How to straight pole to get better?

This is a forum to discuss pole vault technique as it relates to intermediate level pole vaulting.
User avatar
KirkB
PV Rock Star
Posts: 3550
Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 6:05 pm
Expertise: Former College Vaulter; Former Elite Vaulter; Former Coach; Fan
Lifetime Best: 5.34
Favorite Vaulter: Thiago da Silva
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Re: How to straight pole to get better?

Unread postby KirkB » Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:32 pm

powerplant42 wrote: ... I'm curious on how you vaulted differently doing your stiff pole warm ups? Did you try to do anything differently than from your regular vaults?

I probably did about 13 things differently. ;)

But seriously, my stiff pole warmups were more to just ... er ... warm up!

After jogging into my plant/takeoff (no measured steps), I did try to plant and takeoff fairly normally (but taking it easier so as not to strain any muscles), and I did use my top arm only ... using the bottom arm just to hang onto the pole ... no weight put on my bottom arm whatsoever ... just like in my competition vaults ... and then once I "jumped to my split" and started my downswing, I was basically finished the warmup drill ... and the rest of the vault ... including the back somi ... or just hanging upside down in an "I" position and falling into the pit ... was simply a way to complete it.

As I warmed up, I did put progressively more emphasis on the downswing/whip action, tho. Part of the warmup is to prepare for what vault parts you intend to emphasize or improve upon in the competition ... as much of a mental preparation process as physical ... so that was really my focus during warmups. And I did find that the speed of my downswing gave me the most bang for the buck ... so it's the vault part that I emphasized ... A LOT!

Since the pole didn't bend, the timing of everything after takeoff was substantially different.

So to repeat ... and I'm agreeing with y'all about this ... the plant and takeoff should be the same ... and the PUSH/SQUEEZE with the top arm should be the same ... and then it's after that that I'm saying that the stiff vault starts to differ from flex vault technique.

Honestly, if you were to do it EXACTLY the same, then you'd have to shift your bottom hand up to your top hand, wouldn't you ... like Warmerdam!? :confused:

Keep in mind that I'm not stuck in my ways. I would not necessarily coach someone to do it just as I did ... just because. You asked how I did it ... and I'm merely telling you how ... so don't jump all over me for "doing it wrong". It worked for me ... but then I never had BTB2 to follow! ;)

Kirk
Run. Plant. Jump. Stretch. Whip. Extend. Fly. Clear. There is no tuck! THERE IS NO DELAY!

User avatar
powerplant42
PV Rock Star
Posts: 2571
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 10:58 am
Location: Italy

Re: How to straight pole to get better?

Unread postby powerplant42 » Tue Apr 28, 2009 8:56 pm

So, did you still have:
• a normal high-knee run;
• a strong, quick, early takeoff with an exaggerated forwards lean;
• a hard-driving lead knee that did not drop;
• no push on the pole with the bottom hand;
• an extending and lifting of the trail leg BACKWARDS;
• a driving of the chest forwards;
• a stretching of the top arm above and behind the head;
• a long, fast one-legged swing;
• a slight bending of the hips but no rockback;
?

What are the 13 things that you did differently!? ;)

And why try to jump like EXACTLY like Warmerdam if you want to use stiff poling as a means to train FLEXIBLE POLE VAULTING? You must treat the stiff pole as a flexible pole (and vice versa) if you want to use the stiff pole to become better with a flexible pole.
"I run and jump, and then it's arrrrrgh!" -Bubka

User avatar
KirkB
PV Rock Star
Posts: 3550
Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 6:05 pm
Expertise: Former College Vaulter; Former Elite Vaulter; Former Coach; Fan
Lifetime Best: 5.34
Favorite Vaulter: Thiago da Silva
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Re: How to straight pole to get better?

Unread postby KirkB » Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:15 pm

powerplant42 wrote: What are the 13 things that you did differently!? ;)

PP, you're reading the wrong thread. That one just touches on this topic at a very high level ... if at all. :no:

I thought you knew how to use the Search button ... but since you don't, just find this thread ...

Is Pushing with the Bottom Arm Good or Bad?

... and read page 7 again. It's all there. :yes:

Kirk
Run. Plant. Jump. Stretch. Whip. Extend. Fly. Clear. There is no tuck! THERE IS NO DELAY!


Return to “Pole Vault - Intermediate Technique”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 29 guests