PoleVaultPower.com

Hey everybody,
After 2 years of pole vaulting, I have given up on learning to incorporate a swing and turn over into my vaults. I am very fast and strong, but it's just something that after many drills I've decided I can't do. Right now I just plant and kinda row myself over the bar in an upright position. Effective? No. But it doesn't stop me from loving the sport. So...

What are some of the best "alternate techniques" you guys have seen? I know someone who go up, swings one leg over the bar, and kinda spins himself over. Another just brings his legs into his chest and hops over the bar. Ideas?

Thanks for your responses,
Dodo

WDodo wrote:Hey everybody,
After 2 years of pole vaulting, I have given up on learning to incorporate a swing and turn over into my vaults. I am very fast and strong, but it's just something that after many drills I've decided I can't do. Right now I just plant and kinda row myself over the bar in an upright position. Effective? No. But it doesn't stop me from loving the sport. So...

What are some of the best "alternate techniques" you guys have seen? I know someone who go up, swings one leg over the bar, and kinda spins himself over. Another just brings his legs into his chest and hops over the bar. Ideas?

Thanks for your responses,
Dodo

OK.

1) All technical models of pole vaulting incorporate the swing. There is no alternate. Period. We can better help you with this problem if you can provide video or a list of drills you are currently implementing in your training.

2) If you want to improve you are going to have to incorporate a swing, inversion, "turn-over" and extension.

3) The guy you are referring to who swings one leg is Scott Huffman. Scott Huffman implemented the swing in his vaulting. If he didn't do this he would not have jumped 19'7.

The solution is much easier than you - or many others think. Work on a high bar two or three times a week for 20 minutes focussing on the development of the swinging body. When you can swing your hips above your hand grip - get on a pole and simply treat it like a moving high bar. All demonstrated on the BTB2 dvd.

I've seen kids do all kinds of crazy flips over the bar.

Why don't you post some video online of yourself vaulting? I bet we can tell you why you're having such a hard time swinging.

When you get the technique down, it feels really easy and it's a lot more fun.

WDodo wrote: ... I have given up on learning to incorporate a swing ... I am very fast and strong, but it's just something that ... I've decided I can't do. ...

Dodo, "given up" and "I can't do" are not the words that you should use ... and you HAVEN'T given up, or you wouldn't be asking for our help.

You may be looking for a "silver bullet", but as you're now hearing from all of us, THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS. You MUST learn to swing properly, and "alternate techniques" aren't going to get you over the bar if you don't already execute the basic PV motions ... fast run, strong takeoff, good swing, get upside down, clear the bar. There's no ALTERNATE ways to do these vault parts! Even the great Sergey Bubka didn't deviate from these.

Let's see your vid, and we'll be happy to help you out!

Kirk

THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS.

Yes there are... And therein lies the danger! It takes an incredible amount of time (10,000 hour rule) to master a complex task, PROVIDED that you are training it PROPERLY! Hard work without intelligence gets you nothing but frustration!

Do post some video.

powerplant42 wrote: It takes an incredible amount of time (10,000 hour rule) to master a complex task, PROVIDED that you are training it PROPERLY!

That would be the 10,000 repetitions rule.

Kirk

For EVERY part of the vault!

Try this drill as found on the USA Pole Vault Education Initiative site: http://pvei.com/fusion/articles.php?cat_id=15

Turn-Over Drill: (May 2005)

http://www.pvei.com/video/dommay05-2.wmv

http://www.pvei.com/video/dommay05-3.wmv

Notice the coach's foot blocking the pole so it doesn't slide. You could even have a couple of teammates hold a bungee for you. Easy to do. Probably wouldn't even take 10,000 repetitions to start doing it on a full vault.

Good luck.

ifavault

It seems to be an okay drill, but beware... A drill like this might tempt the vaulter to pull down on the pole! Keep pushing the pole to vertical with the top hand!

powerplant42 wrote:It seems to be an okay drill, but beware... A drill like this might tempt the vaulter to pull down on the pole! Keep pushing the pole to vertical with the top hand!

It's not the drill itself that would result in the athlete pulling down ... it's how the coach conducts the drill.

The coach needs to advise the athlete how to swing. If he detects hunching of the shoulders, he should explain how to prevent that. Since the coach is right there, this shouldn't be an issue.

Also PP, I understand what you mean by "pushing the pole to vertical with the top hand", but for this particular drill, I think that's out of context and worded far too technically for a beginner. Really, at this level, the vaulter should simply be told to "hang on ... swing ... and don't hunch your shoulders".

Kirk

"hang on ... swing ... and don't hunch your shoulders".

Or, 'push-squeeze'.