PoleVaultPower.com

Many times people can get the bottom part of the swing great to the active I postion. After this is when certain vaulter's swing ends up slowing down. If the swing slows down to much the hips can not get above the shoulders at the time the pole unbends. If you look at vaulters with the greatest swings like Bubka, Borges, and one of the fastest in Holzdeppe you can tell the higher they get their hips above their shoulders at the time the pole unbends the more inverted they can get. It is easily seen in Bubka's earlier vaults compared to his later vaults of 6.10 and up.

So my question is what are some ways to improve swing speed to get the position previously mentioned and to continue the movement of the hips.

1. Lower your grip.

2. Use a softer pole.

3. Run faster.

4. Jump into an elastic "C", stretching your trail leg as long as possible.

And my favorite ...

5. Swing faster on your downswing to the "I"! And then keep swinging quickly on your upswing!

Actually, expirement with all of these ideas - especially #4 and #5!

Dropping your lead knee tends to slow down the swing at the "I" too, so try to keep it up.

Kirk Bryde

At a point in the swing the hips should "break" shortening the radius of the body thus speeding up the rotation allowing one to better get the hips up. And then "thrust" the hips as one inverts in a somewhat piked position. Simply swinging to an inverted position is not enough. Once the vaulter has swung to an inverted position covering the pole (somewhat piked), he or she must thrust the hips up (the famous Bubka drill on the high bar) which in turn will prolong the energy in the pole (bend) as the vaulter pulls vertically through the top of the pole. Greatest mistake many young vaulters make is to stop moving once inverted. Of course, like developing a good approach and take off, this too takes hours of practice.