Summer Training

[billy_pacheco7]

helpful hint-

The summer time, and fall time, should be dedicated to learning the technique of the vault more, learning body awarness and how to use your body appropriately, and building a lot more core strength/ overall body strength.

You don't need to jump high in the off season. This part of the season should be used to work on a lot more short approach jumps, sliding boxes, and continuing to perfect your run approach and take-off (this is a key development in the pole vault!!!).
You should also learn how to use your body in the vault by learning body awareness movements. How? Well, there are various workouts that can help benefit your body awareness. First, you should gain access to a high bar. If you want to compete on another level, i feel that gymnastics plays a huge- huge role in the pole vault. Every vaulter can agree with me that vaulting takes a lot of gymnastics ability. Doing high bar drills such as kips, giants, and fee hip movements help you learn how to commit on your swing, and teaches you body awareness to stay aligned with your pole at the top of the vault. If you can't get access to this, rope vault is another consideration. You can do a ton of reps without getting fatigue. Plus, its great fun and lets you play with different ideas that you might have about the vault. These drills will also benefit in helping to build your strength.
Strength is a big necessity in the vault. You should be working on a lot of short - explosive sprints (nothing really over 150metes). Also, plyos, power cleans, light explosive squats, pull ups, chin - ups, bubkas, med ball, and core core core...

Just balance it out, and play with what works for you! training 4 days a week is just fine... you also never want to over do it! have fun, and good luck.

-Billy P.

[KirkB]

Billy, some very good pointers!

I saw what you said about rope vaulting in the other thread. And I think as long as you're careful and play safe, it's OK.

But I suggest a DIFFERENT kind of drill that's similar to the benefits you usually get from rope vaulting ... but without the danger.

FLYING RINGS!

I won't say that this drill isn't without its dangers either, but at least you HANG ON for the entire drill. That's what makes it safe. Of course you need a good grip, and of course you shouldn't bump into any walls or anything else. Vaulters have naturally strong grips, so this usually isn't a problem.

I must admit that when we did this drill at UW, we did NOT tell our coach, and we did it when the gymnastics coach was out of the gym.

Basicallly, the idea is to swing back and forth, extending UP on each side of the pendulum swing ... very similar to how you pump on a playground swing, but here you're "pumping" by extending a la a PV extension action.

This is not only fun and daring, but it also gives you the feel of extending in unison with the pole.

CAUTION: Always check the rigging before you do this drill ... it MUST be rock-solid! And always do this drill with adult supervision!

Kirk

[billy_pacheco7]

Thats sounds like a great little drill Kirk. Im gonna have to test that out for myself. I really don't have the full concept on how to do the drill, but i'll figure it out. Thanks for the drill idea!

Btw Kirk, you sound like a dude that knows your s*** - do you know if theres any good website(s) dedicated toward drills for vaulting...such as high bar drills, rope drills, ring drills, vaulting drills, and gymnastic drills...? I found some great gymnastic books that had some great strength drills...but im looking for something that is more related toward the pole vault as far as "simulating the vault" goes...

[powerplant42]

do you know if theres any good website(s) dedicated toward drills for vaulting...such as high bar drills, rope drills, ring drills, vaulting drills, and gymnastic drills...?

www.polevaultpower.com

That rings drill is detailed in BTB2 by the way.

[KirkB]

... any good website(s) dedicated toward drills for vaulting...such as high bar drills, rope drills, ring drills, vaulting drills, and gymnastic drills...?

Christian Tamminga demos some really good drills here: http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=18975&p=136197

He covers a lot of different apparatus, and shows how you can be innovative with even just a floor mat.

Kirk