PoleVaultPower.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm4GZHtvXS4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pis2Rzh7WhY

After a month and a half of injury i'm finally able to jump again.

I'n the videos I am running from 4 lefts 55ft 4 inches. On a 15ft 180 weighing 185 holding 13-9. My take off is 11'5 on the first and 11'8 on the second.
I know the second one is hard to see but I posted it because I came very close to hitting a free take off from 11'8 and last time I jumped I could not hit a free take off from 12'5. Also I am jumping up and not blocking out which is a nice change. After that I tuck alot but I think this is more because the pole is small and I don't have time. Tell me what you guys think.

---Kasey

kcvault wrote: ... I know the second one is hard to see but I posted it because I came very close to hitting a free take off from 11'8 and last time I jumped I could not hit a free take off from 12'5. Also I am jumping up and not blocking out which is a nice change. After that I tuck alot but I think this is more because the pole is small and I don't have time.

The takeoff on your 2nd vault is actually quite clear. Stop action verifies that you're indeed very close to a free takeoff. What I like about this takeoff is your body angle ... you're leaning in a bit ... which gives you a good position to really jump/drive off the ground ... in prep for an elastic stretch. And no blocking! Nice!

I have a different thought on why you're still tucking. But first of all, I have to say how totally impressed I am with your conversion from a tuck/shooter to a Petrover. When I first commented on your vault ... suggesting that you switch ... I didn't think you'd be motivated to ... and more importantly, I didn't think you COULD. It's very hard to switch ... especially when you're at 5.40 ... old habits die hard. So HUGE kudos on your improvements thus far!

I think you're tucking simply becuz that's what you're used to doing. I think it's a timing thing. As you pass thru your plant/takeoff/downswing ... TUCK ... shoot ... you do what you're used to doing ... timing-wise. In other words, the tuck is sorta the middle of your vault, delineating the bottom half from the top half. You have to break that timing pattern.

Instead, focus on the DOWNSWING ... and the WHIP (the moment when your body passes the chord). Treat THAT as your delineation between the bottom and top of your vault. Focus ONLY on the bottom half, trying to get as strong of a whip as you can.

Once you do, there won't be much need for a tuck ... since you'll be well on your way to a continuous motion into your extension.

Oh yeah ... don't try to get on heavy poles right aways. The heavier the pole, the more you're going to want to tuck. Stay on light ones til you lick the tuck habit. Strive to land on the far half of the PLZ. Once you have the confidence that you don't need to tuck to roll the pole, then you'll tuck less and less. THEN start worrying about getting on heavier poles ... not before. You'll find it quite surprising that you'll be able to increase the pole weight quite rapidly once you get the hang of the new timing. All the while, make sure you're landing well into the PLZ ... even on big poles.

Hope this helps.

Kirk

When you're focussing on your downswing/whip with a soft pole, put the bungee a foot lower than you usually do, and then you won't be striving to finish the jump (over the bar) as much ... it's OK to hit the bungee, since you're only focussing on the bottom half.

In fact, you should expirement with just whipping and then COASTING thru the top half. You'll soon find yourself soaring over the low bar ... and landing well into the pit.

Kirk

Is it bad if I still laugh when I think about your injury?

I get confused with lingo so when looking at my first jump would it be considered a tuck shoot or a swing to a double leg tuck. The reason I ask is I dont try to time my inversion with the pole, as soon as I get back I drop my shoulders. Since I am continually moving I am confused as to weather this would be considered a tuck shoot. Either way I need to work on swinging longer just curious about the definition of a tuck shoot.

Oh yeah ... don't try to get on heavy poles right aways.

I won't but I think a little bit bigger pole would be good. One I could hold higher on so I would have more time to swing. Last year I jumped on a 16 ft 180 from 4 lefts, this is a 15ft 180. About a 20 pound difference. So I think if I could find a 15 ft pole that could hold around 14-3 on without overbending it would be perfect. Though I am really focused more on the free take off then the swing, Everytime I think down swing I can't seem to remember to jump up making a free take off very difficult. So Instead I think take off in the backwards c position since that entails jumping up and putting me a a position to swing. I did not think the free take off would be as hard to do as it is, but I definately see the benifit of it. Therefor I want to try to put all of my focus on it but when I try to visulize the vault I will also try to visualize a long fast swing as well.

Is it bad if I still laugh when I think about your injury?

As long as your thinking of my neck injury and not the hamstring. Noticeon the first video no hint of a head throw. Plus my Hamstring is alot better then it would be had I been jumping for the last few weeks so for the most part I would say my neck injury was helpful.

Yes the neck injury.

Yes the neck injury.

Actually the hamstring one is kinda funny also. My friend and I ran through five times in a row. So I said ok everytime one of us doesnt take off they owe the other a doller. So I completely set my mind to take off no matter what, then going into my last two steps I strained my hamstring. Three weeks before that I hurt the other one doing warm up drills, I didn't think that was even possibly. So either injury your thinking about feel free to laugh.

---Kasey

kcvault wrote: I get confused with lingo so when looking at my first jump would it be considered a tuck shoot or a swing to a double leg tuck.

I hadn't heard of a "swing to a double leg tuck" before ... but if that's what you call your first jump, then that's fine. I use the term "tuck/shoot" very generically ... to describe the technique where you tuck both legs in, pause a bit, and then shoot both legs up. The severity of the pause can usually (almost always) be seen in stop-frame by counting the number of frames in the "flat-back" position ... where the hips aren't rising. In a worst case scenario, a tuck-shooter will pause for over a dozen frames. Best case, maybe just 3-6. Any less than 3 and you're not pausing enough to worry about it. I didn't download your vid and count the frames in QuickTime, but if you'd like me to do that, I can. There's a definite pause there tho.

kcvault wrote: ... Since I am continually moving I am confused as to whether this would be considered a tuck shoot.

Any time that you tuck both legs together like you do, and then extend them again, I call it a tuck/shoot. I guess I better count your flat-back frames in QuickTime. I didn't think you were "continuously moving".

kcvault wrote: ... Though I am really focused more on the free take off then the swing, Everytime I think down swing I can't seem to remember to jump up making a free take off very difficult. So Instead I think take off in the backwards c position since that entails jumping up and putting me a a position to swing. I did not think the free take off would be as hard to do as it is, but I definately see the benifit of it. Therefor I want to try to put all of my focus on it but when I try to visualize the vault I will also try to visualize a long fast swing as well.

You're wise to focus on one thing at a time, so I'm glad you said this. However, to take this to the extreme, you shouldn't be trying to clear the bungee ... becuz that seems to be "forcing you" to tuck. Instead, try COASTING ... without trying to clear the bar. Basically don't finish the vault after you jump/stretch/whip ... but still try to extend ... lazily ... into the PLZ.

Kirk

KC, I counted your tuck/pause on QuickTime. On your first vid, you were in the flat-back position for 5 consecutive frames. There was another frame on each side of these where it was iffy, so I'd say 5-7 frames.

On your second vid, I couldn't see your tuck, due to the sun (I guess).

But your takeoff was just one frame short of a free takeoff!

Kirk