Agenda 21 (complete rough draft)

[PVDaddy]

AGENDA 21 (complete rough draft)

The following pole vault model represents this author's attempt to describe and clarify what he feels are critical elements of what was perhaps the greatest vault in human history. Because this vault was performed by Sergey Bubka--the student of world famous coach Vitaly Petrov--this vault certainly represents the Petrov Model and Bubka's attempt at its perfection. I am in no way suggesting that these elements that are missing from the Petrov model, that I am attempting to clarify, are supported by Vitaly Petrov or Sergey Bubka. My objective is that this Agenda will stir up some new ideas that coaches and athletes might not have yet considered toward their attempts at perfecting their craft and/or to bring consensus to areas of the vault they thought to be true, but may have not yet employed in their training. This Agenda attempts to describe a single isolated vault and no two vaults are exactly alike, but are what Alan Launders so eloquently coined, a "one-off." No one can deny, however, that this "one-off," was one excellent vault! Because pole vaulting is indeed a continuous chain of events, with each event impacting the next, it goes without saying that if one has not perfected the former, they will not have the same set of circumstances in the latter. This Agenda merely describes some specific elements that this author believes are imperative, if one is to have a chance at vaulting 21 feet. I do believe there is one best model for the majority of vaulters and a great need for consensus among coaches and vaulters, if the Pole vault world is going to move forward.


Definitions:

Pole selection: a pole must be selected to meet the ideal resistance required to completely uncoil at true vertical at the exact time the vaulter begins fly-away (see Fly-away below for definition and proper pole selection). Frame 5:11

Fly-away: Flyaway is defined as beginning at the moment the bottom hand leaves the pole.
The pole is no longer propelling the vaulter in this phase. The vaulter adds the last share of energy with the top-hand push, and then begins free-fall as gravity is now the only force in action.

Free Take off: A Free take of would be a take off (leaving the ground from the take of leg (jumping) without interference from the resistance of a coiled pole (Pole would be concave from its own weight or at minimum straight at plant.)

Pole loading: Pole loading is the Kinetic energy generated during Run up that is transferred into the pole at Take off (causing it to bend) and stored as Potential energy which is later transferred to the vaulter as kinetic energy at Flyaway.

This author believes that the Petrov model describes the ideal Pole carry and Run up, it does not describe in enough detail the Active (Gravity) pole dop, 3 step Plant, and Free take off. Frames 2:56-3:04


The following link is an excellent article Written by David Butler and describes these 3 element better than anything I have found. http://www.nacactfca.org/Butler%20pole% ... 27%204.doc

Petrov showing the proper position of the hands and arms during the last 2 steps of the plant and into take off , in order to achieve a Free take off, at at a speach he gave in Reno in 2005.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMUQaWfAx48&feature=gv

Because the majority of kinetic energy generated during the vault occurs at run up and is maximally transferred to the pole (Pole loading) with a Free take off, it is imperative that this phase of the vault be mastered! Again, a vaulter must always strive for a Free take off into the stretched inverted C position. Frames 2:56-3:04

The Major additions to the Petrov model (Beside what Butler in his article, and Petrov in his Reno speach, further clarify) this author is making in this model are in regards to the off-the-ground phase of the vault, and mainly concern the use of the Trail leg, Abdomen, and the Bottom and Top Hand.


Pole loading: Pole loading begins the moment after take off. The vaulter at this stage of the vault must make no effort to pull or swing on the pole but must continue to reach (Stretch) for the sky,chest forward leading the way, through the arms with the bottom arm elbow facing out as the bottom arm is being taken upward into an elastic stretch of the shoulder girdles, allowing the full force of the run up speed and Take off to be maximally loaded on to the Pole. When the force of the vaulters body is loaded onto the pole (from the top hand), the pole will bend, and the vaulters body will also bend, into the stretched inverted C position. This Places the vaulter in the most ideal position for the swing and allows it to occur naturally (immediately) with maximum effectiveness. Frames 3:39-3:50

