*****Keeping the bottom arm straight at takeoff*****

A forum to discuss pole vault technique as it relates to beginning vaulters. If you have been jumping less than a year, this is the forum for you.

Moderator: achtungpv

Pole Vault Pirate
PV Beginner
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:11 pm
Expertise: Current High School Vaulter
Lifetime Best: 14'6"
World Record Holder?: Renaud Lavillenie
Favorite Vaulter: Steven Hooker

*****Keeping the bottom arm straight at takeoff*****

Unread postby Pole Vault Pirate » Wed Mar 24, 2010 12:56 pm

What are some drills that I can do to learn to keep bottom arm straight at takeoff?

User avatar
superpipe
PV Pro
Posts: 265
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2005 2:21 pm
Expertise: Former College Vaulter, Masters Vaulter, Club Coach, High School Coach, Parent
Favorite Vaulter: Who else, Bubka.
Location: State College, PA

Re: *****Keeping the bottom arm straight at takeoff*****

Unread postby superpipe » Wed Mar 24, 2010 2:17 pm

I'm guessing you are kidding, but just in case...

NEVER keep the bottom arm straight at take-off. I won't even go into the details of why not.

Image

Image
Chris Mitchell
MitchellPro Vault Club

Pole Vault Pirate
PV Beginner
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:11 pm
Expertise: Current High School Vaulter
Lifetime Best: 14'6"
World Record Holder?: Renaud Lavillenie
Favorite Vaulter: Steven Hooker

Re: *****Keeping the bottom arm straight at takeoff*****

Unread postby Pole Vault Pirate » Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:03 pm

I don't understand. Bubka is doing it right there.

User avatar
VaultPurple
PV Lover
Posts: 1079
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:44 pm
Expertise: Former College Vaulter, College Coach, Pole Vault Addict
Favorite Vaulter: Greg Duplantis
Location: North Carolina

Re: *****Keeping the bottom arm straight at takeoff*****

Unread postby VaultPurple » Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:09 pm

Pole Vault Pirate wrote:I don't understand. Bubka is doing it right there.


yes he is! but Bubka never straightens his left arm at take off.... you can see how his elbow is to the side in the first picture

Pole Vault Pirate
PV Beginner
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:11 pm
Expertise: Current High School Vaulter
Lifetime Best: 14'6"
World Record Holder?: Renaud Lavillenie
Favorite Vaulter: Steven Hooker

Re: *****Keeping the bottom arm straight at takeoff*****

Unread postby Pole Vault Pirate » Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:19 pm

Oh ya I noticed that. Ok... what I meant to say was. How do I keep my arm extended. When I take off my arm is completely bent and it seems like im not underneath the pole. Do you know what I mean?

User avatar
superpipe
PV Pro
Posts: 265
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2005 2:21 pm
Expertise: Former College Vaulter, Masters Vaulter, Club Coach, High School Coach, Parent
Favorite Vaulter: Who else, Bubka.
Location: State College, PA

Re: *****Keeping the bottom arm straight at takeoff*****

Unread postby superpipe » Wed Mar 24, 2010 9:02 pm

VaultPurple wrote:yes he is!


What? Bubka's bottom arm is NEVER straight, nor should it ever be.

Pole Vault Pirate wrote:How do I keep my arm extended. When I take off my arm is completely bent and it seems like im not underneath the pole. Do you know what I mean?


Not sure what you are saying here, but again, the bottom arm is never straight. The bottom arm elbow must be bent out towards the left to create a "window" for the the head and chest to move through to complete the take-off. If you ever straighten out the bottom arm at your plant or take-off, you are "blocking" and will never get into a finished take-off position shown above to allow you to get the most powerful swing.
Chris Mitchell
MitchellPro Vault Club

Pole Vault Pirate
PV Beginner
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:11 pm
Expertise: Current High School Vaulter
Lifetime Best: 14'6"
World Record Holder?: Renaud Lavillenie
Favorite Vaulter: Steven Hooker

Re: *****Keeping the bottom arm straight at takeoff*****

Unread postby Pole Vault Pirate » Wed Mar 24, 2010 9:06 pm

Ya i know not to block. Bubka's arm is not straight but it's not very bent. What drills can I do to make it to where i am able to do what he is?

User avatar
VaultPurple
PV Lover
Posts: 1079
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:44 pm
Expertise: Former College Vaulter, College Coach, Pole Vault Addict
Favorite Vaulter: Greg Duplantis
Location: North Carolina

Re: *****Keeping the bottom arm straight at takeoff*****

Unread postby VaultPurple » Wed Mar 24, 2010 9:11 pm

His is not very bent because he is gripping 17' and it is a much less greater angle with the ground. The lower you grip, the more bent it will appear.

