Specifics of the vault

[Schnalan]

I am about 5' 8", 16 years old, average in-season weight is about 145 lbs (I wrestle at 132 lbs) and a junior in high school. Last year I vaulted on a 13' 6" 150 lbs Pacer FX 20.3 and a 14' 150 lbs Pacer FX 21.6 (Handhold about 13' 8"). My PR was 13'. I have been told my approach and plant are pretty good, and I'm still learning the leg swing and inversion.

Now that you know a little bit about me, hopefully you can help answer my questions. First, what can I do to gain runway speed? Any exercises or work-outs you can recommend? Secondly, how can I work on my leg swing? Keeping it straight and strong, and how to transition into the vertical position. Also, what can you tell me about the top half of the vault? Pretty much everything after the swing.

Tips would be greatly appreciated. I will try to get some footage of me vaulting as soon as I can.

[Schnalan]

Here is a video of my current PR.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRMDY9ZjQxc

[Vault101 Boy]

High Bar drills worked for me, consciously think about keeping the left leg long and driving the right knee to your right shoulder (that is if you're a right handed vaulter). Do as many bubkas and swing ups as you can. Watch lots of videos of olympians, and make comparisons between your vaults and theirs to kind of grasp the concepts visually so you can reproduce on the runway.

[professor]

it seems to me that you slowed down on the last couple steps.
what i noticed is that during your approach your right hand is located far behind your hip when it should be close and tight to the hip.
when you lower your pole with your right arm so far back it slows you down on around your 3rd to last step.
when lowering your pole keep that right arm a bit tighter to your hip and when you flip your arms over from the approach position to your plant try keep your right hand moving in a straight vertical motion.
this will make your approach much more aggressive and 13' 6" shouldn't be a problem for you at all.

[Schnalan]

If I keep my right hand close to my hip, do I still drop the pole on the third step from the box?

[vquestpvc]

This may seem like a generalization, but I believe wrestlers make the best pole vaulters. However, it's not that "crazy" thing. Good wrestlers have a very good kineticstetic awareness or where they are in space; very important in vaulting. Any way, after seeing your video, I would have to disagree with you regarding your approach and takeoff.

First of all, you don't appear to be fully using the power in your legs; your knees don't appear to be lifting in an effective way. When sprinting, the knees should be lifted to about 90 degrees with the toes up so that when the "cycle" is completed, the legs drive down and through under or slight behind the hips in a 'ripping" action. Not sure i see that in your video. Think of it as riding a bike. With a bike the seat places your hips in a stationary position with the feet directly under the hips so that when you "power" through it is under the hips. Additionally. the pedals force your toes ups as you pedal through. Try pedaling with your toes point down; without foot guards of course. How's that going to work? So, you need to do more running drills such as "A/B" drills and ladder drills (MF Athletics has a good sprinting DVD with Aaron Moser with a ladder drill). I'm sure your track coach knows all about running drills unfortunately pole vaulters seem to miss those practices.

Secondly, based on your video, your takeoff appears to be under. When the video is paused one can see two things: your top hand is behind your takeoff foot; and, with the pole bent, you are still on the ground or "putting the brakes on". The most common mistake to cure "under" is to have the vaulter move back. It is often forgotten that the pole vault is a "jumping" event which means one jumps at takeoff. Typically, I find vaulters "run" through or extend the takeoff leg under when actually the last step should be shorter in a jumping action. Learn to jump up at takeoff attempting a "free takeoff". A free takeoff is when the vaulter and tip of pole are essentially off the ground together for a split second at takeoff. A drill i strongly recommend to improve the takeoff I call "runovers"; you may call them something else. Basically, one is vaulting on the ground from 3-4 steps swinging through and landing on the takeoff foot. As one gets better at this drill, move the hands up the pole. The higher one can hold in this drill, the better they should improve the jumping technique.

If one improves the approach and takeoff, the leg swing will improve because the takeoff leg should already be back in position and the inversion will follow more easily. Ironically though, after seeing your video, I'd say you do both well already despite a poor approach and takeoff. You got inverted fairly well despite being under (the will of a wrestler). From what the video showed you also have very good hand position with BOTH arms extended above your head. And, you are vaulting at your hand grip.

