comes out of the back strong and powerful but not quick. The goal of the beginning phase is to set the vaulter up to achieve maximum controlled speed at the point of take off. The vaulter does this by maximizing runway speed with a power stride before using his quickness that is seen in the final acceleration of speed right before takeoff. With this in mind it makes sense for a pole vaulter to perform a warm-up that will not only ready the body physically for the days events, but to also cultivate or reinforce the necessary skills to execute the optimum approach in the pole vault over time.
Practical Application
Warm-up Jog
Low intensity movements must precede all intense physical activity.
An 800m jog around the track is the standard warm-up in track and field.
When I begin my warm-up jog, this movement is in tandem with my decision to train. What I mean by this is that I am committed physically and mentally to perform this workout to the best of my ability. And it starts with the warm-up jog.
The first 30m or so I’m jogging at the slowest speed possible above walking. I’m taking an inventory of my body and its current state. I’m paying attention to any soreness or tightness that I may have. I’m also paying attention to my feet and that I am up on my toes while I jog. This is going to put more stress on my calves, which will better ready them for the sprinting I will be doing later. I’m also paying attention to my posture and making sure that I am up tall.
The track can be broken down to two straightaways and two turns. Usually after the first lap of just a light jog I’ll add a little bit more intensity to it at the next turn and bring in a light skip. The skip will last the duration of the turn (100m) and I’ll go back into a jog on the straightaway. The skip should be performed at the lowest intensity possible. It should be at a slower pace then the jog.
At the next turn I’ll usually do a side skip. The first 50m are facing away from the track, and at the apex of the turn I’ll flip and face the inside the track, or vice versa. This side skip brings in the adductors and abductors into the workout. It also stressed the feet and calves laterally, making the warm-up more complete.
Depending on how I feel, I’ll do one to two more of those laps with skipping the turns.
Sufficient Stretching
Remember we warm up to stretch, not stretch to warm up.
By this time I have a good sweat going and am ready to stretch to a sufficient degree. What I mean by the term sufficient is that my goal is not to stretch to the point of pushing my body past it’s range of motion like in an assisted stretch, but rather to go through a normal range of motion.
This is done by doing static stretches like lunges, stretching the calves by leaning forward, stretching the quads, etc.
Also dynamic stretches like legs swings and hip swings.
More aggressive stretching should be saved for after a workout when the athlete can focus on increasing their range of motion.
Sprint Drills
“We must learn to walk before we can run, we must learn to sprint before we can vault.â€Â
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