Goals?

[wfpv]

My pr last year as a freshman was 11 feet, and I could occasionally clear the bungee at 12. I was only holding at 11, but I've been working on my speed a lot and quit cross country. I was only going 9 at the end of the school year and I got 11 at camp this summer. Obviously I wasn't expecting to be ENTERING this year at this hight so idk what a realistic goal should be.

[grandevaulter]

What exactly are you doing to work on your speed ? Why did you quit cross country? The number one sprinter in our conference is also the number 4 cross runner. Our state runner up two years ago in the vault also ran cross for four years
and is now vaulting division 3 collegiate level.

[wfpv]

I got a workout plan from my club coach. He and my coach at a camp I went to also suggested I quit cross if I'm serious about vaulting. I know people have mixed opinions whether cross hurts your sprinting, but I wasn't that good anyway. I figured I didn't have much to lose, but potentially a lot to gain.

[altius]

Drop the cross country and use the time you save to do the drills necessary if you are to improve your run and plant.

[PV2020]

Drop the cross country and use the time you save to do the drills necessary if you are to improve your run and plant.

My pr last year as a freshman was 11 feet, and I could occasionally clear the bungee at 12. I was only holding at 11, but I've been working on my speed a lot and quit cross country. I was only going 9 at the end of the school year and I got 11 at camp this summer. Obviously I wasn't expecting to be ENTERING this year at this hight so idk what a realistic goal should be.

... just saying

[grandevaulter]

but I've been working on my speed a lot and quit cross

What exactly are you doing to work on your speed ? Why did you quit cross country?

I got a workout plan from my club coach. He and my coach at a camp I went to also suggested I quit cross if I'm serious about vaulting. I know people have mixed opinions whether cross hurts your sprinting, but I wasn't that good anyway.

but I wasn't that good anyway.

Quitting something because you don't think you are that good as a sophomore is not a good idea. Making a qualified decision due to competing opportunity costs would be. Training for 5ks in the foothills of ND will not make you slower and will only benefit you in; mental toughness, core strength and endurance. If you have time to work on your approach and plant, make your club lessons and participate in the cross country workouts, why not?

[rainbowgirl28]

It sounds like he wasn't that into cross country and found something he likes better.

I coach cross country, and I encourage any high school vaulter who enjoys it to do it. As far as pole vault training goes, you have to figure out what is more likely to help you. If dropping cross country means you will only work out sporadically then you're probably better off doing it, but if you have some sprinters to train with in the fall, and opportunities to pole vault, then that is going to help your vault more.

To wfpv... I wouldn't focus so much on goals based on heights. Focus on improving your PR in the 100 meter dash, long jump, being able to safely hold higher on bigger poles, and jump higher than you are holding. Those things will combine to give you plenty of PRs in the pole vault.

[wfpv]

I think rainbowgirl hit it on the head. I like the idea of thinking about some smaller goals because I could see that helping. I also said that whole cross thing badly I quit more because I just didn't feel like it was what I should be doing, not just because I wasn't that good.

[grandevaulter]

I got a workout plan from my club coach. He and my coach at a camp I went to also suggested I quit cross if I'm serious about vaulting.

The club and camp coach obviously influenced your decision to quit.

I know people have mixed opinions whether cross hurts your sprinting, but I wasn't that good anyway.

Distance training for 5ks will not hurt your sprinting. It will only help you and gives you an opportunity to go to a daily practice. Our cross team works on core, weight training and speed. Non of these would hurt your sprinting. Don't worry about how good you think you are. You can selfishly use the cross workout to your benefit.

[/quote]

I encourage any high school vaulter who enjoys it to do it. As far as pole vault training goes, you have to figure out what is more likely to help you. If dropping cross country means you will only work out sporadically then you're probably better off doing it,

Becoming better athletes requires that we do work outs that we may not necessarily enjoy. For the fact that you are asking several opinions regarding goals (club coach, camp coach and forum), you are going to get several explanations. Don't just pick the "feel good" suggestions. They are not always the correct ones.

[kcvault]

It sounds to me like you are on the right track and improving well. I believe quitting cross country to focus on pole vaulting to be a very good move. Cross country workouts well make fast twitch muscles more slow twitch like, Slow down the CNS, and overall decrease the amount of power you can produce. You do not want aerobic endurance to pole vault you need anaerobic endurance by increasing your body's ability to recover ATP. You get this from intervals such as 100's, 60's, 40's es. Other then that you want to focus on getting as strong as possible by doing things such as squats, clings, snatches, and every high bar drill you can think of. Good luck hope you have a great season.
--Kasey

[grandevaulter]

This is a sophomore in our conference that runs cross and is one of the fastest sprinters in the state.
7. Brock T. , Watervliet, 22.59 200 meter. 7th division 3 state championship. (Mshaa archive)

21. 21 Brock T. 16:29.2 mshaa cross country championship. (Mshaa archive)

State runner up division 4 pole vault 2011 also ran four years of cross and wrestled. Running cross did not stop him from being recruited in the vault.
2. Jordan B. , Hesperia, 14-2; vault. (mshaa archive)

97th Jordon B. * 17:38.2 Nov 1 MHSAA Div 4 Finals not a shabby 5k time for a pole vaulter. ( athleticnet)

41. Jordan B. , Hesperia (2008-11) 41st all time wins 214 in Michigan wrestling. (mshaa archive)
Jordan B. , Hesperia (58-8) (2008-09 ) single season top all time. (mshaa archive)

I suppose that if you trained year round for 5k races you may lose some fire in your muscles. Four months of distance training will not affect your quick twitch muscles. Your doing a great job WFPV, don't be afraid to distance train. It won't hurt you.

[altius]

It won't hurt you.

But it won't help you become a better pole vaulter either. But look, what does an old fogy like me know about it - I have only spent fifty years of my life teaching folk to vault. But wait - in 1965 my team at Dr.Challoner's Grammar School in England was - arguably - the best school cross country team ever in Britain and I hold the senior coaching award of the British AAA in middle distance running.

It is simply a question of time available and priorities - what do you really want to achieve? if it is to become a better pole vaulter do what I recommended earlier and use the time you save not running and put it into the basic drills needed to become a good vaulter. You choose.