If your arm bends and hits the pole it is most likely because you are not keeping your core solid at take off and driving your chest up. Just think of jumping and leading with your chest and pushing up as hard as you can with your top arm. The bottom arm takes care of itself when everything else is done right. It is not a very important part of the vault, and should contribute as little as possible.

Pole Vault Pirate
PV Beginner
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:11 pm
Expertise: Current High School Vaulter
Lifetime Best: 14'6"
World Record Holder?: Renaud Lavillenie
Favorite Vaulter: Steven Hooker

Re: *****Keeping the bottom arm straight at takeoff*****

Unread postby Pole Vault Pirate » Wed Mar 24, 2010 9:13 pm

Ok thank you very much

User avatar
KirkB
PV Rock Star
Posts: 3550
Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 6:05 pm
Expertise: Former College Vaulter; Former Elite Vaulter; Former Coach; Fan
Lifetime Best: 5.34
Favorite Vaulter: Thiago da Silva
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Re: *****Keeping the bottom arm straight at takeoff*****

Unread postby KirkB » Wed Mar 24, 2010 11:05 pm

VaultPurple wrote: ... Just think of jumping and leading with your chest and pushing up as hard as you can with your top arm. The bottom arm takes care of itself when everything else is done right. It is not a very important part of the vault, and should contribute as little as possible.

Best advice I've read yet on this thread. :yes:

It's actually an optical illusion to think that Bubka is pressing hard with his bottom arm. When you see his bottom arm straighten, it's only becuz the pole is bending away from him.

But the pole is NOT bending away from him becuz of pressing, pushing, pulling, or blocking by the bottom arm (much). The pole is bending away from him PRIMARILY becuz when he jumped off the ground, all of his energy from his run and takeoff went into the pole thru his TOP hand. His bottom hand just goes along for the ride. Be careful ... pics (even vids) can be deceiving.

To fully understand what he's doing, you'd have to ask him what his intent was. I don't have any quotes off hand, but I'm sure they're along the lines of "I don't rely too much on my bottom arm at all to bend the pole ... it bends becuz of what I do with the TOP arm".

Kirk
Run. Plant. Jump. Stretch. Whip. Extend. Fly. Clear. There is no tuck! THERE IS NO DELAY!

MattM
PV Nerd
Posts: 75
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 8:53 pm
Expertise: Current High School Vaulter
Lifetime Best: 15
Favorite Vaulter: Scott Huffman
Location: Central Oregon

Re: *****Keeping the bottom arm straight at takeoff*****

Unread postby MattM » Thu Mar 25, 2010 7:22 pm

Pole Vault Pirate, a lot of the time when your plant is like you've described is because you have a late plant. Do a lot of walking plant drills and focus on getting your hands up high and having good posture. Do these repeatedly, you can never do too many plant drills. Also make sure that when you take off, you're not under. Being under could also cause a poor, low plant.

User avatar
souleman
PV Lover
Posts: 1015
Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2004 5:56 pm
Lifetime Best: 12-7.5
Favorite Vaulter: Bob Seagren, Bob Richards
Location: Wyoming, Minnesota
Contact:

Re: *****Keeping the bottom arm straight at takeoff*****

Unread postby souleman » Thu Mar 25, 2010 9:36 pm

A lot depends on how high you're currently jumping. If you're a sub ten footer it is going to be hard for you to fully extend like Bubkas picture. That is not to say you don't want to try. Always remember up----and forward----and up. Vault purple is dead on for this question. On the other hand if you're a 10 footer plus you may be "face planting" which is a result of being under. (I wish you could see a video of me jumping and you'd know exactly what I mean). Another way to describe it is "hugging" the pole directly after take off rather than keeping things out in front of you so you can rotate around the shoulders. To fix this you need to work on the plant. In order to work on the plant you need to work on correct running mechanics and consistency. "SOUNDS LIKE A JOB FOR THE DJ MID MARK CHART"! I see you're new to the forum so just go to the search on the forum and dial in "mid mark Chart". It's a long thread but definitely worth the read. Once you understand it (even remotely) it will help you with all of your jumping. Good luck and keep at it. Later....................Mike

P.S. Just read your profile and see you're a 14' 6" jumper. I'll leave the "sub 10 footer" info in my reply in the event someone else could benefit from it. My guess is your problems are a result (in part or as a whole) due to being under and not having the space to keep things out in front of you.


Return to “Pole Vault - Beginning Technique”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 24 guests