4 Step Vs. 5 Step

[bb12334]

Right now I am trying to progress back from a 4 left to a longer full approach. Right now I am on a 5 left approach that I run from about 64'. I am using a 13'7 140 pole and I weigh about 139. I am holding down on the pole. I have been trying to work on my takeoff and really pressing into the pole and driving my chest. It has gotten slightly better. The question I have is that I feel like because I am holding so low down, it is hard to fully press into the pole, and I was wondering if moving back to a 6 left approach could help behold higher, and therefore fully press into the pole. I know the quality of the video is not very good but If you can see anything it would be very helpful. I feel like I was afraid to really commit and stay back at the top because I was worried about penetrating so I didn't have a full top end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6i0nFHH6-E

To compare it to one of my 4 steps jumps you can look at this video. The first jump is on a 14 135, the third, 4th and 5th on a 13 135. I feel like the 3rd and 5th jump were my best but the smaller pole meant that I didn't get as much height. I would like to be able to keep my technique like it is off of my 4 step when I move back to a further one.

The bungee here is at 14. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBMQFpHspmo

[tsorenson]

No offense, but that is some really crummy video! Hard to see anything at all. Get somebody to film you from the start of the run to the finish, with a decent camera, otherwise you will have a hard time getting advice on this forum. From the very limited view I had, it looks like you should move your run back so that you can grip a little higher and safely penetrate on the pole you are using. This often is problematic for young vaulters, so start working on the ground before you cap a big pole and go for it on the runway. When you do move back, do it with a relatively low grip and pole you are familiar with. Don't ever swing or invert on your first few times with a new run and/or grip and/or pole...just stay down and press the pole to see where you end up. If you are easily rolling the pole over into the pit every time, then you can try swinging. If you are left hanging over the box while "staying down," you are not ready to invert on that pole/grip/run yet! This "stay down" drill may help you develop the press you are asking about. Don't worry too much about it, just make sure you are punching the hands UP at the takeoff and leading with the chest...many people will jam the bottom arm OUT when they try to press and bury their head in the box...this is not so good.

For what it's worth, I believe that 6 or 7 lefts is the approach you want once you have learned the basics of the run and plant, which you clearly have from your older video. Your form will always suffer for a time after moving to a longer run, so you might as well start working on it now. It is now track season, and your technique probably won't change a lot between now and the state meet, so you should try to get comfortable with longer runs and higher grips, provided you are jumping with the standards all the way back and always landing deep in the pit.

All your walking plants and pole runs should be done from 6 or 7 (you should choose either 6 or 7 lefts based on your pole selection and comfort level). All things equal, you will grip higher and jump higher from 7 lefts than 6. However, some people have a hard time getting their hands up fast enough with higher speed, and so 6 may be a good compromise. You'd better be doing at least 20 full-speed, measured pole runs every practice from your new run if you want to get the timing down by the end of the season. Plant into a towel or sliding box so that you can develop consistency. Many vaulters tend to drop the pole too soon when moving to a longer run, so make that a point of emphasis in your pole runs.

Good luck, try to get some decent video next time!

Tom

[bb12334]

So I managed to get a good camera today and had a really productive practice. I realized that what has really been my fatal flaw has just been a lack of speed on the runway. While I still have many errors with my takeoff (Such as being perpetually under which I think is caused by a stretching of the last 3 steps as opposed to chopping them quickly) by adding more speed I fixed a lot of errors I was having from a 5 step. In the beginning of the video my coach and I were trying to figure out how to fix me being under, and my hips getting sucked under at takeoff. This was not working which is why you see a lot of my jumps either not completed or bailed out of. Later (Particularly at :42) I added more speed which gave me a more confident penetration and made up for the under takeoff and other errors. I am well aware of the controversy about adding speed before all technical errors are fixed. However I found that during my inversion and top end, unless I added more speed I could not execute. At the beginning of the video instead of the pole moving into the pits, it releases all the bend to vertical and stalls out there. This feeling caused my to not fully invert or finish my jump. At :42 because I was rolling the pole over in the box without any stalling, I was able to better finish my invert/top end. However I would like some advice on my takeoff or any tips anybody has regarding how to make my takeoff more efficient. I know there is a lot of room for improvement and feel that it is the achilles heel of my jump. I am hoping that getting a more controlled and efficient takeoff will allow me to get comfortable on larger poles without sacrificing technique and allow me to clear higher.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH-kxpLu ... KINoaOvPI=

Thanks,
-Alex

[tsorenson]

Much better footage, although a lot can be gained by filming the entire run. If your first step is poorly executed, it matters a lot. Just keep that in mind.

You need to finish your takeoff by punching both hands UP at the plant, opening up your chest which can then drive up and forward, and your hands will come back over your head. This will get your hands higher and make space between you and the pole, increasing the pole/ground angle, and giving you a better position to swing from. If you can do that you will have no trouble getting deep in the pit on the pole/run you are on currently...in fact, you will probably need a lot bigger one.

Speed is good, as long as it's controlled and you can still jump at the takeoff. How are your pole runs from 6 or 7 coming? You won't meet your potential unless you can learn a longer run. It takes time so hopefully you have started already.

Good luck,
Tom

[bb12334]

I feel like my run is definitely getting more controlled, but it is not perfect yet. When I was trying to run full speed, I felt like I had to really push myself and it was not completely comfortable. I think that is what had been holding me back. I was running at a fast but comfortable pace, which just wasn't fast enough to get on any serious poles. My pole runs have been helping but I still need to work a lot because I would like to get back to 6 or 7 lefts. I also really need to work on getting my last three steps short so that I am not always under. I will try and film my entire run next time because I fear that I may be taking too large strides at points throughout my run.

I also really do need to work on my arms, because I have always struggled with them. I think because I straight poled for so long, I got used to simply collapsing my arm in , and never really learned to let the arms rock back over my head and press up. I will try just thinking of pressing up and keep with it until it gets slightly better. The pole you see for most of the video is a 13'7 140 and I am holding about 13'. I weigh 137 and feel like it is the fact that I am not on a very large pole that is causing me to drop my legs at the top. Because by the time I have completely turned, all of my upward momentum is gone and my legs simply drop. However for the next several weeks at least, and maybe for the remainder of the season I am going to focus on speed and an efficient takeoff. I would like to be on a 14 145 pole by the end of the season, but until I can move to a 6 step and fix my arms that isn't going to happen. I am going to look at college next week so I will not be able to practice but I will try to keep doing runs without a pole, but still imitating the approach run.