PoleVaultPower.com

ok, so I have been reading some material on how the free takeoff is more efficient and better than the regular takeoff(i don't know its name).
I vault 12 consistently and would like to add some power to my vault to really go high. But is it too early to start the free takeoff and work on form instead. what should i do?

All drills shall be done with the takeoff happening before you go in support on the pole. IE you jump up on it. That will start you off to a successful career. My book has the drill sequences laid out.

Rick Baggett
WSTC LLC

rick, just to ask, what does WSTC LLC, stand for?

i've always wondered

newPVer wrote:rick, just to ask, what does WSTC LLC, stand for?

i've always wondered

Willamette Striders Track Club, limited liability corporation

my coach told me that one of the vaults i did, i actually took a free take off without knowing it... maybe why i CRUSHED my pole ;)

vballswimvault wrote:my coach told me that one of the vaults i did, i actually took a free take off without knowing it... maybe why i CRUSHED my pole

be carefull with that... you can take off out without having a free takeoff.

but yes, if you do the "free takeoff" then your poles will feel softer.

I would say its something to keep in mind while taking your jumps, but what most 12' vaulters would benefit most from would be hitting the pole runs harder than anything. Theres energy to be transferred in nearly every stage of the vault, and all beginner-intermediate vaulters can probably gain more energy at their stage in development by working on other crucial parts of the vault, like the run and take off, than focusing on a free take off. I would just make sure your step is where it should be, and dont obsess about it until every other energy-gaining possibility is exhausted. Pretty much, wait until you are vaulting 17+. Thats just my thoughts.

yeah, I think you're right. But today in practice I was trying the free takeoff just for a couple vaults and I actually sailed off the opposite side of the pit and almost did a faceplant on the ground!

vault3rb0y wrote: I would just make sure your step is where it should be, and dont obsess about it until every other energy-gaining possibility is exhausted. Pretty much, wait until you are vaulting 17+. Thats just my thoughts.

let me just whip out a 17 foot vault for you okay? any junior girl in high school should be able to, no? =D
and just wondering, since it kind of pertains to the topic,
when you plant your pole in the last bit of your run, and you aren't doing a free take off, when exactly should you plant your pole?
right before you jump, meaning right as your final step hits the ground?
or while you are jumping?
or is it just the general rule of thumb: early plant is better than late plant?

The pole should hit the back of the box the very moment your toe is leaving the ground. Thats a proper take off, and what you call a free take is probably just hitting a normal take off, as opposed to a take off that is under.

And Un poco loca saltar, or little crazy jumper (i think?), when i say wait until you jump 17, i was referring to guys. Girls should wait, in my opinion, until they are 13+ jumpers. The point of this is that there are tons of others things to change in your jump that will make you jump higher, other than working the free take off. The free take off is one of the hardest things to master in the vault, and i have never spent a practice working on taking off actually outside. Rather i just work on being "on". Im more concerned with my take off velocity, angle, arm position, swing, connection, etc., than with getting a free take off. its something that requires more than just taking off outside. If you dont have enough take off angle and velocity, as well as almost perfect posture at take off, it will actually hurt you.

vault3rb0y wrote:The pole should hit the back of the box the very moment your toe is leaving the ground. Thats a proper take off, and what you call a free take is probably just hitting a normal take off, as opposed to a take off that is under.

And Un poco loca saltar, or little crazy jumper (i think?), when i say wait until you jump 17, i was referring to guys. Girls should wait, in my opinion, until they are 13+ jumpers. .

actually, it means 'a little crazy to jump' *more than one jumping event in my case* but you were close so that's cool. and thanks for the advice! I seem to always plant late, I guess, which could account for having a low plant instead of a high one, I myself am not a big fan of a free take off at this point in time...

I'm gonna wait till I can whip out that 17 ft vault first. =P *you did know that that was a joke right? gotta love my lack of humor haha!*

lol nice. Yea i wasnt sure on that name, i figured the unconjigated verb at the end was not literal, oh well. I passed the Spanish Regents with a 92 and havent spoken a word since! If you plant is consistently late, either you are under, or your arms just arent coming up early enough before take off. Try to have both hands up before your take off foot even hits the ground.

P.S. i think thats a good call on the free take off