Core strength
I hate this term. I can't find two reputable coaches with the same definition of what the core is and what it does. To me the problem is that people constantly try to define the core as a group of muscles or joints, similar to when people refer to the elusive "stabiliser (another horrible term) muscles." However, to further complicate this issue I will put forth my own definition of what the core is.
The core is a the part of the body that remains highly stable in the presence of movement on either side. The make-up of the core is highly variable depending on the athletic feat being performed. To explain the role of the core in the pole vault I'll go phase by phase.
The Run: The core is simply the torso musculature. The abdominals, spinal erectors, among others in the torso must remain taut while rapid movement occurs at the hips in order to maintain posture and counteract the torsional force caused by running with a 15 foot pole in your hands.
The takeoff/plant: The core is your entire body from your hands to your toes (unless you take-off under where this is debatable). The entire body must momentarily "pulse" in order to efficiently transfer the energy developed from the run into the potential energy of the vaulter/pole system. Sadly this is one of those things that great athletes tend to be born with and everyone else has to train their butts off to sorta get good at. One of the defining features of great athletes is the ability to quickly develop force and quickly relax. To move from static to dynamic (the swing) at the drop of a hat. The takeoff in the pole vault is no different.
The swing: Funny enough, what defines the core in the swing depends on your core strength. If you're extremely strong and you can maintain a long swing (not a tuck and shooter) then the core essentially extends from the shoulder joint all the way to the toes. If you're weaker and need to shorten your swing radius (by tucking) then the core goes back to just being the musculature of the torso since motion is occurring at the hip joints.
The push-off: Who knows
If you disagree with me, then that's great. It just proves my point that the core is a stupidly impossible thing to define. Although it is important to strengthen it
Stay tuned for my overly-long post regarding lifting weights to improve vaulting performance.
