Pole Vault Manifesto

[ADTF Academy]

I think Stensol is very correct when he made the point there is not enough information out there about this segment of the vault.


All the data, books and research is on the approach and takeoff. This is simply because we can while the vaulter is in contact with the ground measure their force production, measure their speed, ......... Once in the air to many coaches just say well if you can get on big poles the rest of it will take care of itself.



I personal think what agapit did was finally open up the community as a whole on the concepts of Well what happens on the top of the vault. How can we use the second phase of the vault to jump higher with more effeciency and not just worry about the approach and takeoff.


I have always said that for the average high school vaulter they should look at the elite women. They more mimic their strength, speed and pole selection. The big guys are fun to watch but they are not applicable to what the young vautlers in this country should be doing.

When a young vautler starts out they should not try to mimic Hartwig's power. It won't happen.


I beleive a second area that is overused and overcoached is the top arm pull during the turn going into the flyaway. This is where I beleive Bubka, Isinbajeva and others exploted so well. THEY STAY AS CLOSE TO THE POLE AS POSSIBLE DURING THE TURN AND FLYAWAY

These vaulters I beleive utilize a key phase of the vault many overlook. THEY USE ALL THE ENERGY REMAINING WHICH THEY PUT IN AND PRODUCED DURING THE VAULT on top. Watch video and you will see some vaulters stay in line with the pole and wrap around it and get launched. Others pull with all their might and get away from the pole as it moves back to the runway.

I don't care what anyone says until they can show me hard core data. No one can produce more energy from pulling away form the pole then they can receive from staying inline with the pole through the entire turn and extension of the top arm.

That is area #1 which I feel makes her better than the other females right now. Though other women are doing this not as good as she does. At least none that I have found. I think DJ termed it best when he talked about the Superman drill on shorter poles. We do these from 3 lefts on 13'7" Delay the breaking of the top arm tell you get on the side of the pole a quarter turn. Finish the wrapping around the pole so the pole continues to rotate into the pit. If you do that you can get on stiffer and longer poles easily by simpily allow the pole to finish its rotation.


The second area is in terms of how to increase the speed and effectivness of your swing. I love hearing the generic statement swing faster. Swing faster. Then the coach walks away and the athelte is left looking around going hmmm.

The swing I teach and look for can best be described as a gymnastics swing. When I watch Isinbajeva jump she does not have a great takeoff she is under. But what she does great is loads the body with energy. Hidden energy that is not talked about enough. Being elastic. Stretching a tight muscle group out so that when it reaches its max it snaps back with more force than you can produce on your own.

This is how you swing faster. By being elastic and then not doing anything like folding in half to stop it from occuring. As your stomach stretches out it will snap back and bring your hips and pelvis with it with tremondous force. When the hips snap back guess what the quads stretch relfex will snap back and snap the foot down with tredmendous force/torque. What does this created ANGULAR MOMENTUM. This is used to swing to inversion.

Angular momentum is created with long radius x slower velocity or shorter radius x faster velocity. Swing vaulters use the first way power vaulters use the second way. As a swing vaulter, why bring your knee to your chest. Watch Isinbajeva jump. Does she bring her knee to her chest or do they aim more for her hands. The better you are are this you will have no wasted moments. No passive moments. You will continuously move, provide energy and less energy will bleed out of the pole-vaulter system

This will enhance your ability to perform the pull action we talked about early with the shoulders driving down and under you because your hips are above your shoulders making this much easier. Try it on rings or a high bar. It is much easier to do the action we are talking about if your hips start above your shoulders. Also if your shoudlers are infront of your top arm the action will be easier as well. These two visual cues are huge. Postion of hand to shoulder and hips to shoulder.



FX

When I have every heard rowing or talked about rowing it was after the takeoff. It was the moment when you start your swing. You aggressively row your hands forward as a way to get your feet to move quickly so that you can tuck quicker and increase your rotational velocity. The way I think of it is like this. A professional basketball player who is good at 3's will fire their feet forward so that their hands move forward easier with less effort. Power vaulters should use the same theory. The biomechanical law of ends and middle. When one end of your body does something the other end must match it. Violently move your hands your feet will move violently. This is wanted in a power vaulters vault. Not in a swing vaulter. They want the hips to move first. This is why they are told not to aggressively row their hands.

