Erica wrote:If you look at #3 under common passive phases, it talks about "vertical" a little bit, but may not be very clear on why it is not desirable to attempt to do this. When a vaulter slows their forward and upward momentum in order to "get back" or "drop to the shoulders" they have a passive phase in which they must then wait for the pole to lift them while they are in that "vertical" position.
If more focus is put on generating speed and power at the takeoff with the correct angle, and contunuing and maintaining that speed through the entire vault, there will be much more upward progress and continuation of that progess, resulting in a higher vault. Many elite vaulters can make it look like they are getting completely vertical, but this is the result of the angle and the momentum generated at takeoff and continued through the swing. It is not because of an attemp to get upsidedown. Like the article mentioned, there are elite vaulters that obviously don't get upside down, and it does not limit them. Look at video of Markov and Feofanova.
So basically, try to generate as much momentum as possible so that when you swing your feet are higher in the air with more momentum behind you, instead of trying to get to your back and wait to be lifted.
If you ever vaulted on a rigid pole you would understand that you cannot wait for pole to lift you. There is nothing there to lift you. On the rigid pole you would never get perfectly inverted. So, why the fiberglass is different?
agapit.