Teaching swing without gymnastics equipment

[Aggietom]

How can I work on the swing phase without gymnastic equipment? Basically pole and pit only.

I've been having them go from short approaches (4 and 6 step) while driving into the pit and staying long as close to vertical as possible before whipping through with the trail leg and trying to cover the pole. Most of mine are beginners who can't cover the pole and they have difficulty getting anywhere beyond parallel with the ground on these drills.

We grip a little lower on this to make sure they're getting into the pit safely. So I am adding a little speed and pit depth there. Is there a better way to do it?

We do practice bubkas indoors the best we can. We don't have ceiling height for full inversion, though. It is a school facility limitation that I can't do anything about.

[altius]

IMHO - You cannot teach the pole vault efficiently and effectively without access to a high bar - a rope is second best option.

[Aggietom]

Thanks. That is what I was looking for. I've called several gymnastics places only to be ignored. It is insane. We're trying to give them money, but apparently they don't want it.

I'll find one eventually.

[critter]

We had the same problem with gymnastics clubs here. Try getting in contact with one of the coaches and see if they are interested in making some extra money working with your athlete during non-club hours. That leaves getting access to the facility in thier hands. This has worked out well for us, and the gym owner who originally said she couldn't help us seems to be enjoying watching the progress. You can also build a high bar in your backyard; we did that too. Neighbors are beginning to think we are a little crazy though.

[VaultPurple]

There are high bars everywhere. A single pull up bar with room to swing is all you need to learn to pole vault. Fancy gymnastic equipment is great fun and all but the swing and inversion of the vault does not require being a level 10 gymnast. I know people that can vault quite well, swing fast, and invert just fine who have never stepped foot in a gymnastic facility and can not even do a back flip.