What it seems your talking about is later in the vault. I am not sure what people talked about rowing to you about. Or maybe I learned about it wrong. Rowing to me is to initiate the swing. Not the pulling action we are talking about. The basic Bubka motion is more or less the same as rowing a boat per say. I perfer to say perform a romanian deadlift motion. Because it emphasizes making sure that your top hand make contact with your top hand side thigh. As well as your shoulders must remain square and your back straight. This way you become a straight arrow and the pole is a bow launching you into the air.

[master]

I have a picture in case u didnt get that weird explanation, but I made it in paint, and I cant put it on putfile because it is a .bmp so if u wanna see it got any ideas on how to get it up on the internet?

Open it back up in Paint. Select File>SaveAs and in the Save As Type drop down box select JPEG. Then click on the Save button. You will have it as a .jpg file and that should be usable on Putfile.

- master

[fx]

Thanks master, for some reason the box did not drop down before. You can see my little picture on

http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=7/18320501876.jpg&s=f10

It looks weird because if the hands row, or apply pressure in the direction of the arrows it seems like the arms should move in that direction. However, what I'm trying to get across is that the hands dont really move in the direction that they apply pressure, and instead, they basically stay in the same place and everything moves around them. This would make sense if they are applying pressure down the pole, so they dont move because there is nowhere for them to move to and the legs must swing up to the pole and the shoulders drop (not the same as the shoulder drop/hip thrust up).

DJ- you talk about how the rowing motion you know, which I think is the same rowing that I am talking about, will cause your feet to move more quickly, because like you said they are like opposites and moving one causes the other to move. Tuck and shoot vaulters use this to cover the pole more quickly, but this doesnt mean that "swing vaulters" should not also use this right? The main difference between the two styles is that one involves a long trail leg while the other does not. A quick swing is still preferred in a swing vault. This is why I think that rowing is also important in the swing vault because it will, as you say

increase your rotational velocity

which will make a quicker swing.

PS in the picture, the guys arms stay straight while applying the pressure, but I guess the left one can have a little bend in it.

[ADTF Academy]

DJ- you talk about how the rowing motion you know, which I think is the same rowing that I am talking about, will cause your feet to move more quickly, because like you said they are like opposites and moving one causes the other to move. Tuck and shoot vaulters use this to cover the pole more quickly, but this doesnt mean that "swing vaulters" should not also use this right? The main difference between the two styles is that one involves a long trail leg while the other does not. A quick swing is still preferred in a swing vault. This is why I think that rowing is also important in the swing vault because it will, as you say

increase your rotational velocity

which will make a quicker swing.

PS in the picture, the guys arms stay straight while applying the pressure, but I guess the left one can have a little bend in it.

First off ADTF Academy made that point not DJ

Next, the rowing issue for pressure or power vaulters does accomplish the quicker swinging of the legs. However, what I feel it adds more in is the pressing or moving of the apex of the bend into the pit so that when it uncoils it can launch you over a bar that is a minimal of 18 inches from the box. The movement of the arms referred to as rowing accomplishes this. It also allows the feet to move very quickly to counter the force the hands are applying so you can reduce your radius of rotation and tuck quicker and easier.


Why I feel this is not the same for the swing vaulters is because of the need for elasticity in the stomach and quad. If the hands move premature in a violent nature hence rowing then this stretch reflex is reduced and the hips are not snapped back into alingment first. Those using the swing method should realize that the pole is following a set parabola and you are simply trying to beat the pole to the point when it will pass the position of the crossbar.

I feel some rowing is performed naturally and should be. However it is not the same as it is performed during the pressure vautlers rowing motion. I do feel this violent rowing motion could have a place later in the vault. When the swing vaulter is performing their shoulder pressing down and under them. I could see a slight emphasis could be on driving your hands into your thighs so that your legs do not fall off the back side towards the bar. Other than that. LEAVE YOUR TOP ARM ALONG. Concentrate on being elastic (loading your muscles with energy in a stretch reflex) and allowing the swing to happen naturally. Don't do anything to stop it from swing you to inversion, hence don't bring your knees to your chest. Once the hips are above the shoulders and you are in the "U" as i call it others call it the "L" press those shoudlers down and under you and pull on that top arm with all your mite.

