PoleVaultPower.com

Hi everyone,

I uploaded a video with a bunch of recent short run jumps (4 lefts) and I would appreciate any feedback.
I've been limited to short runs jumps so far this season due to an osteochondroma/bone spur that has been causing some jolts of pain whenever I dorsoflexed a certain way. However, I had surgery on my ankle on December 21st to remove the spur which was successful, and I'm now quickly recovering (Thank God!). I should be vaulting again soon, but of course I will need to be very cautious as I go back to running and jumping.

As far as my jumps are; I'm pretty pleased with how I am progressing. I've been focusing mostly on my takeoff and run for the last year, and I'm seeing a consistently better takeoff, at the short run. Now to transfer it so I can consistently takeoff well from a long run, and hopefully some more PRs (I've been in the 13 ft range for.. wow about 2.5 years...)

So more specifically, the things I've been working on are getting my feet down (shortening and quickening my stride, WHILE staying tall) and planting high and aggressively and jumping up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYl_-l9nO6o
-poles used: Jump #1: 14' 155lb, the rest were taken with a 14' 150lb cut down to 13'

Thank you very much!

Other info:
PR: 13' 7"
Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 147lb (at the time of the video, I've lost some weight since surgery though)
Age: 19
School: Haverford College
Year: Sophomore
Coach: Irv Mondschein

I like these jumps....Looks like you are doing some very good things!

Lots of good stuff. If you would try to swing your hips to your hands with less hip break the pole wouldn't swing around toward the runway quite as much. Nice job!! Bubba

Wow Sooch, you're coached by Irv Mondschein? He's a LEGEND!

I really like your pre-stretch, and how you downswing out of it!

Generally speaking, that good of a downswing should give you a lot more power than you seem to have coming off the top, so I'm wondering what's causing your lack of power in the top half of your vault.

Perhaps you're not jumping off the ground as quickly/powerfully as you could? Perhaps you're not swinging far enough thru (rotating, I mean) before you extend? This would account for your flagging out on many jumps.

Maybe you're gripping a bit too high for your technique. You're landing far enough into the pit ... but only by flagging out. It might be better to drop your grip a bit and use that extra speed that this will give you to rotate ENTIRELY upside down before you extend. With that extra rotational speed, you'll also have the confidence that you can get back (more upside down) without stalling out.

Try that ... but I think you're in good hands with Mondschein!

Kirk

p.s.

Bubba PV wrote: ... try to swing your hips to your hands with less hip break the pole ...

I think Bubba PV's comment is identifying the same problem ... you're finishing your swing too early ... and this is causing you to flag out. Drop your grip, fix the swing problem, then raise your grip again once it's fixed.

KirkB wrote:Maybe you're gripping a bit too high for your technique.

You said it Kirk, it's that simple...... That and the pole is way too small.

KirkB wrote:Maybe you're gripping a bit too high for your technique.

You said it Kirk, it's that simple...... That and the pole is way too small.

Your jumps look really good. I especially like jump 7 you come off the top really nice, it would have been a really nice jump with a 5 lb stiffer. I am not going to comment on your technique because I think you have a very good coach. However I will say the best way for you to get better right now is to get stronger and faster.

--Kasey

Yeah, the pole was too small, but I chose that pole because of my ankle issue and I wanted to focus on the takeoff/run. But yeah, I think the pole selection and the grip on that pole can account for a lot of issues on the top end. Also, Irv IS awesome!

Kcvault, and whoever else: please please don't hold back on any comments or thoughts about my technique or anything. All and any feedback is appreciated!
I agree with you in that I still need to get stronger and faster!

I guess my question is, what should I do from here? Try to transfer my short run takeoff and stuff to a longer run? Or are there other things I need to be focusing on before I do that?

I understand you may not be able to up-spring as aggressively as you can because of the ankle but nonetheless, nice take off!

I would stay at this run for a couple of weeks. Judging on your technique I think you can probably get pretty close to your pr from 4 lefts. Except for the first jump every jump was a huge blow through like a 3 or 4 pole blow through. You seem to have trouble getting back and staying there as you pull when the pole only gets to vertical. you do it pretty nicely when the pole gets past vertical but this is an illusion because the pole is actually coming to your feet even though you have a very slight passive phase in the inversion.

You pull nice and tight to the pole but you arch your back and let your feet drop causing you to flag out. You want to see your feet and shoot them to the one o'clock position on the runway side of the pole maintain this slight pike that you will have created by keeping your stomach tight and not arching your back as you pull and turn. Other then that I would say you are a very good jumper lets see you get poles that you just slightly get past vertical from this run and see what you can do.

--Kasey

looking great sooch!!!! I'm jealous of your take-off! haha. I believe everyone will agree that that pole is too soft. Not so sure about that grip being too high though. I think everyone is saying that because of the "sink" in the pole (which of course, means that grip should be lowered), HOWEVER, i think once you go up in rating, that grip will be just fine for you. If you have any doubts, go up in rating and down a hand-hold or two, and slowly snake it back up...it's a process, but here's a chart which might make decisions a touch easier (though i hear your coach is excellent so i'm sure he'll make the appropriate call nonetheless).

...well i sadly couldn't find the chart...VTechVaulter might have posted it, it had to do with whether or not you were gripping to high or low and whether you were on too small or large of a pole...anyone know where it is?? thanks haha. -6P

joebro391 wrote: ... I believe everyone will agree that that pole is too soft. Not so sure about that grip being too high though. I think everyone is saying that because of the "sink" in the pole (which of course, means that grip should be lowered), HOWEVER, i think once you go up in rating, that grip will be just fine for you. ...

It might be a bit soft, but until Sooch learns to shoot straight UP ... by the hints that Bubba and I gave him ... as well as the others ... then I would hold off going up a pole. Remember ... technique first, THEN raise grip and/or stiffer pole. I just wanted to clarify that ... I think we're close to saying the same thing ... just in different words.

6P, I'm not saying it's becuz the pole's sinking ... I'm saying it's becuz there's a lack of power off the top ... that's why he's flagging out. Maybe we're saying the same thing ... maybe it's just that you (6P) are describing what the POLE is doing (sinking) ... and I'm describing what SOOCH is doing (not going straight up the pole).

But you see ... if you focus on the POLE, then you might just conclude that "the pole's too soft, so you need a bigger one", whereas if you focus on the VAULTER, then you might be more inclined to figure out what the VAULTER needs to do to fix the problem ... without "blaming it on the pole". Sooch and 6P (and KC), I hope you understand that distinction. The word "blame" is probably too strong of a word, so don't be flaming me for that ... you know what I mean.

There's 2 reasons why a vaulters usually flag out ...

(1) becuz he simply hasn't rotated his hips enough so that he can shoot straight up the pole (swing the hips to the hands ... as Bubba says) ... and

(2) becuz he doesn't have enough of what I call OOOMPH (or you can call it upwards momentum) to continue defying gravity in an upwards direction. Following the laws of physics, once that oomph is gone, then gravity takes over ... and if you're "gripping too high FOR YOUR CURRENT TECHNIQUE" then you flag out.

HOWEVER ... if your can improve your technique ... by getting your hips to your hands and stay close enough to the pole to shoot straight up ... or even 1 o'clock BACK towards the runway ... as KC says ... then you can actually add some more oomph ... without relying just on the momentum from your downswing/upswing.

Sooch, you'll figure this out by discussing it with your coach, and if his grandson is any indication of his coaching prowess, then he'll give you all the good advice you need. We're just your "advisory board".

Kirk