PoleVaultPower.com

Well my season will be beginning soon and I'm looking for some tips. My main goals for the season are to get a better, higher plant, and an upsprining takeoff. I've done drills and things to help with this goal, but I haven't had much luck yet. I really need to work on this aspect of my vault so I can start holding higher and getting on some big sticks. I have a bunch of videos at http://www.putfile.com/cooleo111 where you can look at my amazingly flat and often under takeoff. Let me know if anyone can help me!

That seems like it may be the problem (under take off) and its causing you to drop your hips into the vault very early. You could hold the split C a little longer before swinging, and get a lot more of out each pole. In getting rid of an under take off, go from a short run like your 4 step, just find where your mark should be for a free take off, then get syked up and just jump from it. I always had an inside take off, and getting back to a free take off took some guts but added 6 inches to my vault immediately, as i got on bigger poles. Other than that, you stay in line with the pole pretty nicely. Think about not turning at all until you cant move the pole any further with your hands, and you will turn automatically. good jumps though!

Do alot of work on long jumping and learning how to hurdle. Maybe running mechanics too.

Rick Baggett
WSTC LLc

Hurdling may be the best set of skills a young vaulter can work on without a coach. Not only are the basic tenets of the two events the same, but there is a much greater "form following function" aspect to hurdling than pole vaulting. This makes athletes less likely to practice the wrong things while hurdling.

Barto

Well long jump I can understand, and I've heard before that it is definitely helpful in the pole vault, but hurdling?? I've never heard that hurdling can help with the vault! I'm not opposed to it at all, but would you mind explaining how this could help?

It is very difficult to hurdle with poor posture.

Flexibility, agility, coordination.
Also it's hard to carry speed between the hurdles with poor running posture. Hurdling helps that. Andjei Kzyznski is a big fan of using hurdling drills/activities his his training of athletes. After working with him in 89/90 i became a fan of them too.
In the fall my athletes (post high school) do 2 sets of 5 reps @150 mtrs over Intermediate hurdles goal is to run either 17, 19 or 21 strides on all 4 hurdles.


Rick Baggett
WSTC LLC

baggettpv wrote:Flexibility, agility, coordination.
Also it's hard to carry speed between the hurdles with poor running posture. Hurdling helps that. Andjei Kzyznski is a big fan of using hurdling drills/activities his his training of athletes. After working with him in 89/90 i became a fan of them too.
In the fall my athletes (post high school) do 2 sets of 5 reps @150 mtrs over Intermediate hurdles goal is to run either 17, 19 or 21 strides on all 4 hurdles.


Rick Baggett
WSTC LLC

Very good drill if one stops and thinks of the biomechanics involved in relationship to the takeoff!!!

Run more 200's, jump up at take off and move your step out and stay behind the pole a little longer. You might need a higher hand hold as well.

I have found that hurdle training offers two distinct benefits for vaulters who are having trouble with approach and under plant. Proper hurdle technique requires an upright posture with high hips much like the posture needed for proper pole runs and plants. It is also very effective at evening out your stride and promoting a measured, consistant step. There are many drills using the low 6" or 12" training hurdles that can have the same results as well. One thing hurdling won't let you do is overstride which is often times the problem with under plants, especially the last six steps.
Lastly, hurdle drills are very good for strengthing and increasing flexability in your hips which is essential for speed and agility.
Try it in your training, you will probably like the results.

good luck

i am way too tired to read everyone elses responses, so forgive me if im repeating, but ive struggled with this problem too. things that have helped me are counting my steps. ive always counted my steps, but it used to be 7,6,5,4,3,2,1. now its 7,6,5,4,3,2JUMP! the two and the jump are said quicker together than the other numbers, so as i say those words faster in my head i get my feet down faster and am taller at takeoff. also the jump is just a reminder of what im really supposed to be doing at the moment . this might distract you, but its helped me.
ive also just emphasized leading with my chest and getting a good trail leg. if i aim for that, then i have to force myself to takeoff tall or else i cant do the other two things.
ok, now im realllllly tired, but i hope that you are able to fix this problem, cuz i know how frustrating it is!

As a pole vaulter who is not very tall, I've come to understand the importance of the take off and the run. before my sophomore season in high school I took about 2 weeks to do nothing but box runs. (this is what we call doing full runs and taking off into a sliding box) This helped tremendously to build up my confidence and to not be afraid of the "free takeoff" I also marked my first 2 steps with cones and a mid mark to make sure my run was on. These are helpful to get you to run consistant. If you can attack the box and not be afraid of taking off before the pole starts to bend it should give you a good foundation for the rest of your jump.

p.s. Sergei Bubka was and is the biggest supporter of a "free takeoff"