So, work on improving your approach and takeoff. With a good approach and takeoff, you will be surprised how you'll be able to move to bigger poles; not necessarily longer, BIGGER. Good luck with your vaulting and be safe. The last words are: keep the standards back, back, back!

[Schnalan]

Well that was eye opening. Everyone I talk to says I have a good approach and whatnot, but you seem to be good at pointing out specifics on what is wrong. Which is exactly what I asked for. Specifics. Thanks for your help and I'll try to work on doing the things you suggested. Hopefully, this will help me reach higher heights in my vaulting career.

[dj]

i do 95% of all vaulters sprint training with approach runs on the track, with the pole lanting into a towel..

Using the numbers from my "MID" Six Stride Chart, which is the stride lengths and frequencies from 6 steps from the take-off, measured from the back of the box.. needed to jump each height is now on my website...

www.oneapproachrun.com

check the chart and see where your "MID" (six steps from the box)should be based on your PB and set up approach runs on the track.. 3 lanes..

do practice approach runs twice a week and soon your run will be "perfect" and you will have the ability to attack the plant and takeoff..

dj

[tsorenson]

Great advice by vquestpvc and others. Wrestlers are great vaulters because they have high strength-to-weight ratios and lots of courage!

You have a lot of room for improvement on your first step. It is pretty flat and low. Your first step sets up your stride pattern, pelvic position, and posture for the entire approach, so you should really try to drive hard "out of the back." This involves pushing hard enough to get your right knee up to parallel with the ground on the first stride (as described nicely by vquestpvc). You may find that this moves your step out a bit, while allowing you to quicken your feet more easily at the plant. Basically, you will be running faster than you are currently. Just remember, even while pushing hard like a sprinter, you must maintain your posture!

Also, as mentioned by others, keeping the pole high near the right hip throughout the drop/plant will make for quicker steps into takeoff, as well. Letting it come back behind you tends to make you run under your plant, or plant behind yourself.
Don't worry about anything in the air...you look pretty good in that department. Just get your takeoff point out farther by doing lots of pole runs, and the "jump over the tip" drill on the grass (the one described by vquestpvc and also in Beginner to Bubka). One thing I would change is that you should land on your opposite foot on this drill, so that you can emphasize keeping the takeoff leg straight throughout the motion.

Also maxing out your grip height on a stiff pole from 3 lefts will discourage an under takeoff (try to get 5' or more over your standing grip; don't swing, just stay behind the pole, keep it centered, and let your body push the pole to vertical through the top hand). People who have been taught to do "pop-ups" by cheating their left elbow inside the pole at the plant will have a hard time learning this drill.

Good luck,
Tom

[vquestpvc]

Sorry Schnalan, but I find it necessary to comment in your venue on something tsoreson stated. Thank you, thank you, thank you tsoreson. Your final comment regarding "cheating the elbow inside the pole" on the drill you're describing or inverts really hits home for me. There seems to be a real split on the elbow inside thing, but I most definitely agree with you. Recently while my vaulters performed this drill at a clinic, the only thing the coaches seemed to care about was that elbow inside. Well, there are more important things to work on than the elbow inside. I do want my vaulters to know that there is a time when the elbow comes inside which is a very good thing, however, it only occurs when the vaulter is inverted shooting off the pole. This is something i wholeheartedly encourage my vaulters to attempt. Actually, several of my vaulters have complained about their forearm hitting the recoiling pole while inverted to which I tell them to "keep moving through the vault"; or continue through the turn. I actually brought out a 1940s track book to see where the "straight pole" vaulters had their lower elbow (TY Petrov). Well, this elbow was of no concern because they were already turning. Breaking components of the vault down into drills is an absolute necessity, but I firmly believe in specificity of training. Keep every drill as close to what will actually happen through the entire vault.

[Schnalan]

These are all great tips. I appreciate all the help and will be sure to update throughout this season.

[Schnalan]

I just learned that I may get another pole this year. Now I am asking what size pole you think I should get. Length? Weight? Flex? The 13' 6" from last year was a 19.6 and the 14' was a 20.3