Looking for advice on this vaulter

[Mcleodjw]

Hello Everyone,
Here's one of my athletes.

http://1drv.ms/1G0xvbG

Age: 16
Grade: 10th grade
How long you have been jumping: 3rd season, started in 8th grade.
What pole you are on (length and weight rating): 13-7, 150
How high you are gripping: 13-0
What bar(s) you are attempting in the video: 12-0
Athlete weight: 147

I've been coaching him since 9th grade. He had an awkward style of vaulting and I'm trying my best.
I've tried to get him to a 14 foot pole but he's hesitating.

An extra set of eyes would be great in helping me develop this athlete achieve his potential.

Thank you for all advice.

Coach John

[KirkB]

Waiting far too long at the end of the runway, with pole raised vertically. If he's going to pause this long, I suggest he do so with pole tip on runway, and then when he's ready to go, raise it to vertical (for his calibre, it doesn't need to be completely vertical), then go in one continuous motion (no pause with raised pole).

Punching the pole forwards and backwards during the run. There should be minimal arm action here. Check his grip on the pole with each hand. How is he sqeezing his hands to the pole? Maybe he's holding it too tightly? A lighter grip, with mostly just the thumb and forefinger will do wonders to improving his pole carry.

Plant is not "late" (else he'd really be clotheslined), but it's definitely not high enough. He must actually be reaching back to do what he's doing. Have him focus on more of a forwards lean (and plant in front of his ear - not behind it) when completing the plant (on takeoff).

Takeoff step is way under (but I think you already know that). Improve the forwards lean during end of plant and beginning of takeoff. This should give him the confidence that he can take off further out.

Very strange, but his left bicep appears to be touching his chin after takeoff (maybe he is getting clotheslined!). To do this, the alignment of his body must be askew. You'll have to watch and/or vid him from behind to see this, but he must be leaning sideways one way with one part of his body one way, and leaning the opposite side with another part of his body. I've never seen this before. It's certainly the most unexpected / unorthodox part of his technique. This needs to be corrected immediately. Most of his other technical issues are common for a kid with his experience, but this one is just wrong (no matter what style variation his target or actual technique is).

Poor swing. Get him on a highbar, and teach him how to swing. But even with the best swing possible, his swing isn't going to help much until he fixes all of the above.

The dreaded V. All due to all of above.

He does have some raw potential, so good luck with this kid. If he's keen, I think he's worth an investment of your time and energy.

Kirk

[KirkB]

On an unrelated topic, can you tell me why there's a spare box collar lying near the pit?

Most schools complain about the cost of only one box collar!

Also unrelated, those hurdles (especially the one closest to the pit) are too close to the pit, even if they might be compliant with the safety rules re no hard objects near the pit. When I think of Renaud Lavillenie's accident last year (immediately after his WR clearance), he fell in about that same area.

But maybe that's why the second box collar is there (joking)?

It's just so easy to move the hurdles a few more feet away. I don't understand why people are so lazy.

Kirk

[Mcleodjw]

Thank you very much for the tips/advice.

The pumping of the pole on the run is definitely something I've been working with him. It was a lot worse. We’ll continue to work on it.

We'll also work on the takeoff. Do you think just moving a half step back might help with a forward lean?

He has a bad habit of not extending his left hand/arm and then muscling his way up. This in turn creates the "lean" you are talking about. In 8th grade he would go over the bar sideways. I've worked with him to correct that crazy habit. I think the correcting his forward lean at takeoff might help here.

He has tremendous potential and willingness to learn.

I have another vid of him at an earlier invite. It's a different angle so, you might be able to another side of him.

http://1drv.ms/1zU9ulz

I want to thank you again for the observations.

Coach John

[Mcleodjw]

As for the box collar and hurdles, we were at an Invitational. I total understand about the cost factor about the collar.

Although, the one on the field didn't have the angled inserts into the box, therefore I assume it was an older model.

I will also remember to keep things like hurdles away from the mats. Even though it's not my track, they are my athletes.

John

[KirkB]

I didn't see too much different on the 2nd vid, except that he didn't seem to be touching his left bicep with his chin. Other than that, his flaws are still fairly evident.

The thing about being "in" on takeoff is that it's not an easy problem to fix. It is, however, a very common problem, that many many vaulters face. There's psychological factors at play here - you can't just ask him to move his steps back or he'll then just overstride. And you can't just tell him to lean forward, because if he doesn't move his takeoff back in concert with leaning forward, he's going to get an awful jolt.

And this goes hand-in-hand with having a good (but slight) forwards lean on takeoff, and on stretching forwards immediately after takeoff. It's a chicken-and-egg predicament - which came first?

It's a tough habit to break, but my best advice is to get the feel of jumping up onto a highbar (as if it's a real vault), and then stretching the chest forwards (and trail leg backwards) before swinging. I think you can talk until you're blue in the face, but your vaulters won't "get it" until they actually experience it themselves - and the highbar is the best place (IMHO) to experience this.

Once they "get it", then they'll be motivated to duplicate this action on the pole!

And even if not motivated, their muscle memory (from training on the highbar) will force them to duplicate the same actions on the pole - it will become automatic (without much thought when vaulting).

Kirk

[Mcleodjw]

Once again, thank you for the advice.

Now my quest is to find a straight bar. The high school doesn't allow any type of straight bar on their grounds. They don't even have a hanging rope.
It's an insurance thing.

Thanks again.

John