PoleVaultPower.com

I'm devising a 14 day training schedual that consist of a mental workout, technique training, running(shape/speed), lifting, and cardio workout.
Mental work consists of easy tasks such as free throws, tennis serves, or jacks all left and right handed. Tasks that require concentration and consistency. Which is hard for vaulters which all seem to be ADD like me .
Technique training will concentrate on each of the four phases of the vault in seperate sessions, 3 "mock" meets in one day competing against yourself and just straight jumping with video coverage.
The Running section of the session so far has variations of pole runs, ladder work outs(ex. 4x40s 4x100s 3x200s 1x400 2x200s 2x100s), sled training, uphill/downhill(with/without pole), plyometrics, skips/long jumps/knee drive with belt weight.
The lifting will be gymnastic workouts, olympic lifts, and diving/flips for body awareness.
The cardio consists of fast paced walking, swimming laps, biking, treading water.
I'm hoping this workout will add an element of fun to training rather than just grind, although pole vaulting constantly is rather fun. I'd really like everyone's imput and suggestions on what to add, what sounds good/bad, anything you have to say will definately be helpful.
Thank You.

to test your mental toughness with a coach, have some friends agree to scream at you at random times during your run and take off, and make yourself block it out and finish the jump no matter what. It forces you to zone into what you are doing and concentrate. Once you get off the ground with these distractions, see if you can correct part of your jump in the air by literally taking a split second in the air to conciously change what you are doing. If you can do this, it sets you up to correct everything that is wrong in your vault, because you consiously know how to correct it.

CANTELOPE!!!!!

i used to yell at our vaulters, and try to make them laugh when they go....
one kid would sware as some one jumped...but our coach didnt like that so we would say

"PROFANITY!!!!!"

at the top of our lungs....

good times, good times

haha thats awesome... Yea its called the red light drill, its a lot of fun. I like to play this game with the 7th graders..... without telling them they are doing teh red light drill. Just when they are making their run i turn and yell
WATCH OUT!
haha i scared one kid so bad it made him drop his pole and jump off to the side of the matt. My coach got mad at me for that but when i told him what it was supposed to help them, with he let me keep doing it.

You don't need to practice being mentally tough. You just need to decide to be mentally tough.

Original poster, your training is getting way out there. Remember you are training to vault. ditch the walking and swimming. Concentrate your non-vault training on speed and strength.

training in swimming is a great idea i think. its low impact and keeps u in great shape

Shooting free throws and serving tennis balls seems irrelevant to vaulting. Plus, why do you need to do physical things for a mental workout? If you're trying to improve your concentration, then I would advocate visualizing yourself doing the things you are working on in the vault, go through entire vaults in your mind with your eyes closed. IMO, if you can't see yourself vaulting right in your mind, it will be much more difficult to vault right in real life. You can also do this at any time; you won't have to use valuable training time (you could do it while you're in class! j/k)

I read an article about a guy who was in solitary confinement for years as a prisoner of war. To keep his sanity, he spent every day visualizing himself playing a full 18-round course of golf, in the most detailed manner possible. Eventually he was released, and when he played his first round of golf after being freed, he shot a lifetime best of 64--that's the power of visualization.

Also, I agree with jumpbackin about cross-training (swimming and biking)... If you want to, work that stuff into rest days, where you're just trying to take it easy but avoid getting stiff from laying around doing nothing. During your active training for the vault, you should focus on things that are directly related to the vault, like sprinting speed and jumping ability.