PoleVaultPower.com

I've recently begun keeping a pole vault journal. I got the idea first from Jan Johnson (who talked about keeping a training log at camp last December), but I really thought more about the idea after hearing Tim Mack's interviews following the Olympics. He keeps a detailed record of practices and meets. Perhaps he could share some of his secrets with us?

Next season I'm going to require my high school vaulters to keep a pole vault journal. It makes sense. We all forget things, so here's the principle. Immediately after practice (or even during practice) write down every jump you take (including drills), how many lefts (rights for you Southpaws) you took, what pole you used (including flex number), what your top handgrip was, whether you jumped at (and made or missed a bar), standard depth, and anything else that could affect the jump (weather for example). Then you can and your coach can review the data and refer to it to help you decide what what to do for future workouts and meets.

Distance runners keep a journal, we should too.

The Great basketball coach Dean Smith used to emphasize that his teams should "play smart." Keeping a journal is one way that we vaulters can play our sport smart.

We use journals in the club and with the college kids similar to the ones that Earl Bell gives out at his camps. We print ours on cardstock so that they last a lot longer.

On the training pages, we have the kids write down the following for each run every practice (so they don't write down every jump, just where they finish for that run)

Date
# of Steps
Cleared
Attempted
Pole Size
Grip Height (All of our poles have every inch numbered in the area where people normally grip)
Start Mark
Check Mark (our kids who skip use this as a skip mark)
Speed Mark
Mid Mark
Standards
Comments

I agree Russ, writing down your numbers is so important!

I should do that

perhaps I'll make anohter live journal dedicated to that?

Nah, I don't know, but I'd prefer it to be electronic form, because that way I'll remember better

Okay all you enterprsing software gurus out there, here's a new software package crying out to be written: pole vault log software. Rainbow and I have started the dialogue about what data needs to be there, and Lord of the Poles has demonstrated a consumer demand.

I suggest that somebody get started putting this thing together. That'd be a good way to keep track of progress (and regress). I also write down my non-vaulting workouts (e.g., gymnastics, rope, lifting, running). I suppose that a good software log should have several categories.

Some time ago I planned to do a pole vault log program for the Palm Pilot. I got a book on NSBasic and started to learn ihow to program in that environment. The project has since been stalled by just about everything else in my life.

In the interim, all you Palm Pilot users out there can simply use a spreadsheet program and use Documents to Go to export an editable version of your spread sheet to your Palm Pilot using the categories RainbowHottie mentioned above.

Software would be great, but unless you have a palm pilot, I still think a paper journal is most important. If you were to track everything I listed above, there's no way you'd remember it in the time it takes you to get from practice to your computer.

My cousin is developing a database for me to keep track of my lifting, running, and vaulting. He should be finished with this in the next month or so. I could ask him if he would be interested in marketting this software. I'm sure he would.

Anybody interested in a Microsoft Access based program?

well, maybe I can manage to do something decent in Java for it. would take a lot of work as far as I'm concerned

I do that. and its a big help.. knowing, where you left off from the last practice.. and also when you move steps.. you can look at old records, so its not as hard to find those old steps. I definitly think its a smart idea.

yep, i agree with tokes. i started keeping it religiously this summer, and the results are amazing ! no more time wasted trying to figure out where you were/where you should begin. very efficient

I have kept a journal every day since the first day i worked out this past january. I started keeping my rehab exercises and pain levels in my back (I recovered from dual stress fractures in my L4) and what I tended to be doing when the pain occurred. Well, 170+ rehab sessions and counting and I am pain free and stronger than ever. It not only helps to keep your steps, the weather, grip, how you feel, etc, but it helps with recovering from injuries.
Good post, Russ.

rainbowgirl28 wrote:Software would be great, but unless you have a palm pilot, I still think a paper journal is most important. If you were to track everything I listed above, there's no way you'd remember it in the time it takes you to get from practice to your computer.

Having your record-keeping device at your place of workout is key, because it is a lot easier to make your entries as you go. I like the Palm Pilot approach, because I'm actually more likely to have that with me than some of my training gear, so I'm not likely to forget to bring it.