The free take off: key to success or giant hoax

[lonestar]

I asked Coach Alan Launder (one of the biggest Coaches pushing the Bubka model) in person about the definition of a free take off, he said a free take off is when the pole hits the back of the box as the vaulters toe is just barely in contact with the ground. The prejump is when the vaulter is completely off the ground before the pole hits the back of the box

I can confirm that from conversations I've had with both Alan Launder and Coach David Butler from Rice University, both proteges of Petrov.

[ADTF Academy]

Ok for all those that feel they need to do more harm than good and attack everyone. Let's take a moment and examine this.

Peter: (From Pete's Points for Perfect Pole Vaulting)
"For elite vaulters, pole strike occurs in the second half of the support phase, closer to the instant of takeoff. This indicates that they are actively pushing off the ground. They are "on their toes" when pole strike occurs and they actively push the pole upward and forward. If pole strike occurs during the first half of the support phase, closer to the instant of touchdown, then the vaulter will be not be able to actively push the pole upward and forward. The vaulter will be jerked off the ground by the pole."

hmm on their toes that is pretty darn close to being completely broken from the gound.


Bubka/Petrov from Jamaica (Alan's Book):
The free takeoff is a very short period of time, we can say no more than Hundredths of a second, going form the end of the take off and the moment in which the tip of the pole reaches the end of the box. (pg 28).

hmm just after the toes break contact with the ground.

Point 1
"Additionally we can increase the angle between the pole and the ground in the moment of taking off." (pg. 28)
Point 2
" The take off finished with a complete extension of the take off leg and ankle." (pg. 28)

Hmm now take a look Both Petrov and Peter said finish the final stride completely. Peter said on the toes Petrov said just after the toes break contact. Ok! this is a difference of no more than Hundredths of a second. Additionally, both Petrov and Peter said that the key is to increase the angle at takeoff.

While many of you worry about the exact wording and are too busy arguing and putting people down you miss out on the key concept and fundamentals behind what Alan and Petrov are trying to teach.

1. Finish the final stride Completely, and
2. Increase the angle before the pole strikes the back of the box.

I agree with and support the Freetakeoff/Prejump takeoff model talked about by Petrov and Alan. If you look at the actually wording I will agree that the Freetakeoff might produce a slightly higher angle at takeoff than Peter's wording, but not by much.

They both stress the two more important points and are only a different of no more than Hundredths of a second.

MightyMouse to answer your question I will bet that those athletes have a tendency to reach for the box rather they are attempting to do a free takeoff or not. They are simply steering and reaching for the box because they have come to the conclusion that taking off under is safe and therefore when they try to takeoff in the proper spot they think they are too far out and reach for the box.

If I were you I would go back and work on their approach to identify a clear tested repeated approach off the runway on the track then once the vaulter has established they are consistent and confident move it to the runway. Another trick I have found is over time put sections of the pit on either side of the track lane so that the vaulter must run through the pits while they are working on their approach to gain the sensation of finishing their approach with the pits present.

Secondly head back an relearn how to plant the pole correctly. I would bet that they reach for the box during their drills (onehanders, popups, etc) and their regular vaults this is why they can not perform the free takeoff correctly. Like you said they are leading with their hands and reaching for the box. Also I am a beleiver that the vaulter needs to buy into the concept of a free takeoff. This becomes challenging when the vaulter has been jumping for a long time and has taught their body that taking off under is correct.

Another thing to think about is that the spot at which you takeoff from is only one factor to the concept of the free takeoff. Body positioning and posture is another huge factor that is also very seldomly addressed. Just because the vaulter can take off in the right spot doesn't mean they are going to have a successful vault. Your body positioning and posture at the moment of takeoff is vitally important. Also you must address if the vaulter has the strength training and speed to utilize the energy transferred into the pole during the free takeoff. Otherwise it will simply cause frustration.

[master]

ADTF Academy, your post is one of the best I have read on PVP. It is clearly written and to the point. Thanks.

PS I have just finished two days at a camp with Alan and it has been quite educational and a great deal of fun and hard work. I highly recommend any camp where he (or someone who presents his approach to teaching the vault) is the primary source of camp's activities.

[altius]

I am disappointed this issue is still being raised and debated. Pages 148 -151 in BTB should have clarified this issue to anyone's satisfaction; Figure 23.4 shows Tarasov demonstrating what I believe to be a free take off while the photograph on the inside front cover shows Bubka using what I first termed a "pre jump' in an article published by "Modern athlete and Coach" in 1989. Finally the photo series of Wendy Young on the back cover of BTB suggests that 'ordinary' athletes can begin to use this approach to the take off.

