Question for all gurus

[vault_coach]

What is the best way to get beginning vaulters to transition from stiff pole drills (knee drives, pop-ups, ect.) to extended arm planting (bending the pole)?

I have been doing tons of slide box drills with my vaulters but as soon as they get on the runway, they go back to left arm collapsing stiff pole vaulting. Do I just need to be patient or is there something specific I can coach them up on???


PS: they are all on appropriate poles.

[master]

One thing I have seen done is first to have the vaulter stand at the box in the correct plant position with correct arm position. Have them look at the pole between their two hands. You, the coach, stand behind them placing your hands on their back and have the vaulter drive their knee up as in the take off and you push and hold them forward. They should arch their back into the classic "C" position and the pole should be bending, at least somewhat. If not, put them on a lighter pole for this exercise. This can be done in a very slow and controlled movement. To make the point of the importance of the stiff arm, have the vaulter let their lower arm collapse when you push and make sure they feel the difference. From this experience, the vaulter can gradually work toward getting the energy from their own forward movement.

As seems to be the case in many aspects of the vault, we need to learn in steps and many times the steps teach (by necessity) characteristics that you need to unlearn in the next step. This may make more sense with an example of what you are experiencing. First we teach a vaulter to jump stiff pole style which requires collapsing the lower arm to facilitate the swing through to the pit. This allows them to begin to learn how to run with a pole, drop the pole into the plant, take off and drive the knee up. Once they learn those things well enough to try to teach bent pole vaulting, we need to teach them how to keep the lower arm more straight at the time of take off. So they have to unlearn the collapsed arm. To do that, we will have them keep their arm straight for an excessively long time. After they learn that bending the pole properly is significantly a function of the straight lower arm at the plant, we need to then teach them that the arm should or can be partially collapsed as soon as your take foot leaves the ground.

"Unlearning" is difficult. Repitition of proper forward plant is the only way to get it learned. A vaulter can take a long time to learn something if they only work on it doing actual jumping. It will surely go faster if they practice their form with pole runs which can be done many more times in a practice than actual jumps.

I ramble, so I will stop and see if any of this makes any sense or if you have questions. Or better yet, hopefully you will get some advice from people with more coaching and jumping experience than me.

[ashcraftpv]

I don't teach my kids to bend, its more of a natural progression in their skill. They learn to vault straight pole style on a pole at their body weight that allows them to safely maximize their grip height. Eventually they progress to the point where they are running fast enough and taking off well enough where the pole will start to bend just slightly without then having to resist with their bottom arm. It is at this point where I get them to try to resist with their bottom arm to make the pole bend more. I then adjust their grip height/pole size in accordance to how well they are pentrating.

[rainbowgirl28]

I don't teach my kids to bend, its more of a natural progression in their skill.

I agree with that. Usually when I see coaches trying to teach the kids how to bend the pole, they are teaching them how to block.

[achtungpv]

I don't teach my kids to bend, its more of a natural progression in their skill.

I agree with that. Usually when I see coaches trying to teach the kids how to bend the pole, they are teaching them how to block.

ditto. teaching kids to bend a pole isn't teaching them to pole vault.

[AeroVault]

Some of the difficulty for young vaulters is they lack the speed to bend poles without blocking. A lot of times confidence and a good plant can overcome this. However, if you can get ahold of some training poles that will bend easily it really speeds along the process. It takes away the fear of getting "stood up" by a pole and lets the vaulter concentrate on the plant.

I call the drill master described as Johnsons and do plenty of those still. I agree they are very effective. On short poles a coach can even push the vaulter all the way into the pit so they get a feel for the pole bend, then trying to swing from the C position.

[vault_coach]

I don't teach my kids to bend, its more of a natural progression in their skill. They learn to vault straight pole style on a pole at their body weight that allows them to safely maximize their grip height. Eventually they progress to the point where they are running fast enough and taking off well enough where the pole will start to bend just slightly without then having to resist with their bottom arm. It is at this point where I get them to try to resist with their bottom arm to make the pole bend more. I then adjust their grip height/pole size in accordance to how well they are pentrating.

This is what I have been doing.

[rainbowgirl28]

You could try shorter poles and see if that helps. Lots of people have different opinions on what is an appropriate pole.

It's really hard for beginning girls to bend a pole rated at or above their weight. It helps a lot if they have some shorter poles to learn on, even if they have to go from a shorter run.

[master]

I recognize that using poles rated at under a vaulter's weight is illegal in HS meets and maybe even during meet warm ups. However, I don't know what rules apply to practice. With this in mind, I think it is a rare vaulter that transitions from stiff pole vaulting to bent pole vaulting without some time on an underweight pole. To me the use of an underweight pole is OK as follows. Safety is the issue and that means the presence of a coach when a vaulter is on an underweight pole. The reason to use an underweight pole is to make it easier for the vaulter to get that first sensation of bending a pole. I have seen newer vaulters on underweight poles jump for several practices without ever stressing a pole. Then, all at once, they do it right and it bends. It usually scares the vaulter the first time it happens. This is where the coach must be ever vigilant. Each subsequent jump could be the one where the coach says, no more jumping on that pole. Move up to a heavier pole and try again. This would proceed (IN PRACTICE) until the vaulter is jumping on an at-weight pole. Until that time the vaulter is limited to stiff pole vaulting at meets in order to comply with the HS rules.

Each coach will need to check their rule books and any school policies. The above comments are only my opinions and not to be considered justification for any specific coaching someone chooses to do.

[vault_coach]

Thanks for the input.

[VaultBrad]

I don't teach my kids to bend, its more of a natural progression in their skill.

I agree with that. Usually when I see coaches trying to teach the kids how to bend the pole, they are teaching them how to block.

ditto. teaching kids to bend a pole isn't teaching them to pole vault.

i agree completely. your straight bottom arm shouldnt be what is bendingthe pole, the momentum from your run and take off should be what bends the pole

[vaultinggoat16]

Everyone I have known has spent time on an underwieght pole working on thier form jumping with a bent pole..I have too I mean 5-10lbs under from a short run