open or closed hand?

[Vault Chick]

I always vault with both hands closed. I've never tried the other method of "The Hook" with my top hand, because in my opinion it seems like it would be hard to get a good grip on the pole at the plant. My coach vaulted a few times with his hand like that, and he barely got a good grip on the pole right at takeoff, so he had to try his hardest just to hold on. However, Jan Johnson teaches the hook.

[JumpinSkiing]

My right wrist used to hurt until I stopped death gripping it on the run, vaulting with a relaxed right hand has worked for me a whole lot better.

[decanuck]

The figure on the front cover of the 07?? UCS Spirit calender shows precisely how Bubka gripped the pole.

I havn't seen that one, but this one shows both hands closed pretty clearly (although the pinky of his bottom hand is up like he's about to sip his morning tea):



Strangely, however, Issy has the top hand wide open:


I'm suprised to see such a fundamental and deliberate difference in two Petrovites. What are your thoughts on which is better (and what do you teach your vaulters)?

[rainbowgirl28]

I'm suprised to see such a fundamental and deliberate difference in two Petrovites. What are your thoughts on which is better (and what do you teach your vaulters)?

Petrov teaches top hand closed as I recall. He only started working with Isinbayeva last year, so she didn't learn that from him. I don't recall him changing that on her though.

[vault3rb0y]

Im asking myself that very question right now during my progression. I used to have an open grip, and somewhere along the way, i started gripping hard with my top hand, i felt more secure perhaps. But now that i have done it enough, i am getting pain in ligaments from the inside of my thumb down my wrist- which hurt less and less and the practice progresses (it hurts the worst during pop ups and the first few short runs). I think the way to go if you have a tight grip is to find a way or position that you can run with that will not bend your wrist in a way its not supposed to. Notice in the pictures of bubka his top hand is actually behind his body as his pole begins dropping. I think that maybe if he tried to bring his hand straight up the side of his body it was beat up on his wrist too! Anyway, i think its preferance, but if you do it a certain way you might need to change a few minor things in your run so you dont hurt your wrist.

[polevaulter08nw]

personally i think i start open and the close like 2 stride in. I don't know really. sometimes i have it closed, i know when it comes to my last 4 stride im closed for sure!

[Lax PV]

Petrov says keep the top hand closed. If you can't do it, you're not flexible enough.

Well put.

As far as the pole going diagonal when carrying with a closed top hand, it actually nutrilizes the pole's weight in your hands I think. This allows your shoulders to remain square, thus no extra twisting is put on the hips doing goofy things to your stide while approaching the box.

[snow26]

personally i think i start open and the close like 2 stride in. I don't know really. sometimes i have it closed, i know when it comes to my last 4 stride im closed for sure!

i pretty mutch do the same thing usually, i'm right handed. I close the right hand at the start and keep the left hand open. then about 2 strides out i close it, kind of pivoting the pole in it as i plant it.
sometimes i just keep both closed, i believed there is more control in a closed right hand.

[altius]

The important things about the grip are -

- how you hold the pole at the beginning of the run = ie supported by the skeletal system not muscular power. it is especially important to have your bottom hand under the pole at that point but I believe that apart from that there is considerable leeway as you run as long as you can stay relaxed through the upper body. - Although Bubka tended to have both hands gripping the pole you will see other elite athletes - including those coached by petrov - with hands open or closed .

The critical element though is that as you plant the pole into the box both hands are solidly gripping the pole so that you can deal with the shock of take off - at that point you do want the body tight, using muscular tension.

[txpolevaulter_k25]

straight out death grip on the pole lol, (both hands closed)

[rainbowgirl28]

The critical element though is that as you plant the pole into the box both hands are solidly gripping the pole so that you can deal with the shock of take off - at that point you do want the body tight, using muscular tension.

I would say it is also important with beginners to make sure they are not regripping the pole at a different point than where they started. I see this fairly often with beginners whose coaches have them overgripped, with a few of my own vaulters, and I even do it sometimes from short run when I am carrying the pole and undergripped Usually the top hand shifts to a different location as the pole is being raised.

This creates a huge inconsistency, as they are not likely to be regripping in the exact same place twice.