PoleVaultPower.com

I use this piece of equipment to help my vaulter develop there core control and to get a feel for which muscles are being used in the invert and how to use them.
just thought I would send out these photos, so that if there are other coaches out there that are looking for Ideas or tools to help teach there vaulter here is one.
I make and sell them, but the money is not the object here, It's about the teaching. If you feel you would like to make your own that's great, if you need more information about the size of the equipment or the size of the material please feel free to txt me. If you would like me to make you one that's OK too. I will try to attach a video of it in use if I can. (youtube, under pole vault training equipment, by Dan McGuinn)


I am located in Tumwater Washington

Is it portable and how much to purchase then ship to Illinois?

Do you have a video of it in use? I'd like to see the drills you have them do on it Any advantage to it over a basic highbar?

GasPasser wrote:Do you have a video of it in use?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxH3Y4EDcy0

There's just one drill demo'd on this vid. I think we need to see more drills - or perhaps each vaulter or coach can use their imagination, and try variations of drills that they've done on a highbar (or rings)?

I like the fact that it's somewhat portable. It can easily be moved out to the track.

I don't like the vertical post being directly behind the vaulter - preventing a full "stretch/whip" motion.

I'm skeptical about the angle of the hands facing somewhat outwards from the body - this doesn't match up very well with the natural angle of the hands on the pole.

Is this intended to simulate any particular motions of the PV, or is it just intended to be used for exercising muscles used in the PV?

One thought that I have is that it might be better to hang 2 rings below the top bars, rather than those red grips? With rings (attached so that they swivel), the natural angle of the hands would be better and easier (this is also the advantage of rings over highbar).

The length of the bottom (horizontal) bars may be insufficient for some swinging drills - to the point of the entire apparatus being in danger of tipping over. Some means of fastening the apparatus to the ground may be needed for swinging drills.

My comments are intended solely to assist you (DLM) in improving your design, or to consider design variations that may be more useful. All-in-all, I think this design is simple and cheap enough to be quite practical and useful for on-the-track training purposes.

DLM wrote: I use this piece of equipment to help my vaulter develop there core control and to get a feel for which muscles are being used in the invert and how to use them.
... It's about the teaching.

Yes, at the very least, I think something like this would be useful for the coach to put the vaulter into certain static positions (between takeoff and inversion), to use as "talking points".

Kirk

I would prefer a stabler design, like 3 triangles (open at the front, with a square base), and then have 2 rings on 2 cross-pieces at the top.

The apex of the triangles would not exist - it's only drawn because I took a stock picture from google images and edited it (and it makes the shape of the triangles easier to visualize).

This drawing needs to be improved, but the bases of the triangles on the 2 sides would be parallel, and would hinge onto the back (middle) triangle to fold up for storage. The dotted base line at the front of the apparatus would also not exist - it's only shown to show the square base.

So if you can visualize the BACK triangle (actually a polygon with a short horizontal cross-piece instead of extending the triangle to its apex) as being the main solid piece, then the 2 side pieces fold onto it (one folding to the front, the other folding to the back).

This design is a lot stabler than your design, DLM, but is more open to the front and the back for swinging drills.

Other than the horizontal piece on the back triangle (at ground level), this design uses no more piping than your design (maybe less because it tapers at the top).

A further design improvement could be to move this horizontal piece up to be near shoulder height of the vaulter (a couple feet lower than the red cross-piece shown, so he's not in danger of landing on it). I drew this horizontal piece as another red bar, to show it's approximate location, and I made the one at ground level a dotted line (since it would not exist). The shape of the back piece would then be sort of an "A-frame" (literally).

The top of the back "A-frame", and the tops of the 2 side pieces could all be curved at the top, rather than having abrupt joints (as drawn).

Here's a ROUGH diagram:

Kirk

Here's a good idea for making the rings:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d_Hzus3Lm8

Or you could buy professional rings for about $60.

http://www.roguecanada.ca/rogue-wood-rings?gclid=CjwKEAjwpcGfBRDni__JqrTIqx4SJAB9BpSOJmyVbXT4D6mjwmdnIYO7vegDz2lAsZj9Hj9FTo6XBBoCQK_w_wcB

Kirk

hello kirk you bring up some questions I didn't think to answer. I have made a 14' tall framework that I hang rings and or a swinging high bar from for swing drills. So I us this tool just to teach core muscle control, to give the vaulters a sense of being upside down and to develop the muscle memory of being in the right position while upside down, and how they use them to get into those position, in a controlled environment. the video does not show this, but it is anchored down in 4 places because the ground is uneven,two in front and two in the rear. but it is not anchored down when I use it on the track or in the gym and it is very stable. I made the handle like this so the can be moved to match the shoulder width of each vaulter and so they could not come off or be taken loose, it a safety thing with me. I took a look at your drawing and I like what I see, while I think it would take more tubing (by the way I use aluminum tube for the frame and stainless for the handles) because I think I see the need for a third A-frame, but it a thought. Kirk I deeply appreciate your comments for with out this kind of feed back we wouldn't grow, and our training and teaching method wouldn't improve.
Thank You

Dan M.