PoleVaultPower.com

Hey guys. My first video in a few weeks. This is a session at Vertical Assault in Bath, PA with coach, Mike Lawryk. Um, not much to say here. I didn't think that I had the best session; and then I looked at the video and didn't really like what i saw. BUT THEN, i watched again and thought about what was going on. I remembered that holding so low, on such stiff poles, causes them to act differently; and i felt better haha.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5OyU-7hngk

I'll break it up into 2 groups; straight poling (the first 4 jumps) and regular vaults (4-left and 5-left runs)

STRAIGHT-POLING: Most of these were pretty similar. I had a pretty solid take-off on all of them, however i dropped my knee on every jump. Which i'm curious about, actually. I'm no straight-pole expert, but if I remember correctly, most straight-polers WOULD drop there knee, for pole speed. I also heard a bunch of arguments about it in other threads. However, I'm a firm believer in the petrov/6.40 model, which all state that the drive knee should remain up. But I'm not sure how this transfers to straight poling. Let me know what you think abou them.

JUMP 5: ugh, i don't like this jump very much. I think i was a little bit out, for starters. I never really had a good drive knee, and then when i swing up, i break my left leg, very early. On top of that, I get into this horrible position where i'm looking at the bar (perhaps a side effect of the pole recoiling, so fast??) So yea, one of my ugliest jumps ever

JUMP 6: A little better than the last one, aside that i slightly dropped my drive-knee again. But I pulled it back up and salvaged the jump

JUMP 7: Interesting jump. I took of a little under, but I swang through really well, and it kinda counter-balanced it, and I really like how that turned out; it put me in a really nice position, before inversion. Then i swang up, into this ugly 'L' position (almost like a 'pop-up') ****BAD PATTERN EMERGING

JUMP 8: Had a very good, solid take-off (pre-jump??) but then I dropped the drive-knee, and then broke my left leg. Then i somehow managed to muscle myself into inversion (gymnastics paid off?? haha)

JUMP 9: I think my favorite take-off of the night. Dropped my drive-knee, slightly, but then brought it back up and swang nicely. But then i get back in that 'L' position

JUMP 10: Decent jump, BUT I KEEP GETTING IN THAT DAMN 'L' POSITION!!!!!

JUMP 11: Not so bad. Blew through the pole, got into the 'L' but managed to drop my shoulders enough to 'fully invert'.

Jump 12: Nice take-off but once again, dropped the right knee and pulled it back up, again. Got into the 'L' but still managed to push-off rather nicely (maybe just from the 'pop' of the pole)

JUMP 13 (accidentally labled 12, again): went strait to my back (dropped the drive-knee and broke my left leg early)

GRRRR, there were probably my ugliest jumps all year. BUT HERE'S THE THING. Although I was doing A LOT WRONG, I think I was also DOING MORE RIGHT than ever before. I'm running a lot better, I'm taking off a lot taller. Getting a really good leap at take-off, AND i'm either taking off free or getting a pre-jump, on almost every jump (aside from one, where i was under...obvioulsy)

AS FOR THE BAD: I kept dropping my drive knee (but I did 'strain' a muscle in my left hip, sunday, so I think it was just too weak to keep it up. It's already feeling better) And then the big doosey: I kept getting caught in that ugly 'L' position because I WASN'T DROPPING MY SHOUDLERS!!!!!! I think that I kept looking at the bar!! So there you have it guys. Very odd jumping, so I'll let the Big Guns let me know what they think. -6P

I couldn't tell much about your swing, because your black pants (which you ALWAYS seem to vault in) get lost in that black door or whatever... What I can tell is that after you swing, there is almost nothing but passiveness! Extend!

As for the double-leg swing on a stiff pole: don't do it. If you were going for a stiff pole world record, then I would say do it... but I don't think you are. I can detail this for you by PM if you'd like.

Overall OK jumps though! I'll comment more later.

Nothing jump specific, I'll let others take care of that.

But...

I honestly believe that your approach could use work.
You're not driving your knees as much as you could be in your run, really pushing off the ground to build up that explosive power.
Also, your upper body looks weird... It's like you're trying too much to make your shoulders bounce, and in effect, it looks really inefficient... You're bouncing your left arm like crazy, and then it slows down before you take your jump. That motion should be somewhat uniform throughout the jump, all the way until your arms are well above your head ready to blast!

Solid jumps though, nice form!