What woud u do?

[Jadevult]

I am a college student and have come back strong and ready for a new season. My coach has decided that we won't do any technical work for another month or so. Yet, when we do we don't do anything but jump and pole runs. I need work on my top end. What can I do?

[Erica]

First of all, it is very normal for there to be no technical training in the first month of practice in college...conditioning has the focus at that point. Second, the best way to work on the top of your jump it to start at the beginning. If you don't do things correctly with your run, and with your take-off, it doesnt really matter how good you look over the bar. You are not jumping as high as you can. You don't really need to work on the top of the jump because as you do things more correctly on the runway and at takeoff, it automatically puts you in better positions in the air. You will do things better on top without meaning to. There is no reason to waste time working on something in the air, when it might not even be a issue if you fix other problems with your run and take-off. It is all connected, and everything happens as a result of something else.

[Jadevult]

I have been vaultin for 5 years and my run is a little bit of a problem, but my take off is deffently not. I wasn't so much worried about practice now, but for the rest of the year. He never does anything but jump and pole runs. We never do anything technical. No gymnastics or anything. I know that my top end is lacking because of some of my physical weakness in my abs and back, but what I am trying to find out is there anything I can do to work on the top end of the vault without my coach. I have tried getting him into the pools and gymnastics rooms, but he won't go. How can I get any better if he won't work with me?

[OAKPV2004]

I have been vaultin for 5 years and my run is a little bit of a problem, but my take off is deffently not. I wasn't so much worried about practice now, but for the rest of the year. He never does anything but jump and pole runs. We never do anything technical. No gymnastics or anything. I know that my top end is lacking because of some of my physical weakness in my abs and back, but what I am trying to find out is there anything I can do to work on the top end of the vault without my coach. I have tried getting him into the pools and gymnastics rooms, but he won't go. How can I get any better if he won't work with me?

Just my 2cents but, the best way to get better at vaulting is to vault. The best way to fix your run is pole runs. like what your coach has you doing. If you have ab and lower back trouble, then you should do crunches, chrunches throwing a medicine ball and crunches holding a weight on your chest. and dont forget to do the pull ups. if you can get up to 20 pull ups, palms away from you, you should be able to handle your weight well on a pole. then again what do I know, just my 2 cents.

[swtvault]

First of all, it is very normal for there to be no technical training in the first month of practice in college...conditioning has the focus at that point. Second, the best way to work on the top of your jump it to start at the beginning. If you don't do things correctly with your run, and with your take-off, it doesnt really matter how good you look over the bar. You are not jumping as high as you can. You don't really need to work on the top of the jump because as you do things more correctly on the runway and at takeoff, it automatically puts you in better positions in the air. You will do things better on top without meaning to. There is no reason to waste time working on something in the air, when it might not even be a issue if you fix other problems with your run and take-off. It is all connected, and everything happens as a result of something else

.

Yep....right on Erica. Too many people waste time on the top end. It starts from the run! No bottom=no top. Its input and output. If you have no input there is no way you can expect any output.

[RamVault09]

How long did it take you to think of that one geoffsnich?

probably longer than it took me to get rid of neddles, aka. Poison Ivy!!!!!!!

I like your little formula, or lack there of..."no bottom = no top"


What a mondingas! "It will only itch for a few hours to a day or so..."
YEAH RIGHT!

~~Pleasant Planting~~

[achtungpv]

How long did it take you to think of that one geoffsnich?

probably longer than it took me to get rid of neddles, aka. Poison Ivy!!!!!!!

I like your little formula, or lack there of..."no bottom = no top"


What a mondingas! "It will only itch for a few hours to a day or so..."
YEAH RIGHT!

~~Pleasant Planting~~

Of course RamVault09 ruins the bell curve on this one. He's got plenty of top end but his bottom is so bad that everybody watching cringes in pain for him. Hell, I'm grinding my teeth just thinking about it now.

[RamVault09]

i'm working on it, i'm working on it

[OAKPV2004]

ahh yes, The train wreck takeoff as I have heard and seen. don't worry man, you fix that you'd be pushing 19'+.

[swtvault]

probably longer than it took me to get rid of neddles, aka. Poison Ivy!!!!!!!

I like your little formula, or lack there of..."no bottom = no top"


What a mondingas! "It will only itch for a few hours to a day or so..."
YEAH RIGHT!

WHAT A BABY!!!!! you just cant hang with these Yankee folk. Although I can deffinetely attest to prickly pears. Those things BLOW

[lonestar]

Yep....right on Erica. Too many people waste time on the top end. It starts from the run! No bottom=no top. Its input and output. If you have no input there is no way you can expect any output.

Very true Geoff! The question therein lies with the best way to accomplish that. Most say pole runs. My 2 cents: running with a pole on the track is often done completely differently than on the runway. I agree with Duck here, if you want to get good at vaulting, vault. If you want to get good at doing pole runs, do pole runs. I could hit my step every trip down the "track" within a centimeter, but that didn't help me from being 1'-2' under every time down the "runway." Fix your run while vaulting - perfect it from 2 steps before you move to 4, perfect it from 4 before you move to 6, and so on.

Not big on "base" training either. Periodization from general to specific - why not be specific year-round? Why does one have to wait till they're competing to fix technical issues? You don't have to be in great shape to vault, Geoff is living proof of that! Myself as well. You'll get stronger and faster throughout the year, not just in the fall if you're doing good workouts.

The U.S. has some of the most athletically "fit" vaulters that don't know how to pole vault because they don't practice it correctly or enough. Train like a 20'er to jump 18' - seems like an efficiency problem.

[swtvault]

Very true kris. Training does not improve your technique. Yes, it may enable you to run faster and hold higher, but the actual act of training does not make you a better pole vaulter; just a faster and stronger one--nothing really wrong with that! But the bottom line is, train smart! Your body does not get stronger from working out. It gets stronger from the rest you have after you work out. I said this one time before, working out damages your muscle tissue, and rest is how the tissue recovers. Unless you have an anabolic rating through the roof, YOU NEED REST to recover from your workouts. That is how you get stronger. In the mean time do things that help you work with the pole. Ad-hoc observations will get you nowhere..........ie, "you are not getting upside down!" Well duh, any geek of the street could tell you that. Find the underlying problem to that. More often than not it is the way you are running or the position your body is in as the pole hits. "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction." That is the pole vault. Think methodically and work on things that can help you achieve your goals. A before B and B before C. If A is not correct, more likely than not B will not happen unless you are a freak--there are some out there! Anyway, I am off my soapbox. Enjoy