bad swing, rock back, i need HELP!

[BadMotherVaulter]

Hey all, i just started bending the pole, and i'm clearing like 11'6 on a 13'6 pole, but my form is, to say the least, lacking.

I think i'm doing what's called "Flagging out." I don't swing all the way up or something, its because i'm not rocking back, so instead of vaulting up, i'm vaulting out. Coack says i'm trying to muscle my rock back, so i'm not going all the way through on it and getting verticle. i might also be blocking with my bottom arm. But regardless, i suck right now and i need to get better before sectionals. If Anyone has ANY tips, drills, insults, please let me know!!!

[izzystikchik]

Man, i have the same problem now and then....but i'm getting it now and then too. Tell me, hows your plant, are you getting good extention? is your trail leg straight? Hows yur speed?

Sorry for all the questions but i don't what to advise without knowing what your doing exactly, i can give better advise knowing what type of jumper you are so u can benifit from my 2 cents...

[BadMotherVaulter]

Well my coach says my plant is good, its just that i don't swing all the way through, my legs dont extend up at the end of my vault, they just kinda pop outwards.

[izzystikchik]

Ok, well things you want to consider:

ARMS: You said earlier that your left arm may be "blocking out", that is a definate obstacle for your attempts at rocking back, try, when planting, thinking about pushing the left arm UP, verses out, this will cause your arm to break in at the right time, try working with that on 3 lefts with a straight pole, it did wonders for me...
Also, think about your top hand in respect to the entire vault you are swinging from your wrist and shoulders...when you swing from your hips, your feet fall, this is why you tork over the bar rather than "turn" (maybe).
Torking is also due to "pulling into" the pole rather than "rowing". And what i mean by that is, watch the elite vaulters during their vaults, that top hand is straight up above their take off, and stays straight until the vaulter's body is completely upside down before any pull is necessary. The top hand is not only staying straight above take off, but throughout the swing the top hand should be pushing/rolling energy back into pole, it helps for inversion.

LEGS: It is imperative that while you work on your upper half, you should know that your lower half is very important too!!! Some of the things ur doing during the vault with your top half, is at the same time ur legs shuld be doin something too. To have a straight trail leg is very important (unless ur like Hartwig and like to do a curl and whip), driving of the heel is key, the rest of your body follows and you'll find that your hips will move into place on their own.
Never cheat yourself any space for swinging!! During some video sessions of myself, I find myself trying to rush the vault at times and subliminally i pull in my trail leg and come up short at the top. Instead of swinging upside down, i spent so much time muscling it that it was impossible to find a correct standard placement. Really, and literally, think about making a wide sweep in that space above the pit and under the crossbar (if that makes any sense). You'll be suprised, even though this explanation seems complicated, how simple and easy getting inverted can be, when simply trusting the technique

I know that this is a mouth-full and maybe, i'm hoping not, this isn't what you're looking for. I'm crossin my fingers that this maybe what you're lookin fur

[BadMotherVaulter]

Ok thank you, i have a meet tonight and i'll probably print this out and try it.

I'll let you know how it goes

[izzystikchik]

Ok thank you, i have a meet tonight and i'll probably print this out and try it.

I'll let you know how it goes

Goodluck!! Let me know if it helped you, it may take a while for it to click in, its hard to stuff in new information all in one sitting, don't get discouraged and go out "swinging"!!

Oh and by the way, when i suggested watching the elites jump i'm referring to http://www.stabhoch.com/, an awesome site that lets you watch clips of the elites (sometimes even in slowmotion!) for FREE, i think you need quicktime, windows media, real player, or something to view it..i highly suggest it

[BadMotherVaulter]

Well i vaulted last night and got a PR of 11'6 but my form didn't improve. However, i did get a lot of good video on it and as soon as i can, i'm gonna put it on this site to let people watch it and make fun of me, but also hopefully give me tips.

I still am not getting my legs up at all. My coach says that i just look like i quit my vault halfway through, i dont swing my legs up. Maybe when i post that video, you can tell me what exactly i'm screwing up on.

[souleman]

Once again I serve as the broken record. Go to http://www.bubbapv.com/Pages/GetVertical.htm see if this may help you. If you have a walk out basement at your house with a deck above it you can build an apparatus like I did where basically I hung galvanized pipe in the shape of a "U" under the joices of my deck and that's what I have for doing the roll back excersise. I think the pole excercise is on there too. Give it a look see. Later.............Mike

[altius]

Folks - do you ever get the feeling you are papering over the cracks?

[izzystikchik]

Folks - do you ever get the feeling you are papering over the cracks?

how do you mean?

[altius]

There is no spoon!

[lonestar]

Folks - do you ever get the feeling you are papering over the cracks?

Like putting a band-aid on something that requires surgery?