A finally reason I don't think the rowing action for swing vaulters to be emphasized goes back to my point on performing the BUBKA motion. The shoulder pressing down and under you which pulls on the pole. If your top hand is in front of your shoulder than this action is more difficult. The longer your top hand remains behind your shoulder (towards the runway) the easier it is to accomplish. If your hand gets out a head of your shoulder (towards the pit) this action is more difficult.

To see what I mean watch Feofanova's 4.70 jump I beleive and Isinbajeva's 5.00 or 5.01 jumps. Look for those principles.

You wills ee Feofanova move her arms early in the jump and only her feet will move she will tuck and her top arm will move infront of her shoulders. All she can do is shoot out of this position and get away from the pole. Isinbajeva on the other hand does not put the same emphasis on the top arm and her hips continuously move. Her top hand stays behind her shoulders and she easily moves her hips above her shoulders and she remains in line with the pole.

Feofanova is a weird breed. She is one of the only pressure vautlers i have seen that can perform a free takeoff/pre jump and still make it safely in the pit. Quite amazing actually. Then again what injury did she sustain? This combination of the two principles could be what caused her injury. Thats a lot of pressure on the top arm when it is locked out and your in flight when the force finally hits your top hand.

[ADTF Academy]

By the way FX looking at your aviator your in perfect positon to do what I am saying.


If this is the position you normally acheive what you should try is this.


Pertend like you are trying to take your hips to the deepest part of the pits. Don't worry about your hands. Don't worry about your feet. Simply focus on letting your hips punch to the deepest part of the pits. This means your lead knee drive can not go any steeper than 90 Degrees.

Once your hips punch out in front of you, your foot will drive down towards the box and then towards the back of the pits let it. Once your hips move to a position parallel to the pits (which they will if you let them naturally and automatically) Drive your shoulders as hard as you can down and under you. it is key that they remain square to the ground. Don't let your bottom arm shoulder dip to the ground.

Finally flex your shins, quads and hip flexors so that your feet don't fall off the back side. Allow your hands time to run into your thighs. Until this happens don't turn. Once it hits drive your left shoulder towards the pits and allow your right hip to roll over your left hip. Right foot over left foot.


If you relaxed and let this accomplish on a pole within your ability in length and flex rating. You should have had no problem reaching inversion and wraping around the pole


(these remarks above were dependent on if you were a right handed vautler as it appeared.)

Take your hips to the deepest part of the pit swing vautlers. You will be amazed what happens. You will move up poles in no time plus you will reach inversion with greater ease. Don't rush trying to rock back as most call it. Take the longest route possible to get there. Trust me in the end the best route is never the short cut (tucking)

[fx]

All of this that you are describing is after I have finished the takeoff and driven through the chest first right? Otherwise it sounds WICKED dangerous. Also, take a look at this vault, does it seem to describe what you are talking about?
http://www.neovault.com/mem_vv_season05_skipper_580.asp

The part of this that I see in what you are saying is that he seems to be driving with his hips during the first part of the swing, and you can see that his legs start to bend, but then they straighten again, which I though you were describing when you talked about "flex your shins, quads and hip flexors ". I tend to think about swinging through the toe, so I keep my trail leg long the whole time, so this sounds kinda weird, but I'll try it sometime.

[ADTF Academy]

Skipper though a great jumper and physical specimen does not have a perfect swing.

Watch the ladies man. Watch the ladies. Skippers swing is not the one to watch. He breaks his trail leg for no reason. This does not help his vault. It is an old habit that has never been fixed. It does not aid or help the vault. If anything it slows his move to inversion and that is why he slightly falls away from the pole on top and can not wrap completely around it like Isinbajeva does.


Watch the ladies.


What I was talking about is way after the takeoff. Way based on your length of pole. If your on a small pole it will happen right away. The longer the pole the later it will happen. It happens automatically as long as you don't purposely force the hips to stay back. That comment is based on FX's aviator.

