Legs Drop

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.

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PV4Free
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Legs Drop

Unread postby PV4Free » Sat May 13, 2006 10:43 pm

One major problem that i am encountering when i jump is that at the point where i initiate my pull/turn i let my legs drop instead of keeping them vertical until the turn is complete and it is time to pike over the bar.

This results is most of the energy generated in the pull and push rotating my upper body instead of creating vertical height. Often times i land with such rotational velocity i get a headache even with a helmet on.

If anyone knows how i can amend this it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I am 6 feet tall, 170 pounds.
Use 14' 175 lb. Pacer gripping at 13'-06"
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fx
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Unread postby fx » Sun May 14, 2006 11:00 am


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Unread postby PV4Free » Sun May 14, 2006 5:59 pm

Thanks fx.

When you practice jumping and you let your legs drop, do you feel like you're almost whipping your upper body down into the pit? I seem to encounter this when I practice on a shorter training pole.
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Unread postby Cooleo111 » Sun May 14, 2006 6:15 pm

I think what you need to do is keep swinging after your takeoff. When you feel like you should stop, don't. By swinging further, you should stay on the pole longer, and you will get launched up off the pole instead of away from it.

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Unread postby AKell » Sun May 14, 2006 8:33 pm

Cooleo111 wrote:When you feel like you should stop, don't. By swinging further, you should stay on the pole longer, and you will get launched up off the pole instead of away from it.


You're right- the only way to stay up and go higher is to get farther back- your momentum will still get you into the pit, just trust it. Look how far back bubka gets- "don't try this at home" :P but that's the idea.
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Unread postby PV4Free » Sun May 14, 2006 10:06 pm

Do you think that is why my standards need to be way back at 25" even when I'm holding 6" down on a pole that is at least 5 lbs over my weight?
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Unread postby rainbowgirl28 » Sun May 14, 2006 11:58 pm

PV4Free wrote:Do you think that is why my standards need to be way back at 25" even when I'm holding 6" down on a pole that is at least 5 lbs over my weight?


25" is not way back.

It's a good thing to have your standards farther back.

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Unread postby polevaulter08nw » Mon May 15, 2006 6:48 am

my standards are around 27 on a poles 35 - 45 pounds over my weight.
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PV4Free
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Unread postby PV4Free » Wed May 17, 2006 4:50 pm

I have also realized that when I take full jumps, I have the nasty habit of rushing out of the rock back position immediately into the invert and trying to turn all too quickly. What can I be doing to improve my timing so that I become more patient and do not hurry everything on the top of the pole?
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Unread postby Flying D » Wed May 17, 2006 11:00 pm

PV4Free wrote:I have also realized that when I take full jumps, I have the nasty habit of rushing out of the rock back position immediately into the invert and trying to turn all too quickly. What can I be doing to improve my timing so that I become more patient and do not hurry everything on the top of the pole?


i think i have the same problem so i would also like to know this. good question
"How high you go depends on how hard you try"

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Unread postby PV4Free » Fri May 19, 2006 4:16 pm

One suggestion that i received was to practice jumping on a very soft pole. This will get you used to holding your invert until your weight comes off the pole. When your weight comes off the pole, it is then time to pull and turn. Try to get a pole that is soft enough that you can jump on easily, using no more than 4 steps. I have yet to try this out myself but let me know if this works.
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difallstar
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Unread postby difallstar » Wed May 24, 2006 7:27 am

i had that problem but i soon was able to fix it. first get somebody to chek ur step u may be under which will force u to swing off the ground. if ur good then draw something on ur drive knee and look at it the whole time, this will keep ur head foward and momentum foward so u dont swingup immediatley. u should be able to feel when to swing when u get this down, the pole will sorta stop moving for a sec, a quik sec,
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