ESSX wrote:When Frank and I finally got back to our long runs to do some takeoffs, Vitali immediately said something to the effect of "Ahhh...the American run...is all the same...pahpahpahpahpahpahpah....too fast too soon and no develop run. You need to run pah pah pah pah pah pah pah pahpah pahpah...develop run." The emphasis then became coming out of the back with very high knees and not opening the front leg beyond 90 degrees until the thigh was traveling downwards, and then a fast clawing action. Gradual buildup of of rhythmic tempo, tempo increasing with pole drop synonomously, left arm staying in position in front of the center of the chest, but being loose in the shoulders, not tense. Divided plant, 1 on penultimate and 2 as the last step touches down.
Lots to think about! It is difficult to come down a runway thinking about implementing each of these steps because you are trying to please this legendary man and earn his praise, and Vitaly did give praise, but always had constructive criticism. Sometimes it was hard to understand his point via the language barrier, since he can't always think of the right vocabulary to use, but we got a lot out of it. He was emphatic about not jumping too early in the training season, but spending 1000's of repetitions in the sand, grass, and track perfecting the plant from slow/walking to fast running, and reproducing the same movements at all speeds.
Kris this might be why we always hear of AMerican vaulter jumping very high with short runs.???????? Then only jump 6 inches higher wiht a long run
This also might be why there have been more Americans jump 6 meters than Petrov coached athletes. Petrov is an outstanding coach and pioneer in our sport, but his theories on sprinting and runway mechanics are not 100% biomechanically sound.