[fx]

Alright ADTF I'll watcht the lady's, but just for you . It seems to me like you're just trying to describe to me how to perform the swing. However, the way you describe it places a lot of emphasis on swinging through the hips, then flexing everything once you get to the L position and dropping the shoulders. Heres how I think about it: starting from my avatar. At this point you can start the swing, so you want to simultaneously be trying to kick your toe to the top of your pole and trying to be pressing outward with it (away from your body). Very hard to describe exactly how I think about it. This is when you can perform the rowing action, to help speed up the swing. like you said, this is not a super active swing and I dont really think about doing it much.

However your, "deepest part of the pit swing vautlers" sounds different from my idea of what a swing does. It seems like yours is much more important in putting more energy into the pole and using the swing to drive the pole into the pit more. Is this different from what a swing (not tuck and shoot) usually does?

[ADTF Academy]

However your, "deepest part of the pit swing vautlers" sounds different from my idea of what a swing does. It seems like yours is much more important in putting more energy into the pole and using the swing to drive the pole into the pit more. Is this different from what a swing (not tuck and shoot) usually does?

Different or different way of thinking. I use the swing and think about the swing as the main way to one cause the pole to bend. Due to the torque created in the swing. Remember the pole should represent its largest bend when your in the "U" or "L" position. Secondly it is used to rotate the pole into the pit.

Guess what if it rotates to easily you can simply go to a stiffer pole. The beauty of this emphasis. Stiffer sticks are the ultimate goal. They can store more strain energy. Therefore you will have more potential energy waiting for you on top. A double bonus.

I basically teach swing through the hips the feet will follow. If you think sweep through the toe or foot the hips usually fall behind. Just a thought for you to try.

[Tim McMichael]

FX.

The action you illustrate in your drawing is exactly the concept most people have of pulling on the pole. I think it is a misconception concerning the positions involved. I will try a more detailed explanation with an illustration of my own. Remember, what I describe is what it feels like to me, and may not be entirely accurate in terms of exact lines of force.

There is a plyometric principle at work here. A muscle that is contracting against the resistance of a forced stretch fires much faster and stronger than a muscle contracting from a static position. In the plant I am describing, there is an enormous forced stretch that travels through the body from the right hand all the way to the left foot. All of the muscles between those points are stretched as far as possible in a fraction of a second. The pull is a rebound out of that position. The right hand initiates the movement, but there is a coordinated firing of every muscle that has been stretched. The major groups involved are the right lat and deltoid and the left quad.

http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=7/18610011975.jpg&s=f10

The pull must be timed to match the instant of greatest stretch. It only aids the natural rebound out of that position; it does not create power or momentum that is not already there; it just helps it along.

Once the vaulter is on his back, the left hand resists directly against the direction of the pole. The shoulders drive down towards the box, and the hips and legs rise in reaction to that movement.

[Stensol]

So Tim, you're saying that this initial pull helps keep the vaulter's momentum going forward, that is, the pull helps to "keep the pole moving", right? By virtue of the fact that the pull is keeping the pole moving forward, then it must follow that the vaulter's forward-moving momentum as a reaction to a driving take-off, a hand-to-toe stretch, and a effectively timed pull and "whipswing" is putting extra energy into the pole that the vaulter can exploit via the launch.

In other words, if any element of the drive/stretch/pull-"whipswing" is subpar or lacking in any other way (e.g., poor timing of the pull), this must equal less energy into the pole and less of a recoil launch potential, all other factors being equal. Well, at least this is the way I'm interpreting all of this, and Tim's drawing is a huge help in being able to grasp these concepts.

Tim, is it fair to say that an explosive and well-timed drive/stretch/pull component is key to getting on heavier poles (given that the vaulter is carrying the speed of the final 3 or 4 steps smoothly into the take-off)?

[Tim McMichael]

Tim, is it fair to say that an explosive and well-timed drive/stretch/pull component is key to getting on heavier poles (given that the vaulter is carrying the speed of the final 3 or 4 steps smoothly into the take-off)?

In my experience, learning to swing as I have described it made a significant difference in the size of pole I could use. If I did not swing on my biggest poles, I would barely make it past the box. On full jumps I always had my standards between 60 and 80cm back. So the swing added about 2’ of penetration or roughly three full pole sizes.

From what I have observed, the opposite seems to be the norm. Most vaulters penetrate less on full jumps than when they just plant and hang.