First Day back for 12 years

[Pink_Panther]

So today I went back to Pole Vault for the first time in 12 years... and I'm kinda gutted I ever stopped.
I was 10 when I first PV.. and my first vault was 1m60...
12 years later at 22 Im wondering if I've left it late to progress to the 4m+ mark!!

Today was more a refresher than anything else... just to get back on the Pole and give my coach a chance to see where I am...
So.. I have a terrible run up... I over stride too much.
My planting could so with some work... I'm not leavering the pole into the box properly... more a Jab to the back of the box (if you see what i mean).
Basically I have little technique Go me!! I got told that I did a couple of free take offs.. although I'm not exactly sure what this is?!?

I reached around the 3m mark with no technique... just upper body strength really... I found it hard to swing my legs up high...
Can someone please.. explain how on earth you get your legs up like this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgYQkQNwSPI and what exercises are best to practice.. I do a lot of core work and so I have quite a strong core.. yet i just dont feel strong enough to get my legs up there. (is my core not as strong as i think it is ..??).

It felt really good to get back into it though. I've been told to think of a goal to achieve by the end of the season... I would love to get to at least 3.60.. 4m by the end of this season would make me tres happy... is this an attainable goal and what would you suggest to help get me there? (other than clearly my technique.. honestly guys.. it was comical at times!!). i.e fitness work/sprint/run drills??

[rainbowgirl28]

I bet your core is plenty strong to do the drill... make sure you have a really low grip. You want a lot of pole speed. Also make sure your top arm stays straight the whole time. Beyond that it is hard to say without seeing video of you jumping.

Here are some exercises you may want to try to build the right kind of core strength for pole vaulting: http://www.polevaultpower.com/media/vid ... anddrills/

[Pink_Panther]

Thank you for that. I will try and get a video of me vaulting.

I trained again on Tuesday and realised I was changing my grip behind my coaches back... sneaky me hey. Now that my grip has been altered to the correct position my hands are where they should be when I hit the box. We are working on my run now, trying to build up the speed. I also have a new pole, its bigger but yet I feel more comfortable with it.

I am making progress... baby steps!!

I'll take a look at those videos and try and get a video on here asap.