PoleVaultPower.com

has anyone been there? what are some of the things you do? and how much runway time do you get?

Before I begin, let me acknowledge that I'm biased. I'm biased strongly in favor of Jan's camps. I attended his Christmas camp in Atascadero and last Summer I coached at his Kutztown camp.

I think that his camps are fabulous. He begins with essential, fundamental skills drills. For beginners and intermediates those are perfect. For more advanced vaulters, it is a knowledgable review of fundamentals. You start with pole carry and several pole carry and plant drills. Then you gradually progress to approach drills and fundamental take-off drills. By the end of Day One, nearly everyone sorts themselves out based on ability level, and is doing 3,4,5,6-left vaults (either bending or not - partially depending on prior skill level and experience).

His camps provide ample time for practicing numerous skills through work at a variety of "stations": rope vaulting; high bar, "ring-thing"; sliding box; and various contraptions that simulate a variety of isolated vault skills. At Atascadero, he's got 4 runways, and usually 10-15 vaulters per runway. At Kutztown, I think we had 7 or 8 runways. So, in answer to your question about runway time, there's plenty - more than enough. I never heard anyone complain that we didn't vault enough. As a matter of fact, that would've been absurd, I think. If anything, campers have an opportunity to wear themselves out. You can vault so much and do so many other isolated drills and skills that you'll be dog tired by Days 3 and 4.

In addition, Jan usually does 90% or more of the skills presentation (demontrations) himself. He explains the physics, psychology, and mechanics of the pole vault in a very clear, step-by-step, and understandable manner. Campers have an opportunity to learn an incredible amount and to practice with one of the best pole vault coaches anywhere.

in 2002 i went to his kutztown camp. very good camp i would reccomend it to anyone i liked it had a great time and improved a f0ot that summer.

That's funny, that's all I hear from kids that go there is that they don't get enough time to jump. I wouldn't know though, I've never been. LB

yea thats what i heard too.

The couple of times I have been to Jan's the kids were so tired of vaulting that they were just hanging out by the time it was over.

Barto

was it at atascadero?

I'm sure people are going to have all kinds of opinions. However, to get the flavor you might read "Howard goes to camp pt2" at www.skyjumpers.com and check out the camp photos.

~jj~

wow jan johnson himself looking forward to seeing you this winter. i have a question about winter camp. how much runway time do we get?

Oh I think you will get plenty of time to vault. But understand that were going to demo all our appratus in between jumping sessions. We intersperce vaulting sessions with explinations and demos on each piece of appratus including: surfing, rope vaulting, slide box, ring vault, 1/2 pipe, high bar, trapeese, low bar, and vaulting progressions. So camp turns into a series of short meetings with open activities in between.
I do not like people to come to my camp and spend all week sitting around listening to boring lectures. So we break it up into quick little explination sessions, followed by activities. I also do not like to see long lines on all the equipment, so I limit the number of participants, and offer a lot of stuff to do.
Also, understand that we are going to teach the jump as a progression, the exact same progression my locals use. So that the first day is dedicated to non-bending 3 and 4 left drills, the second day is dedicated to short run vaulting from 4, 5, and 6 lefts, and the last couple of days are all 'bout long run vaulting.
I try to make it fun with lots of variety. I also try to influence everyone with my system of progressions. Rest assured however, my camp is not just about drills, nor is it just about getting on the runway and long-run vaulting for 4 days.
Thanks!
~jan~

Good explination Jan, thanks, I hope that helps alot of people understand where you come from. LON

Lon,
Muy appreciato!
Seems to me that some people come to camp and all they want to do is long run vault for 4 straight days. We both know that this is impossible and dangerous!! Back in the 70's I ran camps that worked like that. But as time went on I kept adding things that related to vaulting.
In my view, today, I think vault camp works better with lots of activites that relate to vaulting....and a few that don't (cross-training).
In the end, I simply ask the kids what they like the best, and what they want to do......That's what really drives the camp. So long as it fits into our general sceem of teaching people how to be better and safer vaulters I'm for it.

~jj~