Relaxation and Elevation of Trail leg: At the very end of Pole loading both legs must be momentarily relaxed allowing the trail leg to be elevated (heel toward the sky with knee bending) in order to increase the swing distance and speed of The Whip ( As if one were kicking a soccer ball). Frames 3:43-3:47

The Whip: The most amount of energy added to the vault during the second (off-the-ground) phase is The Whip (Whipping up action of the trail leg). The whip begins immediately from the Elevated trail leg out of the Stretched inverted C, and continues to the top of the pole. All effort must be made to generate as much speed and energy throughout the whip as possible!
Frames 3:39-3:50

Abdomen Pull: There must be a very strong abdomen pull of the legs, that begins the moment the whip (Trail Leg) comes out of the downswing (and into the upswing), in order to maximize whip speed and propulsion of the legs and hips upward into the upswing.
Frames 3:49-3:54

Use of the bottom hand:

The bottom hand performs both a pulling action and then a pushing action. Both add energy to the vault. Both actions are critical to this model.

The bottom hand must perform a pull at the appropriate time. The appropriate time to begin the pull would be immediately after the Abdomen Pull in the whip and coincides at the exact time the vaulter breaks at the hips, the pull must continue through inversion as the hips and legs are propelled upward. This adds speed to the whip and also gets the vaulter to inversion quicker out ahead of the uncoiling pole. This is imperative. Frames 3:53-3:56 and Frames 4:32-4:45

The bottom hand must perform a very strong push toward the pit! Just like the top hand does, but in this instance the wrist is bent around the pole. This positions the vaulter in the air (Fly-away has begun) for the turn and all important top hand push and adds critical energy (to the fly-away as it assist in adding additional vertical energy). The bottom hand release (after bottom hand push) must occur simultaneously with the final straightening of the pole. The fact that the vaulter is applying maximum downward pressure, while increasing his grip on the pole, at this perfect time, insures that the maximum amount of kinetic energy from the pole is transferred into the vaulters body. Frames 5:03-5:11

It is very important to note that this author does not intend to suggest the bottom hand pull and bottom hand push as two separate entities. Conversely, the object is to seamlessly blend the bottom hand pull directly into the bottom hand push as the bottom hand crosses the plane of the chest. This changes the direction of the force exerted by the bottom hand from towards the body, to away from the body--aiding in the overall objective (going up) the entire time!

Use of the top hand:

The top hand performs both a pulling action and then a Pushing action. Both add energy to the vault. both actions are critical to this method.

The top hand pull begins simultaneously with the bottom hand pull (at the moment one breaks at the hips). They work together, as if one were swinging there hips to the top of a high bar. However, a major transfer of pulling effort must be immediately made to the top Arm, allowing the top arm elbow to break or bend forward from the force of this extremely fast strong pull! This places the major emphasis of the pulling action out at the end of the poles fulcrum (The top hand) allowing for the maximum bend of the pole and assist rock back as the legs and hips are shot upwards. Top hand pull Frames 3:54-3:55, Rock back Frames 3:55-3:57


One cannot over-emphasize the importance of the top hand push! This is agreed upon by everyone. In Bubka's famous jump, however, simply calling his final action a "push" does not do justice to his effort. Rather, Bubka makes his last effort his strongest, as it is the last opportunity to add energy to his fly-away. Perhaps the correct term for this action is a reverse "shot-put" of his entire body! Frames 5:11-5:16 and Frames 1:56-2:05

Here is the best link I could find of Bubka's Famouse Jump, ( Maybe the best Vault in human history!) were I believe he demonstrates the above mentioned Model. Note I have made frame references for you throughout my Model so you can see for yourself. You may want to print this off before going to the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QribYk ... sults_main

I would like to add that the only fault that I could find with Bubka's jump is that he could have done a better job of keeping his legs together, more verticle, and in better alignment with the body at fly-away. I believe this would have resulted in even greater bar clearance.

[PVDaddy]

So there it is. Please feel free to bisect it and dissect it. I promise I will not become sensitive or angry to anyone's critique! lol