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I am a vaulter who has always had a step 6 inches or more in front of my top hand. After watching some film, I see that I'm not alone (Ecker, Johnson, even Bubka on some jumps). I'm pretty familiar with the energy storage in the pole and am wondering if more energy can be loaded, on longer poles too, if a vaulter is still in contact with the ground as a pole is bending.

good question i to seam to have this probublem with being under. and i would like to know how bad it really is to still be on the ground when the pole starts to bend.

i dont think its good. you can mess up your leg that way and you back. and usually if your under, you dont get that good drive on the pole. it usually just yanks you back right away.

that is a problem with johnson, and i dont think bubka did that consistently, but everyone does it sometimes.

Being under definetely puts you closer to the cross bar, but I think the energy losses outweigh the benefits. I honestly don't believe that it is a thing that will dramatically improve jumping either (especially being only 6' under!) But in the big picture, every little thing you can do better counts, and depending on the style of the vaulter, being dead on usually makes it alot easier to vault.

johnson and bubka are not 6 inches under! Bubka is usually 6 inches outside if anything. Your step has to do a lot with posture but being 6 inches under is not good and you will lose energy. It may feel comfortable but it doesnt mean it is right. This is my belief but I feel there is about a 6 inch zone for where your step should be, 3 in under to 3 inch out. Of course this all depends on your posture but I believe you should be on your toes when your pole begins to bend.

gotta love that lower back pain, thats what i benefitted from having an under step

APKpolevaulter wrote:i dont think its good. you can mess up your leg that way and you back. and usually if your under, you dont get that good drive on the pole. it usually just yanks you back right away.

that is a problem with johnson, and i dont think bubka did that consistently, but everyone does it sometimes.

I agree. the Bubka/Petrov technique starts with a plant thats outside, In many of his jumps you see him off the ground before the pole is in the back of the box, so no energy is lost in the ground,
Ive also messed up my shoulder pretty good from taking off under.

AeroVault wrote:I am a vaulter who has always had a step 6 inches or more in front of my top hand. After watching some film, I see that I'm not alone (Ecker, Johnson, even Bubka). I'm pretty familiar with the energy storage in the pole and am wondering if more energy can be loaded, on longer poles too, if a vaulter is still in contact with the ground as a pole is bending.

I would have to say no. I'm no where near a professional at all. All I know is that I keep hearing FREE TAKEOFF and how it can be achieved. Being 6" under isn't going to help that. One of my coaches told me how Petrov kept stressing free take off. I think I'm going to have to belive him.

[quote="KYLE ELLIS"]johnson and bubka are not 6 inches under! quote]

bubka no...johnson, quite possibly. I've seen lots of video of him having to work a take off after getting sort of ripped.

something to keep in mind is that what works for bubka wont necessarily work for work for you or me

which brings up a question...

...how many bubka's do you think bubka could do?

good question i have wondered that many a time my self.

Lo has change his take off completely after working with Batcharnakof. He is no longer under at all.
If your pole is bending before your foot begins to move vertically, then the energy you have developed during your run up is being drained into the ground. Rather than moving your pole toward the pit as you take off, your pole will actually move the wrong way andyou'll have to overcome the loss of energy through brute strength. That's how Lo used to do it.....but he's a BRUTE!