PoleVaultPower.com

Ok i need some experts on this topic. This topic takes a bit of understanding the Science of the pole Vault. I need as much information as possible.

Im doing Management Science project. Trying to find a maximation of a problem. We can do any subject, so i decided to do a problem dealing with the maximaztion of a problem of a vault. Maximizing your vault considering these points; Flex(for each flex how much u increase potential height), Length+Flex, and Steps(5step, 6, 7, 8: How much one increases in force and speed for each step.....how much is the average increase in height for every step). Also could you please apply the physics to this subject.... So if anyone can help me that will be great!! This will test your knowledge of the vault so i challenge everyone who think they know something.....

I would especially like the Ideas from Altius, and Lonestar!! Anyone else is welcome!!

http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/vie ... +prs+steps
That should come in handy. It has some good vaults with different steps.

It is going to be pretty hard to find the averages for the data you are looking for. You might consider collecting the data from elite vaulters using the same length runs to decrease statistic variability, but you are still probably going to find huge variation from vaulter to vaulter, as some vaulters can accelerate faster than others.

Also, since the flex numbers do not correlate to push-off hieght in a linear fashion depending on the weight of the vaulters, you might find a standard weight for a vaulter and assume that ALL energy transferred in the vault is used in a perfectly efficient way.


I think your best bet is going to be using a computer model that will complete all technical aspects of the vault the same. Then get whatever poles you are going to study with length and flex variation, and do a force energy test (im not sure exactly what it is called) similar to that of UCLA coach Anthony Curran in the most recent Neovault video. It will give you exactly how many pounds of force the pole has stored in it at a certain flex angle. That should allow you to standardize your data, and using a good computer model should give you the hieght correlation for a certain size vaulter assuming he/she can get on the pole.

To standardize your vaulters abilities, you will need to find how much force is created by your vaulters taking a certain number of steps by either doing a study on one of those expensive sensory runways, or find the data from a previous study. Using those two pieces of data, you should be able to figure out exactly how much energy can be put into the vaulter-pole system according to the length of your run. Using that correlation to the length/flex of the pole should give you a rough estimate of how high a vaulter can go on a certain pole or with a certain run.

I hope that helps a little, those are just some things that came to my mind. Im sure the experts here can clear things up even more. Just keep in mind that in the real vault, even pros still lose some of the energy. Some other factors like take off angle, hieght, swing speed, etc. will give some variation to the ability of a certain vaulter to get on a certain pole. Good luck, this study sounds like fun!