4 steps and 6 steps pop ups

[vault3rb0y]

So I started a few drills this summer and i'd like to hear what you guys think about them. These aren't my best ones, we just picked up the camera on random ones. I know what i see, what i want to hear things from you. Im taking a few weeks off from the vault to relax and clear my mind, so ill pick it up in a little while.

http://www.treemo.com/users/jpelletier/ ... em/730690/

http://www.treemo.com/users/jpelletier/ ... tem/730694

http://www.treemo.com/users/jpelletier/ ... em/731880/

[bel142]

First of put your shirt back on, you are starting to look like me but with allot less hair, and no one wants to see that... jk bud....

Closed grip drills are really solid however you might want to go down weight in poles from what you have. In my view closed grip drills help work on obvious hip placement and take off angle between vaulter and pole. There needs to be a more specific 90 degree angle between pole and vaulter to get the free take off. This is a drill where once you hit a free take off the drill gets easier in terms of movement, but harder in terms of core strength because the bottom arm isn't there to help out with stabilization. But with a smaller pole the pole one you hit it correctly, the pole will bend and the chest can better mimmic that of a real vault but without a bottom hand, it forces you to clean up hips, jump/takeoff, drive phase, and pole movement. In this drill the differences between straight pole and closed grip are very similar but not really the same.

on your last video, you are taking off a little flat, you keep your hips up and reach for that take off that you want things are going to be better and you will stop hitting your chest on the pole. Again get the plant out in front just a tick more.

[vault3rb0y]

alright cool, definitely some different and newer thoughts than I had. Until 3 steps out i was trying to focus on just max grip hieght on a stiff pole. I dont think we have any 12' or 13' poles that would be bending from 3 steps at this moment. That something im going to try to mess around with at camp, if they make me a counselor so i can justify getting out of work. And obviously since im flat and dont have the "forward lean" great from 3, thats another thing to work on. Thanks to all the support from everyone that posted back.

I'm doing early morning high bar workouts so by camp i will look like i came from the set of 300. No squirrel here baby! lol hopefully ill see you there.

[sooch90]

hm, looks pretty good! But what're your goals when performing short run, straight pole drills? In other words, what are you trying to improving by doing these drills with a straight pole? How would it be different if you decided to used a flexible pole?

One thing I see is that when you use a flexible pole, you punch up the bottom arm a lot more than when you do straight pole vaulting drills (obviously). But is this an intentional technical difference between using a stiff pole and a flexible pole?

I hear a lot of people say that doing these straight pole vaulting drills are great for improving your takeoff, but that doesn't quite make sense to me because when using a flexible pole, you have to hit the pole with both arms. So why practice vaulting on a straight pole over and over only to change your plant technique when moving to a flexible pole? What're you getting out of straight pole vaulting then?

Sorry about all these questions, but these are things that have been on my mind

[powerplant42]

One thing I see is that when you use a flexible pole, you punch up the bottom arm a lot more than when you do straight pole vaulting drills (obviously). But is this an intentional technical difference between using a stiff pole and a flexible pole?

The bottom arm is there for balance ONLY from the take-off through the swing with the flexible pole. Remember its role, and you might think about this differently.

I hear a lot of people say that doing these straight pole vaulting drills are great for improving your takeoff, but that doesn't quite make sense to me because when using a flexible pole, you have to hit the pole with both arms. So why practice vaulting on a straight pole over and over only to change your plant technique when moving to a flexible pole? What're you getting out of straight pole vaulting then?

You should be 'hitting' the stiff pole with both arms as well... Your plant should not change a bit: everything should be performed the same, except it will be more difficult to hide your mistakes.

[bel142]

(This is very simplified and I feel like I am not describing it well)

The reason why straight pole drills are good for take off and arms is beucase the pole is not flexing, and to get the pole to and past vertical energy needs to be put into movement of the pole. This goes back to physcias and how a pendulum works. If you take off with a low angle it takes more energy to get to move to vertical, if you take off flat and run into the pole you lose energy.

Pole movement translates to flexible pole vaulting very easily, generally the more pole you can move to vertical means your translation of energy is getting better, this can translate into grip height and being able to move on a pole that is bent, possibly increaseing you maximum height.

[vault3rb0y]

My step has been significantly under the past 2 years, and i compensate by pressing with the bottom arm to allow at least some sort of take off- if i really muscle through it. You cant muscle through a stiff pole take off when you are under. This compensation with the bottom arm was by necessity to save jumps, and it takes a lot of power away from your take off. So my goal is to learn how to take off from the right place in the right position and only press up with the bottom hand after the pole makes contact- and not even very much- just to avoid pulling. It's more of a hang than a press to me. When i use a flexible pole i risk going back to habits of NEEDING to push even before i leave the ground to jump. I would push so hard so early that the pole would pop up in the box sometimes. This needs to be fixed, so i am learning and drilling the mechanics of the stiff vault into my head, and need to save that mentality for flexible vaults. I notice the pole already bends slightly, so im on the right track.

[KirkB]

My step has been significantly under the past 2 years, and i compensate by pressing with the bottom arm to allow at least some sort of take off- if i really muscle through it.

... This compensation with the bottom arm was by necessity to save jumps, and it takes a lot of power away from your take off.

... i risk going back to habits of NEEDING to push even before i leave the ground to jump ...

3P0, I think you're on the right track now, so I'll try not to give you too hard of a time for your past sins.

But when I hear you say things like "COMPENSATE by pressing" and "with the bottom arm by NECESSITY" and "NEEDING to push", I think your logic is wrong.

You see, this is the slippery slope you go down when you convince yourself that to block out is OK "under special circumstances". You (and by "you" I mean vaulters in general) always end up considering yourself a special case, where it's OK to PUSH (because you're under, or whatever the rationalization). So you get into bad habits, and now 2 years later you have to try and sort out the whole mess.

For the life of me, I can't understand why you didn't recognize the problem ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, and then FIX IT ... almost immediately. If you're under, then FIX IT! Don't solve one problem by introducing another!

I do realize that this takes a lot of self-discipline, good knowledge of the Petrov Model, and a good, supportive coach to help you along. However, to lose a year or more out of your vaulting career is such a waste!

Kudos for getting back on track now ... albeit a year or two late!

Again, sorry for picking on you. You're a smart vaulter, so I would have thought you'd have fixed this long ago.

Tough Love.

Kirk

[vault3rb0y]

I never said it was ok kirk lol. I know its not ok, but for the sake of finishing jumps, sometimes you make less-than ideal adjustments. Im not making an exception for myself- simply acknowledging the difficulty of perfecting each part of the jump. It takes time, and I know exact how i WANT to jump, but how many vaulters think they vault exactly how they want to? Not the good ones.

The things that need fixing need to be done now in the summer. I believe you should work on your problem parts in the jump, but when it gets to competition time or later in the season, sometimes things need to be left alone in meets or big vault days for the sake of progressing. For instance- if i force myself to get a free take off or a straight trail leg the entire jump, those two things can be very difficult, and would require months and months of jumps before it was ready for a 7,8,9 step approach. Surely you are STRIVING for those things on every jump, but when you arent getting it, you do what you need to in order to jump throughout the season, and you make sure to keep trying to fix it in short runs, drills, etc... but if it isnt perfect, it's ok. As long as im striving for perfection, and have the support to help me get there, it will get closer and closer my entire career. That doesnt mean i need to stay on 4 or 5 steps until it's perfect though. Thats just my opinion.