Looking for some second hand advice!

[PowellVault]

I am a senior in Highschool looking for some opinions. My PR is 15'9" as of right now but I want to jump AT LEAST 16' by the end of the season. In your guys' opinion, what do I need to fix to obtain my goals? I jump on a old 15'8 185lb. pacer with about a 21 flex. I weigh about 185 and am 5'11. I haven't been practicing forever because of really terrible shin splints, so I've only been doing meets. Please and Thanks for the advice people.

Hudl Highlights: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/531166/high ... 6632387/v2

[charlie]

Ground Level PRESS!!! you have a great top, DO NOT let the pole come back at take off. That doesn't mean that I want you to BLOCK with a straight left arm! The EARLIER you PRESS on the ground, the more BOOM you get on top!!! Pull up Jake Blankinship and look at his PLANT!. If you do what I say, you will instantly go to 16'6". Pennel--Bubka--Hovion-- and yes myself--2 time MASTERS WORLD CHAMPION DID IT!!! PROVE ME WRONG! That can't be done if you do what I say!!!!I've had 60 HS State Champions that used the same technique!!!!

[PowellVault]

Thanks for the quick reply Charlie! I appreciate it very very much. I got a question though, what will be the fastest way to learn how to do it and practice it? Because I need to break that bad habit.

[charlie]

2 step sliding drill on light pole, when pole makes contact with box PRESS BOTH hands UP!!!!Lots of them! You can do it!!!! Left hand under the pole!!!!

[PowellVault]

When you mean sliding drill, do you mean with a sliding box or vault from 2 steps sliding your pole?

[charlie]

You PRESS the pole now, but you do it AFTER you leave the ground and that is too late. The press starts when your foot is on the ground! I am one of the FEW coaches that teach this plant! Two step and PRESS when the pole makes contact with the box and come up on your toe as you PRESS!(do not leave the ground) That gets you in to the habbit of PRESSING EARLIER!!!!

[KirkB]

You PRESS the pole now, but you do it AFTER you leave the ground and that is too late. The press starts when your foot is on the ground! I am one of the FEW coaches that teach this plant! Two step and PRESS when the pole makes contact with the box and come up on your toe as you PRESS!(do not leave the ground) That gets you in to the habit of PRESSING EARLIER!!!!

Yikes!

I thought Renaud L. and Sergy B. both proved to the world that a free takeoff is the way to go!

And I thought Altius (Alan Launder) had spread word of that technique to the masses via PVP and his BTB2 book.

And I thought PVStudent (John Gormley) provided ample scientific proof of that in the past year, in comparing RL's WR technique to SB's.

Charlie, you're a good coach, you have a good heart, and I love your enthusiasm. But I think it's a disservice to advise an aspiring young vaulter like Spencer to advise him to press before takeoff. At least you advise him ("I am one of the FEW coaches that teach this plant!") that this technique is rather unusual. If you were there at the track with him, it might be different, but you're not.

Spencer, if you have a personal coach, I would go with what he says, since he's there to guide you along every step of the way (and he's apparently done a pretty damn good job so far). You shouldn't make too many major changes this late in the season.

Personally, I advise to not press at all.

However, I do not wish to get into a technique war with my fellow coach Charlie, so I will take the middle road and just advise you on your body posture ...

For more details, read this thread: http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=16585&p=120112&hilit=Svetlana+Feofanova+kirk#p120112

... and pay particular attention to the discussion about Feofanova's takeoff. That's where you're going astray. Get a better forwards lean (like Feofanova), and you're over 5.00! (16-5)!

You may have to move your takeoff point back to do this (but maybe not, if you can just stretch your chest forwards and stretch your trail leg back a bit more).

Just focus on your body posture. I'm not sure (I can't really see the alignment of your left foot with your top hand on takeoff), but immediately after takeoff you seem to have a rather extreme backwards lean. Almost like you're getting clothes-lined (yet still clearing 15-9).

The main issue here (IMHO) is your lack of forwards lean on takeoff, and even AFTER takeoff. you need to stretch your chest forwards more, and you need to stretch your trail leg backwards more.

If you do that, it really won't matter what your bottom hand is doing (as long as it's not pressing BEFORE takeoff)!

Kirk

[grandevaulter]

However, I do not wish to get into a technique war with my fellow coach Charlie, so I will take the middle road and just advise you on your body posture ..

Candian Diplomacy at it's finest

[CoachEric]

The plant doesn't get all the way up because you are carrying the pole with your hands too low. Keep your bottom hand close to your chest, pull the top hand up behind your rib cage, keep the pole tip up longer and let it fall seamlessly into the plant motion. You will find that your hands go much higher at the plant.