Scott Elliott and the wonderful world of pole vault!

[altius]

HIGH BAR!!!

[CoachEric]

High bar for sure - practice watching your swing.

The other big place to fix this is on the 6 step straight pole. When you do it on your videos, you are planting with your left arm close to the head so that you can quickly tuck it inside the pole. When you're able to rotate quickly like that instead swing from extended arms, it teaches to to block and not be elastic with the arms. When there is little power behind the swing, it encourages vaulters to throw the head to try to get back quickly.

So, on your straight pole drills, get full extension with the left arm, and let the left hand travel back over the head. If the hand comes to your forehead, like it is in there drills, you are not acheiving full extension, and you are blocking. Then, swing fast! And watch the swing!

And don't waste takeoffs on the one arm drill. If you want to do a drag tip drill like that, do it with both hands on the pole and practice full extenstion and going elastic with the arms.

[RawVeganAthletics]

So on my straight pole drills I need to have both arms extended straight as I take off and then have my left come over my head? like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oUADXLvJNg ? I will post some videos of me swinging hopefully on a high bar, but I might only have access to rings.

[CoachEric]

Yeah, if you can straight pole like Bubka, then I think you'll be in pretty good shape.

[RawVeganAthletics]

haha just making sure that I understood exactly what you meant. I will try and post video today of my swings on the rings. I Have not found a high bar yet that I can swing on.

[altius]

Just a thought - why look for answers here? I believe that you have a good coach - TRUST HIM!

[RawVeganAthletics]

I agree that I have a good coach right now and I trust him, but I dont feel like this swing thing is clicking in my head. I just really want to figure it out. I have always been coached that hearing things in a different way sometimes helps, so that is what I am doing. I am here to listen and learn. Also there is a lot of vaulters that he coaches, they are high school kids, and they are higher on the list to be coached then me, Which is totally understandable. The club and the facilities are really for them. I am just lucky enough to get to jump with them and get the input I do from Tom. I see him only on vault days and I just feel like that is not enough for me. These comments so far have been a big help. I cant wait for practice tomorrow so I can work on the straight pole drills like Coach Eric is saying.

[RawVeganAthletics]

I also will post video of me swinging on the rings tomorrow. The video today was to dark to see anything.

[RawVeganAthletics]

Wow! Sure am glad I found a place for my rings, because I need to be doing a lot of these! Here is the video of me doing swings on the rings http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnf8jQWfcFw&feature=youtu.be

[CoachEric]

These are decent. It looks like you're making a conscious effort not to throw the head, but you're still doing it on some of those reps. Focus on swinging faster. Swing down and out hard into a hollow body position, and you'll feel less need to throw the head.

Also, do some reps without the knee drive. The overemphasized knee drive takes your focus off making the hips move fast.

[RawVeganAthletics]

Today I was focusing on trying to put all the pressure on to my top hand and whip through, I defiantly felt a difference, but still needs a lot of work. As for my straight pole drills I was working on extending both arms before take-off, and then letting my left come in as the pole hit the back of the box. I think it was a little better, but still throwing my head back. I really think the rings and high bar swings are going to help me. Here is the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb5CrM4h7sI

[CoachEric]

Ok, this is progress!

Focus on getting full extension with the left arm before you take off. Your plant motion is a little bit slow, and it's making you take off under. The higher the left gets, and the more space you create between your chest and the pole, the more room your body has to move into the elastic position and the more powerful your swing will be.

The other thing your doing is reacting slightly to box when the tip hits. It's quite natural to tense a little bit when you fel the impact of the box. I can see it in your right shoulder on your straight poles, so I'm sure it's happening on your longer run too. Not only does the left hand have to be allowed to move back over the head, but the right shoulder must open for you to be able to swing. When you say you were " trying to put all the pressure on to my top hand and whip through," make sure it isn't with a tense top arm, just a tensioned top arm. I use a few different cues for this. Think of opening up the shoulders through the impact of the box, or hitting the box softly with big extension.

If you get full extension and go elastic, the head will go forward through the arms. That should be your goal.

So:
1. Create space with the left arm
2. Open up to the impact on the box
3. Take the head through the arms

Then watch yourself swing fast!