PoleVaultPower.com

I am a new vaulter, this is my freshman year so no experience whatsoever. I've made it up to 8 6 but somethings just going WRONG! i was working on getting to 9 feet when all of the sudden things just went *poof!* now my best is a shaky 7 feet. we only have practice twice a week for 35 minutes, ideally it's usually less- and it seems lately i just cannot keep my arms straight. my bottom one is the worst, I've tried moving up my grip, pulling my step back, but the lack of practice makes it hard to learn and absorb any technique. My coach thinks i just overanalyze everything, and its probably true (I think and analyze ALOT, but I'm not scared of it or anything) but it would really help if someone could tell any drills or exercises or videos ANYTHING so i can keep my arms straight? i was hoping to make 9 freshman year and the end of the season is coming SOON!!!! AAHHH!!! anything semi-relevant would be greatly appreciated

TTHANKS!

Video?
Really, get a friend to catch your vault with a phone and post it on you tube so we can help.

Doug Balcomb
PV Coach NZ

The only arm you should keep straight, is your top arm. You do NOT use your bottom arm to force the pole to bend. The pole bends due to the force applied by your top hand.

At take-off, should your top hand be directly above your toes, and the arm of the top hand FULLY extended (including the shoulder).

Trying intentionally to keep the bottom arm straight, is a big no-no.

Trying intentionally to keep the bottom arm straight, is a big no-no.

Why the hell not? I agree with the straight right arm, but you saying it's bad to have your left arm extended WTF? If the pole is bending due to the force of your right arm you're doing it wrong because you're pulling the pole down instead of pushing the pole. From what I know you should always have your arms extended (both) and push the pole forward as long as you can then do the swing etc. I may be terribly wrong but that is how my coach teaches me.

Muzgar15 wrote:. I may be terribly wrong but that is how my coach teaches me.

You are terribly wrong. I suggest buying a copy of the book From Beginner to Bubka and Isinbayeva Too! and re-learning the event. Then give the book to your coach!

Muzgar15 wrote:Why the hell not? I agree with the straight right arm, but you saying it's bad to have your left arm extended WTF? ...

It would seem you are relatively new on PVP, at least with respect to posting. You are likely to get better responses and consideration for your ideas if you are a little less aggressive in the way you present them. There are many vaulters and coaches with years of experience on this forum that are willing to help those that are willing to listen, consider and ask questions politely. This does not imply you have nothing to contribute. You could be very knowledgeable. Just a little rough around the edges.

Hope you can partake of and contribute to the treasure of information and ideas here.

OK, I'm sorry for the bad language earlier. I honestly thought that I was right. If you're not bending the pole with your bottom arm by keeping it straight, how do you do it with your top arm?

There is a difference between blocking (locking the bottom arm at the elbow, usually while rotating your upper body to put the shoulder more inline with the arm) and 'hitting' the take off with arms high, leading with the chest and the body tensed, and shoulders square. Both arms will be subjected to the force through the pole of the pole hitting the back of the box. Both arms will be driven back relative to the body. The top arm remains straight and accommodates this relative motion in the shoulder joint. The bottom arm accommodates (immediately after the pole tip hits the back of the box) by elbow flexure and the hand on the pole moving back to a point above the head, even while the vaulter is pushing this arm up. This can be seen very clearly happening in many videos of Bubka.

For sure, this is not a passive bottom arm, but it is definitely not a locked (blocking) bottom arm.

The pole is not bent by the bottom arm but by the speed you are running. On smaller poles it is better to learn with a relaxed bottom arm and driving the top arm up to get a high plant. If you try to push too much on smaller poles with the bottom arm you will end up pushing it into the pole (towards the back of the pit) rather than up towards the sky, which will result in making it hard to swing. Once you get up on really big poles where it makes a smaller angle with the ground you can start concentrating on apply upward force with both arms through the plant.

Muzgar15 wrote:

Trying intentionally to keep the bottom arm straight, is a big no-no.

Why the hell not? I agree with the straight right arm, but you saying it's bad to have your left arm extended WTF? If the pole is bending due to the force of your right arm you're doing it wrong because you're pulling the pole down instead of pushing the pole. From what I know you should always have your arms extended (both) and push the pole forward as long as you can then do the swing etc. I may be terribly wrong but that is how my coach teaches me.

This is actually funny.

"This is actually funny". Well it would be if it wasn't so tragic - shows that we have still have a major educational task ahead of us.

altius wrote:"This is actually funny". Well it would be if it wasn't so tragic - shows that we have still have a major educational task ahead of us.

Come on Al sometimes you just have to laugh.

The kids profile says he is in Slovenia - lets go do a clinic there.