PoleVaultPower.com

Below is the link to the new Pole Vault Simulator called the Cata-Vault... Check it out.

http://sporttectraining.com/main.swf

ENJOY!

Yikes..... We lost a very promising vaulter on a drill that emulates that to some degree. The coach "pulled" the pole while the vaulter took of pretty much like in the video (at a much lower height). The pole broke, and the vaulter landed in the box, and hurt his back. He totally lost his nerve, and never jumped seriously again.

I can only imagine what would happen if the pole broke here, since if is fixed in the mechanism. The vaulter could end up landing on the broken pole.

It's needless to say, that we never used that drill since.

...

Just so you will be aware that the pole used in the simulator is a special pole made for the machine. It is made custom to meet the machines needs and reactions. It is not a standard vaulting pole.
The machine has some very good attributes to it that I am amazed as to how it helps the vaulters but it really does.
The inventor has done massive research on this and has made it a truly a remarkable machine to train with.
If a coach was to simulate this with a standard vaulting pole the pole would receive forces that are different than vaulting and any pole could break.

Bruce Caldwell

golfdane wrote:Yikes..... We lost a very promising vaulter on a drill that emulates that to some degree. The coach "pulled" the pole while the vaulter took of pretty much like in the video (at a much lower height). The pole broke, and the vaulter landed in the box, and hurt his back. He totally lost his nerve, and never jumped seriously again.

I can only imagine what would happen if the pole broke here, since if is fixed in the mechanism. The vaulter could end up landing on the broken pole.

It's needless to say, that we never used that drill since.

However, when used by inexperienced vaulters/coaches, the athlete might not put enough focus in a finished take-off...

I was aware, that the pole isn't a standard pole, but as Powerplant says, that if the athlete isn't 100% committed to the take-off, will there be some serious stress on the pole, and it will be located near the hinge point.

I guess the pole can't explode like a glass or carbon rod (or hope so). Otherwise would I not recommend this to anyone. The result from falling down on a broken pole, is just too catastrophic. If it can bend, can it break. The difference is how it breaks.

I can easily see, that the machine is neat for training this particular aspect of the jump, making it possible for athletes with smaller injuries to keep vaulting (no need of a run-up). It doesn't simulate how the pole reacts (turn left or right when bending), which might be a problem (getting past a pole that is in your way).

The best two training devices ever created for the vault are any pole too stiff for you to bend from 6 steps and a high bar. These two allow you to mimic proper vaulting technique, something I have yet to see from any machine.

achtungpv wrote:The best two training devices ever created for the vault are any pole too stiff for you to bend from 6 steps and a high bar. These two allow you to mimic proper vaulting technique, something I have yet to see from any machine.

WELL SAID!!!! TOTAL AGREEMENT!!!!

achtungpv wrote:The best two training devices ever created for the vault are any pole too stiff for you to bend from 6 steps and a high bar. These two allow you to mimic proper vaulting technique, something I have yet to see from any machine.

True... Add a rope (or a thick powercable which can be much more comfortable to your hands) to this, and you're pretty well of.

Stiff poles requires a proper run-up and take-off. IMO the very foundation on which everything else rest. Weak foundation, and everything else suffers.