Most Important Muscles

[sduvinage]

I was wondering what the most used and important muscles in pole vaulting are.
Yes I know that almost every muscle is used in the vault but what is most needed to improve vaulting strength resulting in height.
I know that technique is more important to learn first.
Any feedback would be appreciated!

[KirkB]

Abs.

Kirk

[VaultPurple]

id say all around core... abs are great but you really need the strong abs, back, thighs. I think everyone needs to be able to do a two legged Bubka from stationary with no swing (feet start at hands and you drop shoulders... well technically you are pushing feet up and straightening out, but dropping shoulders is term i am used to).

[powerplant42]

Heart (in both senses).

Then abs.

Then hamstrings.

(If the mind were a muscle, it would come first! )

[sduvinage]

thanks guys.
would you think calf and triceps would be equally as important.
also, should i avoid too many bicep workouts...

[kcvault]

where you may need your bicepts is in the small pulling motion that happens after you have already inverted. Get this stregth by doing pull ups, bicept curls do nothing for your vault. If you do pull ups, bubkas, and incline press, coupled with a few other little things on the high bar then you will have pretty much all the upper body strength you need to vault. Remember you want to be strong like a gymnist not like a weight lifter.

[KirkB]

... would you think calf and triceps would be equally as important? ...

No, they're not.

You asked what's most important, so you got our opinions on that. Especially at your PR level.

You seem to be implying that you're going to weight train on the "most important" muscles. That's why I said "abs". They're usually the weakest link. If you focus on the abs, you'll strengthen your entire core (which you need to do), but you'll "remove" the weakest link.

Also, please search for and read all the posts re weighlifting in HS. Your training should be excercising the same muscles as in an actual vault. This includes gymnastics (highbar, rings, rope) and sprinting. You don't want to bulk up ... you want to have the lean physique of a highbar specialist.

Pullups ... sure ... for overall conditioning, but they're not that important at your level. I'm willing to bet that you're having trouble getting inverted soon enough ... or fast enough. You need to learn that first ... and you can't do that without STRONG abs ... and a good swing. They go hand-in-hand.

... Also, should i avoid too many bicep workouts?

Yes. During your plant, you only need to "curl" the pole up and over your head ... so if you're going to do bicep curls, just use the pole as your weight.

Kirk

[rainbowgirl28]

You're thinking like a body builder. You need to start thinking like a pole vaulter.

[Andy_C]

To answer/satisfy your curiosity:
I agree with the previous posters especially with the back/core muscles. I would like to add hip flexors and glutes for running. Also the muscles around the shoulder girdle as well as the forearms (grip). It's a "whole body" event that utilizes just about everything, though groups like the core and the running muscles do take precedence in my opinion.

But to give you a good answer:
Don't worry too much about developing muscles (unless you're here to impress the girls ). If you do the right exercises, you will work the right muscles in the right way.

[KYLE ELLIS]

Three things far more important than developing certain "muscles"
1- CNS
2- The correct energy system (PC)
3- Elastic strength

[powerplant42]

Could you please elaborate?

[KYLE ELLIS]

Could you please elaborate?

Well as far as the nervous system is concerned, we can actually train our nervous system to be explosive and you will probaby see more strength and power gains from doing this than by increasing muscle mass. Also a recent study dealing with Russian Tennis players showed that repeated movement patterns in training can actually increase myolin sheeth. Why is that important? Because increased myolin sheeth means a faster stronger signal sent from the brain to the muscles. According to the ACSM when you start a new weight lifting program you won't gain any muscle mass withing the first 10-14 days but you can gain strength, this is possible because of recruitment and CNS stimulation.

The correct energy system (PC) Phospho-Creatine- The human body stores PC in the muscles, this is why people take creatine because they are trying to store more in their muscles than they would naturally. Anyways PC is stored in the muscles for bursts of energy lasting~3seconds, sports that the PC energy system is important too are Weight Lifting, Baseball, Long Jump, High Jump, Pole vault... There are other sports that use a wide variety of energy systems like football, basketball, soccer.

Elastic strength or Plyometric strength- Probably the most underated training focus in pole vaulting. Go mark out two cones 25meters apart and get a rolling start, see how fast you can bound over 25meters. If you can go under 4 seconds you are above avaerage.