Mighty Mouse- you're the kind of guy I would bet on. Hang in there and stay after it!!
WOW! Lots of good points, especially the one about keeping the arc in front. A lot is not taught about the top of the vault because if you do everything else right it’s supposed to just happen. I think to a very large degree that’s true but having taken tons of big push off jumps over the years (like many of you), I can say that I work to guide myself up the pole while staying behind it. Once your hips are past the pole you can only go out and if the arc swings to the side more than to the corner of the pit cut out, it’s like having your body released though a revolving door – the arc spins to the side and lets you pass through without the lift. I know from some of the people posting, whom I greatly admire and respect, that you guys have your own methods that work for you, but for a kid trying to break through, here’s my simple formula.
At 53 I don’t have the blow I used to have on the runway so the technical portion is more important than ever. When I asked Pat Manson earlier this year what he did this year to jump 18’ for the 21st consecutive year he responded with a list of technical issues as that’s where you can gain the most efficiency. In fact, this summer when my buddy, Alan Launder, Beginner to Bubka, author visited to do a clinic at The Woodlands HS for me, he said the same – you’re a very good technical model for kids but if you seriously want to compete you’ll have to step up the dynamics of your swing through the top, and hit the speed and strength harder. That’s exactly what I’m working on. Sorry, it’s off the top of my head but these are my quick links for demonstration.
Step one is building the ab strength and quickness to be able to get PAST vertical in order to cover the hands. Here’s a link to the drill I use for that purpose. A pole or a high bar only let you swing back so far whereas high P-bars or monkey bars allow you to swing past where you would be stopped on a pole.
http://www.bubbapv.com/Pages/GetVertical.htm
I was frustrated with seeing kids in great positions only to flag off instead of going up the pole. We tried all kinds of stupid things including moving the standards way in but the bottom line is that the pole needs to get past vertical to deliver maximum speed and you must be on the runway side of it to exploit the extension up the pole. Past vertical? When you throw a baseball, hit as tennis ball or even a golf ball, the power isn’t at the vertical – that’s the contact point – its PAST vertical. The great UCLA coach and friend for many years, Anthony Curran got me going on this drill. Please click on the 2005 version for a closer look.
http://www.bubbapv.com/Pages/drill.htm First, you have to swing past the pole to get on the runway side of it, so this ties in with the drill above where you learn to swing past your normal stopping point. The other thing I like about it is that if you don’t pull/turn you can’t do the drill, so for those who flag because you turn away from your hands with straight arms, this will fix you.
Finally, if a drill cannot readily be seen in the vault it is not a drill worth doing. See if you can find the drill in this vault.
http://www.bubbapv.com/Pages/bsbeach.htm The payoff is pretty obvious. Sorry for the old shots but I’m out the door for a meeting. Here’s one of Borya Celentano in practice applying the same principals to jump 16’ with a 13’ 8â€Â
