jumping off the wrong foot?

[4 18 PM Eastern Time]

sup guys, um, I was just wondering if jumping off the wrong foot (i.e. jumping off the right foot for a right handed vaulter) is really that big of an issue. What is the technical reason behind the notion that right handed vaulters must jump off their left leg? I asked one of my old coaches and she said that its because if you take off on your right leg, you have an increased chance of hitting the pole on the way up. But I'm not sure if I buy that. For me personally, I can get much more power and take off speed jumping off my right leg because I have really bad jumper's knee in my left leg. When I go off my left leg, I just get sucked under cause I can't really get a pre-jump. Also, dont you think that people who kick right footed would get a more powerful swing with their right leg, you know, after taking off with it? But that might just be me, I mean, I do layups off my right foot and everything. I mean, are there any successful vaulters who vault off their "wrong" foot?

I'm sure you guys have stuff that will blow my logic out of the water, but that's good because I want to know. THanks.

[rainbowgirl28]

It sounds like you should be jumping off your right leg then. Many people have a different sided dominance for writing vs sports. Isinbayeva is left handed but she pole vaults right handed.

But if you are jumping off your right leg, you need to pole vault left handed. It will feel super weird at first, but in the long run you will vault much higher than if you jump right footed and right handed.

[powerplant42]

The biomechanics simply don't work out... Go ahead and try some short run vaults jumping off your right foot (while still vaulting right-handed) and come back with a report of what you felt and some video... My guess is that you'll be spinning around the pole.

[4 18 PM Eastern Time]

i actually already have jumped of my right foot right handed. I spent a good amount of time trying to correct it, and now I can go off either one at will. I've jumped my PR off my left leg and my right leg, and I most certainly do not spin around. I could maybe put up a video of me going off my right foot right handed, if that would help this discussion. I mean, I would rather not switch to left handed, I gave that a haf-hearted try a year ago, and it felt way too weird. Are there any other disadvantages to going off the right foot while vaulting right handed?

[rainbowgirl28]

i actually already have jumped of my right foot right handed. I spent a good amount of time trying to correct it, and now I can go off either one at will. I've jumped my PR off my left leg and my right leg, and I most certainly do not spin around. I could maybe put up a video of me going off my right foot right handed, if that would help this discussion. I mean, I would rather not switch to left handed, I gave that a haf-hearted try a year ago, and it felt way too weird. Are there any other disadvantages to going off the right foot while vaulting right handed?

Switching hands is hard, but if you really feel like you have significantly more power in the right leg, than it will be better in the long run.

The summer is a great time to practice switching hands. It will feel weird for at least two weeks. You have to do a ton of pole runs and sand vaulting before it feels less weird.

It's just up to you... do you want to be an OK high school vaulter, or do you want to come as close as possible to your maximum potential? The only way you will do that is either jumping left foot/right hand or right foot/left hand.

If you just want to be mediocre, I am not sure why you are wasting your time here. No one here is going to tell you that you can reach your potential doing it with the right foot and right hand. It is biomechanically less efficient.

[powerplant42]

Here's something to think about... Why don't high jumpers every only throw their jump-foot side hand up (if that makes sense)? Think about skipping... and running too... What do you notice about it all in terms of this discussion?

[4 18 PM Eastern Time]

i guess ill try switching hands, ive got a lot of time

[KirkB]

i guess ill try switching hands, ive got a lot of time

Yeh, switch hands. I switched in Grade 9 due to my right leg dominance, and it was the best decision I ever made. It wasn't that hard to switch hands ... compared to having an inferior takeoff with the left foot.

You can search for some of my old posts about this. Also, a friend cleared 15-6 or so taking off the wrong way (as you describe). He could have gone 17-0 if he did it right ... so it severely limits you if you don't follow the rule of top hand and opposite leg takeoff.

Kirk

[4 18 PM Eastern Time]

sweet that makes me more optimistic... does anyone know any good lefty vaulters that I could youtube and study. Right now, I can't picture the left handed vault, cause I jhavn't seen it much. I'm too used to the right handed. thanks

[KirkB]

Stacey Dragila. Lots of vids on http://www.stabhochsprung.com

Kirk

[powerplant42]

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=16985
That might help you out a little bit.

[vault3rb0y]

Get yourself a mirror and watch bubkas vids


I'm a lefty vaulter and after watching enough videos, i dont think about things in terms of left and right, i think top/bottom, take off/drive knee. Thats really the only difference.