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Last night at practice I tried two different styles of takeoff. One which I had been using before. Which I would guess is between 20-30 degrees. the other was where I jumped up and not so much forward. With my regular takeoff I could swing and come close to inversion (feet over hands, but not hips). The second way, where I jumped as high as I could safely jump. I felt like I got to the level of the bungee faster, but I had no swing and couldn't get as close to inversion. I also came a lup a little shallower in the pit, but still safe. My question is, should the takeoff be "into" the pole to move it to vertical and bend it? Or should it be an upward jump? Also, is the angle dictated by the takeoff point and grip height?

You need to be jumping up. Think of it this way.....the object to pole vaulting is to jump as high over a vertical bar as possible. If you jump up into the pole you will be that much closer to the bar. The real reason that you want to jump up more is to load the pole correctly, but if you are not bending the pole, the higher you jump off the ground the higher you will be able to go.

I am not saying to jump straight up, but if you are running with decent speed that would be virtually impossible to do. Just watch some videos of teh elite jumpers and look at their take-off angles.

i agree, having a verticle tack off won't happen if you aren't running at decent speed!

I have just found that the vault seems so much easier when I try to jump off the ground higher

yea i agree that you have to jump up, or attempt to jump up when you vault. For example, i tried the "prejump" one time in practice, and i jumped up and left the ground, and it just felt much better and although i didnt have a bar up, felt like a better vault. I think it helps move the pole to verticle faster, because the energy is going more towards pushing the pole, if that makes any sense.

john

Flying D wrote:For example, i tried the "prejump" one time in practice,

Did you leave the ground before your pole tip hit the back of the box? If so, you lost energy.

I wouldnt think so much about jumping as I would moving the pole to vertical. Sure for shoter poles jumping is great. But longer poles... not so much. Its what you do at take off.

Mecham wrote:

Flying D wrote:For example, i tried the "prejump" one time in practice,

Did you leave the ground before your pole tip hit the back of the box? If so, you lost energy.

That is a good point....I know a lot of vaulters that have a problem with absorbing the energy into their body that should be directed to the pole.

JTred wrote:Last night at practice I tried two different styles of takeoff. One which I had been using before. Which I would guess is between 20-30 degrees. the other was where I jumped up and not so much forward. With my regular takeoff I could swing and come close to inversion (feet over hands, but not hips). The second way, where I jumped as high as I could safely jump. I felt like I got to the level of the bungee faster, but I had no swing and couldn't get as close to inversion. I also came a lup a little shallower in the pit, but still safe. My question is, should the takeoff be "into" the pole to move it to vertical and bend it? Or should it be an upward jump? Also, is the angle dictated by the takeoff point and grip height?

It sounds like on the ones where you tried really hard to jump UP, you (subconsciously) slowed down. The trick is to jump up as much as possible without losing speed. I think coaches who tell kids not to jump, are concerned about them killing their speed at takeoff, because some kids do that when you tell them to jump.

Hello, I'm a new user and I'm a jumper from Europe. I jumped a while in the US, Cali.

Personnally I think it is very hard, almost impossible to jump up at take off, since you're running so fast and with a pole. though it is very importent to go and look for your highest point with your top hand. The jump up angle should be about 45°, same as with long jump. if the angle is more, you loose too much horizontal speed. if it is less, you driving too much to the box.
the bigger the vaulter, the bigger pole you can use, because it is easier to bend. so it would be logical that the higher your take off is, the better the pole will get bend. also you can put more energy in the pole. I always teach my athletes to find there highest point in take off and then move the top arm asap. that way the hips come very high, very fast. then you're body will vertically move close to the pole.
I don't really tell them to jump off the ground, but more to pop up off the ground, by trowing there arms high above their head and getting the knee up high. that way you get about the 45°.

The pre-jump issue is something tricky... Bubka always with a pre-jump....

I read a study that was done on our 3 U.S. 2004 Olympic long jumpers and none of them had a take off angle of greater than 30 degrees. According to the study, it would be almost physically impossible to run at maximum speed and jump off of the ground at a 45 degree angle. They talked about a trade-off between speed and angle and really made some good points about how if an athlete runs a little slower and the angle improves the distance may or may not increase.

I think a vaulter should jump off of the ground at the maximum angle they can physically accomplish at their top speed. The stiffness of the pole determines what "visually" looks like that 45 you're wanting.

After reading the 6.40model you have posted, I have to agree with you on that. it is indeed the visual angle. and I guess it depends from vaulter to vaulter. It is importent to search active your highest point with your top arm. this without loosing speed.

IF u run fast enough you dont have to jump horizontally, remember this isnt long jump. At take off you want to be as TALL as possible and the idea of the game is to jump as HIGH as possible. Horizantal travel is not in the equation. Obviously there is some horizontal movement, but vertical is the key. instead of slowing down, which it sounds like you did, you run over the last stride (accelerate) and on the penultimate step it should be quick and powerful, preparing you for your take off. Then your take off leg should pound the ground...off you fly!