Re the Slippery Rock camps - They are well organised and professional but I was but a lowly private there and had no control of the curriculum. However the fact is that 95% of the athletes I saw, both boys and girls, did not know how to hold the pole correctly before they took the first step, far less have the properly structured run up or the running technique, or the plant mechanics, necessary for a free take off. Nor will they until more coaches around the USA really begin to study this event and not settle for simple - and incorrect -cues such as "Ninety -Ninety" or "Figure 4".

The free take off is not a panacea which will cure all ills in the vault, merely a critical instant between taking that first step of the run up and clearing the bar. Everything which precedes it, including HOW the take off leg and ankle function once the take off foot touches down in the final step and HOW the pole is positioned at that moment, will impact on this.

[Mecham]

You guys are making this free take off thing seem it is like trying to make a million dollars in 30 seconds. Its not that hard!
You can cite whoever you want about taking off, have they jumped 20+? Nope. The results are there. Its not hard, read BTB, clawstrike your take off, get your hands up and jump before you hit the box.

[altius]

Of course the free take is a giant hoax. It is just another attempt by Bubka and his former coach Petrov to lead American vaulters down the wrong path. It is a dastardly plot in line with Bubka's arranging for the pegs to be shortened, time to be cut and 'voltzing' to be eliminated - all to ensure that his record is not broken for a few years - especially by a US vaulter. Well that appears to represent a one view of the situation - not an informed one - but who cares??

However if this is the case you have to first accept that Petrov knows very little about the vault, that I and many other coaches - including incidentally Peter McGinnis - have been hoodwinked, and that Bubka either does not know what he tried to do as vaulter or is in fact a liar. You also have to ignore the video evidence of both Bubka and many other jumpers, notably Dima Markov. More importantly you have to ignore the biomechanical logic of a free take off and its extension the prejump.

However readers may be interested in the following snippet gleaned from the IOC medical commission who carried out some studies in Sydney. In Bulletin Number 8, January 2002 on page 23 Abstract Number 7 "Kinematics and kinetics in pole vaulting: Energy storage and energy return", produced by researchers Peter Bruggemann of Germany and P. V. Komi of Finland it states -
"The purpose of this paper was to improve vaulting technique while at the same time reducing the potential for lower back injuries (Does that ring a few bells folks??).
Results.
"Two techniques are used in pole vaulting. In technique 1 the pole hits the ground(sic) while both of the athletes feet (sic) are still on the ground. In technique 2 the grip on the pole is slightly higher and the athlete's feet are just off the ground when the pole hits the surface for the first time. The difference between the two techniques is only 50 milliseconds. Technique 1 puts more stress on the spine and does not maximise the jump height potential. Technique 2 is not only safer on the spine, but it allows for higher jumps."

Allowing for mistakes in translation the message is pretty clear but the full transcript of the study has not been released - again i am sure this has been done to confuse US vaulters! Incidentally the researchers are going to follow this study up in Helsinki where the box will be instrumented - i believe for the first time in a major competition.


"It doesnt matter which way the wind is blowing, if you dont know which port you want to sail to". Seneca - Roman poet around 2000 years ago.

[Flying D]

hey just to chime in here, i was wondering if (to the believers in the free take off) would this be beneficial for a 11 or 12 foot vaulter to start doing to jump higher. Right now i am not using free take off, and my coaches are saying my step is always inside, unless i really focus on fixing it. But i have been thinking if i switch to free take off and get my step right, perhaps i could jump much higher. Is this true, or just for the extreme heights like 17 and better?

One person on here said that one day they PR'ed by 2 feet by accidentally using free take off, so any input would be great. thanks

-john

[ryansanta]

Of course the free take is a giant hoax. It is just another attempt by Bubka and his former coach Petrov to lead American vaulters down the wrong path.

LOL

That's just great, thanks.

[SlickVT]

Mouse -

Slippery Rock is a decent camp, but please don't take their word as the final word on vaulting.
This is the same camp that teaches that vaulters should have a hand grip that s 8-10" wide.

Not smart, or safe. I have seen LOTS of vaulters come out of SR land in the box.

[Mecham]

Not smart, or safe. I have seen LOTS of vaulters come out of SR land in the box.

Amen

[MightyMouse]

I use the free take off and would consider myself a Petrov convertee I was just alarmed by the fact that a top vaulting school is teaching that to 400 kids a year.

I guess my real area of interest is in the prejump, Which I mistakenly paired with the free take off. It probably should have been a completely different thread. I would say almost all elites practice the free take off, but very few use a prejump. Is the prejump the next level of the free take off? Or just an energy waster like taking off in? Any thoughts?

[altius]

Beginner to Bubka Page 149 explains the difference been a free take off and a pre jump and confirms the advantages of the latter.