Last Practice of the Season

[tseki]

Im a new user to this website, but I always come here to learn more about this sport.
I would like some pointers on my jumps since people here seem to know what there talking about.
Here are some specs about me...

Tarou Seki
17 yrs old, 138 pounds on average
PR of 12, 13 at practice
Jump on a 14' 140, holding down about 13'
(I tried jumping a 14' 150 from a 6 at my last meet, but that didn't end up well. I didn't penetrate enough
and my legs caught the crossbar, so i landed in the box face first. I had to get 12 stitches on my chin.
Next time I'm hoping to jump from at least a 7 step.)
6 lefts from 72'4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJZgg-PT5i4

The first 3 jumps in the video are attempts at 12'4ish. The last jump with the crossbar is at 13.

I just started pole vaulting this year in the beginning of March, so I know I have alot of flaws. I would just like to hear some other advise from different people instead of my coach.

thanks,
tarousek

[vault3rb0y]

Well to be honest, i can see why you needed the stitches. Even in your practice jumps, you have to get off the pole early because you aren't penetrating enough. Notice that the pole is never to vertical in any of your jumps.

The biggest problem i see is that you use your bottom arm to pull your swing. You should be swinging around your top hand to put your energy into it. But first thing is first, lower your grip a fist and go down a pole, you gotta make pit before you make any changes.

[tseki]

Thanks for the advise.
I didnt even notice my pole wasnt vertical in any of my jumps.
Im not too sure if this is correct, but do you think if my elbows bent in earlier, it will result in less pull with the bottom arm?
Sorry for asking so much.

[vault3rb0y]

Dont be sorry for asking too much, you're not asking too much.

You are gonna have to specify what you mean by elbows bent in earlier. However, I can tell you that your TOP arm's elbow should not bend at ALL until you are fully inverted and extending up the pole. Your BOTTOM arm's elbow should be pointing out to the left side (for right handed vaulter), or AWAY from your body. This keeps your chest square with the pole and discourages your bottom arm from pushing or pulling on the pole when it's not supposed to.

To help avoid pulling on the pole, try doing some pop-ups and and simply keep your bottom hand on the pole with your hand OPEN. This will force to you swing around your top hand but still gives you the feeling you have of your bottom hand being on the pole. Or try rope swings if you have the facilities to do so. In the actual vault, you want to stretch your top hand as high as you can and open up the space between you and the pole. By keeping the largest distance between you and the pole, you will be forced to swing AROUND your top hand, instead of pulling with your bottom hand. This requires a lot of core strength, so work on bubkas and high-bar slow motion inversions to make this easier.

[Andy_C]

Hi,

Just wanted to add that you are considerably under for most of your jumps. If you have a free take off, I think you'll definitely be able to land much deeper into the pit with the pole you're using in the video. One of the big problems with taking off under is that you load all your energy into the pole very inefficiently. By the time you take off you will have very little horizontal velocity because the pole has already hit the back of the box and you're loading it - losing speed due to the pole's horizontal resistance while you're bending it.

If you "load" that horizontal velocity into the pole before you leave the ground (by taking off under), it will be "transformed" into horizontal energy by the pole. As a result, the pole will bring you up, but with minimal horizontal velocity off the ground you won't be able to move forward very well. Essentially, you MUST have horizontal velocity with you once you leave the ground. And this can only be accomplished by taking off on target or taking off out!

Under 1.jpg (62.58 KiB) Viewed 4545 times

Under 2.jpg (73.73 KiB) Viewed 4545 times

Under 3.jpg (73.6 KiB) Viewed 4545 times

3rd one wasn't as bad but it's still not a free take off.

You need to take off at a spot where your toes will be off the ground the instant (or ideally before) the pole begins to bend.

-Andrew

[powerplant42]

How often (if at all) do you work with a stiff pole?

[tseki]

Andy_C ...
Thanks for taking the time to post those images from my video and explaining all that to me.
I have trouble chopping the last step on alot of my jumps and as a result my last step is always about a foot under (sometimes more).
Ill try to develop a free-takeoff during summer camp and hopefully my jumps will look slightly better.

powerplant42...
If you mean straight pole drills, then I do them everyday we jump before taking full approaches.
I first do one-armed drills and then move on to two-handed pop ups.
After doing a couple of good ones of each drill, I take a light pole and do press drills.
Coach tells me I have a very good pop-up, but thats only one persons opinion.
If you would like, I can post a video, but your gonna have to wait until July because the mats are now shut away.

*I have one more question.
I know that during takeoff, your head has to be looking up towards your bottom hand.
If you look at the images Andy_C provided, my head is never looking up.
In fact, it is looking completely straight forward. I feel like that is due to my under takeoff.
Correct me if Im wrong?

[AAorris]

*I have one more question.
I know that during takeoff, your head has to be looking up towards your bottom hand.
If you look at the images Andy_C provided, my head is never looking up.
In fact, it is looking completely straight forward. I feel like that is due to my under takeoff.
Correct me if Im wrong?

Hi tseki,
Looking forward is fine at your plant/very beginning of your takeoff, your head shouldn't go back until you're swing comes through. Looking to far up, or down at the box could both be a problem. I think your head position is fine there!
As the others recommend, when your practicing, focus on achieving a free takeoff and you should feel lots of good things happening because of it. Good luck!

P.S. To me, it looks like you're in a nice position in each of those jumps, but those positions should be achieved before the pole bends (and that taking off from farther back would be great for the rest of your vault ).

Have a look! Bubka is looking straight forward as he begins his takeoff, and the body position is similar. however, Bubka's pole is yet unbent. Good luck in the summer!