Implementing BTB

[OUvaulterUSAF]

Ok so I've been trying to implement the technique in BTB. I started this venture in Oct 2005.

Before, I used to suck my take-off leg towards my body at the point of take and initiate the 'tuck and shoot' towards vertical. At vertical, I could never get to the point where you push your hips into the pole and roll your shoulders back towards the ground. I typically would flag out and the only reason I jumped high was b/c of speed and stiffness of the pole.

From various coaches advise IRL and on this forum I've worked on getting an early plant, having a high bounding take-off, bubka drills, keeping an elongated trail leg, whipping said trail leg to the rotated L position and on to vertical, and finally punching the hips in and laying the shoulders back.

I've taken one of my jumps from today's practice and broke it down frame by frame and compared it to Figure 6.1 on page 24 in BTB (see below). I think I'm fairly close to that model. Granted this is a short approach on a 15' pole. Now I ask why am I not at least a 17 footer? Probably a rhetorical question and several factors could be involved. How about this, am I wrong in my thinking in that I'm executing the BTB model correctly?

Here I am today. Critiques definitely welcome.
(I put some random lines on the pictures.)
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/3709/chrisbtb7to.jpg

[altius]

As the author of both the book -and apparently of your problem- I will get back to you asap with more detail if you need it. Presntly in haste. However the problem with photographs - including video - is that it is difficult to assess the effort qualities in any specific vault - clearly this is important if you want to make an intelligent comment. However my immediate response to the stills you have put up is that
1. You look to be taking off somewhat under, when with the PB TM you really need to be beneath the top hand or better still outside the top hand to make the swing whip in the second phase easier.
2. Your take off sems a little passive as evidenced by the fact that your right knee has not punched up hard.
3. Your swing is passive - it does not appear to be a whip!
4. The evidence for the above commments sems to be confirmed by the fact that you have a very small pole bend when you are on the chord of the pole.
5. However more important - you lose the right knee. frame two -ala Toby. This slows down your roation and along with previous issues -leaves you
6. Inverted on a pole which is already straight!
So you must put more energy into the pole at take of and in the whip - tighten up the right knee and then you will have both the energy you need and the body position you need to rotate back faster to cover the pole beofre it recoils and even begin to invert begore that happens.

Given all of that you do a remarkable job of getting inverted - you just get back there too late to make use of the recoil of the pole - and this indicates to me that you should have no trouble becoming a 17 foot vaulter at some point in time - but you do not go from 15 to 17 overnight!!

More later.

[OUvaulterUSAF]

Altius,

Here's the video for the above pictures taken from Jump #4 on the vid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQQ-qIEKbvc

In my mind I must have an incorrect definition of what taking off under is, as I never take off under. I'm usually always on or outside. I quit trying to take-off outside b/c it put to much pressure on the middle of my back (T-13, I think?).

Ok from what I understand of your post and to synopsize, I need a faster whip? Ok, give me 2 weeks to work on it.


Here's a meet vid from last weekend.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGFKIFzOyM0

[OUvaulterUSAF]

sorry for all the posts but I just figured out how to do all this neat stuff. Here's another jump, me attempting 15'7' on a 16'1" pole.

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/9248/chrispv9jz.jpg

[altius]

Still a stronger TO needed - this should lead to better separation between righ shin and let heel - which is essential to set up an effective whip. take a look at Bubka in 6.15b inBTB and Lauren Eley in 12.5a. Cant get the videos up - they sat the are working on the site. Thought I would try that smily - havent used it before - will not use it again!!

[Tim McMichael]

This is just an opinion, so take it for what its is worth. I haven’t read BTB – yet. But I think I can offer a few suggestions. If it doesn’t help, feel free to disregard.

I think you are stuck between two extremes – your old jump and the new one you are trying to learn. The positions you are hitting may be close to right, but the power that you are generating to get there may not be up to speed yet.

If I am reading you correctly, you used to tuck up right off of the ground with no real swing. This is one of the worst ways to get up on a pole. It is what I call a “fatal flaw.â€Â

[gtc]

Looks like to me the pole may be a tad bit to stiff. It is beating you! Or maybe you are continuing to push with your bottom hand after you take off which makes it very difficult to catch the pole.(get inverted on a bent pole)aka: cover the pole.

[gtc]

Tim, check your messages.

[OUvaulterUSAF]

Still a stronger TO needed - this should lead to better separation between righ shin and let heel - which is essential to set up an effective whip. take a look at Bubka in 6.15b inBTB and Lauren Eley in 12.5a. Cant get the videos up - they sat the are working on the site. Thought I would try that smily - havent used it before - will not use it again!!

Sometimes the site is down, try again.

[OUvaulterUSAF]

Looks like to me the pole may be a tad bit to stiff. It is beating you! Or maybe you are continuing to push with your bottom hand after you take off which makes it very difficult to catch the pole.(get inverted on a bent pole)aka: cover the pole.

This was a very soft pole. I think a soft pole makes it very difficult to cover the pole b/c it is moving so fast and you don't have time. A stiffer pole will give you more resistance and more time to cover.

[OUvaulterUSAF]

Ok so I've been trying to implement the technique in BTB. I started this venture in Oct 2005.

Ok just an update on my little venture from Oct 05. I think I'm at the 80% solution right now with the Petrov Model and the other nuggets of info in BTB. Mind you this is self taught with minimal to no coaching.

The Run
I have the rhythm run as close as I'm gonna get to the european style. That just means my first couple steps are slower than normal but I do turn on the afterburners shortly after that. I setup as much as possible into the proper running form--tall, running in front of myself ala Bubka/Isi--at about step 3 or 4 of 16. It was hard to even make this slight change but I tried a few times with the european rhythm run and that's just not me.

The Take-off, rather 'Free take-off'
Yeah, I think I am the epitome of this now. If I take off 'on' I feel under. I logged all my take-off, grip height and approach steps over the last two meets (last Saturday and today).
Here's a few:
Vaulter Height: 5'10"
Approach......Grip......Take-off
102'3"...........14'9"....13'
102'3"...........14'8"....13'3"
102'7"...........15'.......13'9"
102'2"...........14'7".....13'1"
102'7"...........15'........12'9"
102'7"...........14'10"....14' -- Holy Cow!!

The Whip
This big change is really starting to pay off. I'd say 8 out of every 10 jumps my trail leg is straight and long with the toe pointed. Otherwise if I didn't have that whip, I would never penetrate with the take-off checks you see above. In a tuck and shoot, I would come back down in the box. Now could my whip be faster and more dynamic? Probably so.

Shoulder drop/hip drive
My biggest problem area... Like I said I am at the 80% solution and will be at the 99% solution once I've mastered the timing involved with this. I'm not sure if I pull enough here or stay in that position too long. Anyway, I think I'm gonna focus on this over the next few weeks. With Bubka drills and some focused short run vaulting.

Well, I'll be in Reno this year so hopefully they'll be some coaches to offer advise. I hope to pick Altius' brain if he's in attendance.

[altius]

Look forward to chatting with you -bring your latest video.