Pole Drop, When is Early too Early?

[Barto]

The pole should drop inversely purportional to the vaulters upper body angle to the ground. In simple terms: vaulters have to lean forward in order efficiently accelerate - the faster they begin to run the more upright their posture will become. When the vaulter is fully upright and sprinting is when the pole should have freely dropped into a horizontal position. I did not say the pole should be dropped at a constant rate, only that the drop needs to begin with the first step of the approach. During those first few steps the drop will be very slight because the vaulter's rate of acceleration is at its greatest during these first few steps. As the vaulter's acceleration diminishes the pole drop will speed up. This is often misinterpreted as the vaulter delaying the drop until the last few steps. In reality the pole is dropping the entire time, but the rate at which it drops is inversely puportional to both upper body angle and rate of acceleration.

[dj]

tsorenson and barto....

i think both of you have it right.. you "wording" my be a little different but put together hopefully a good mntal picture can be made...

one of the pluses of the Pertrov/Bubka carry is that IF the drop is a little early.. the right hand can slow the drop with little effeort and little change in posture...

dj

[altius]

Just to try to clarify this issue – which I devoted two chapters too in BTB2 –as simply as possible. This will not be as easy as with photos or video but I will put my in 2 cents worth..

The first point is that as Petrov has always said “the vault begins with the first step” – but this is not always understood to mean the position of the hands carrying the pole as well.
Here I am only describing the Petrov Bubka model – other folk can choose to do it any way they like.

The athlete sets up at the beginning of the run with the pole supported by the skeletal system – not the muscular system. This concept is carried through the entire run so that the athlete remains relaxed even though accelerating to high speed carrying a long pole. The initial position of the left hand is critical because theoretically it should remain at the same level throughout the run and plant – until it is driven up at take off. So it should be positioned under the pole 6 – 8” from the centre of the chest with the elbow angled out to the side. Depending on the width of the grip, the right arm is almost straight –just a slight degree of flexion. The idea is that in these positions the arms can act as shock absorbers during the run. The initial pole angle with a 20 step run is about 70 degrees but the pole begins to gradually lower with the first step and continues through to six steps out when it will be around 40 degrees. The idea is that the athlete should never feel the weight of the pole.

My interpretation of what happens next is that over the next three steps the left hand moves forward to bring the tip down to head height three steps out. Ideally the left hand should never go below its original position but this is not easy to do. At this point the right hand does nothing – except stay close to the right hip – again not easy to do. The left arm must not extend too far – it should still be slightly flexed – never straight at this point. The left hand should still be under the pole with the elbow also under it and outside the line of the pole.

Now at three steps out the left hand position is maintained and the right hand begins to move up the right side of the torso. Now the left hand acts like a fulcrum for the pole to rotate around as the right hand moves up. One cue I look for during this phase is when the right foot is flat on the ground two steps out, the right hand should be above the head with the right knuckle touching the head. I like this cue because it becomes possible to use a five step walking/trotting drill to finish in this position – I call it a check drill and Isinbayeva is seen doing it on the BTB DVD. Note that the pole should be horizontal only for the instant that the right hand is level with the left hand as the former moves up above the head.. It should never deliberately be held horizontally because that maximises the torque forces.

Now from there both hands are driven up into the position for take off. This should be completed fractionally before the take off foot touches! Petrov – Move the hands first/feet second. He believes this is fundamental to achieving a free take off.

My observation of hundreds of young American vaulters is that they do not work hard enough to perfect this phase – through repetitive drills – even though Petrov argues that this where the vault is born. Most folk understand that there is a gymnastic element in the vault but few appear to train like gymnasts to perfect this aspect of the vault.

And it is not a pole drop - the pole is always lowered under control - even though the idea is to make this feel weightless