PoleVaultPower.com

I've read that a pole vaulter should lift low reps and high weights for strength.
Is this true? Also, should I incorporate this low rep high weight method into all my weight lifting such as bench press and squats?

It depends on what your goal is. But yes, high weight and low reps is more beneficial to building strength.

But usually you would want to start with something with a few more reps and a lower weight like 3x8 for a month to get conditioned and used to lifting, then switch to the higher weights.

So generally with workouts you would start in fall with 3 or 4 sets of about 6-10 reps and then after a while start going to more weight and lower reps and maybe more sets.

So for example:

October Bench Workout: 3x10 at 155lb

November Bench Workout: 4x6 at 175lb

December Bench Workout: 1x5 to warm up with something like 155 then 5x3 going up in weight (165,175,185,195,205)

VaultPurple wrote:It depends on what your goal is. But yes, high weight and low reps is more beneficial to building strength.

But usually you would want to start with something with a few more reps and a lower weight like 3x8 for a month to get conditioned and used to lifting, then switch to the higher weights.

So generally with workouts you would start in fall with 3 or 4 sets of about 6-10 reps and then after a while start going to more weight and lower reps and maybe more sets.

So for example:

October Bench Workout: 3x10 at 155lb

November Bench Workout: 4x6 at 175lb

December Bench Workout: 1x5 to warm up with something like 155 then 5x3 going up in weight (165,175,185,195,205)

Thanks so much. I did not expect such a detailed response. I will use your workout.

Depending on your PR, you should probably not be lifting much at all, especially in high school. Far more important to be working on your plant and take-off than on your pectoral strength.

If you can't help it and feel like you really have to lift, VP's general concept works. The further away from peak you are, the more light weight stuff you should be doing. Make them explosive lifts, and do as much body weight lifts (including plyometrics) you feel comfortable with.

powerplant42 wrote:Depending on your PR, you should probably not be lifting much at all, especially in high school. Far more important to be working on your plant and take-off than on your pectoral strength.

If you can't help it and feel like you really have to lift, VP's general concept works. The further away from peak you are, the more light weight stuff you should be doing. Make them explosive lifts, and do as much body weight lifts (including plyometrics) you feel comfortable with.

My season ended and there seems to be no other way for me to vault so I figured during the break I could work on building more strength and explosiveness.

Do you have any sort of access to any sort of poles?

Also, do you have a high bar? This is essential.

powerplant42 wrote:Do you have any sort of access to any sort of poles?

Also, do you have a high bar? This is essential.

Unfortunately, I do not have access to any poles or high bars

That's a shame... You ought to consider building one! I did just that.

If you can't get a real pole, even some PVC works for plant drills and pole runs. You just need SOMETHING to keep those motions in your muscle memory. You really do lose things between seasons if you don't keep up a rhythm of training.

powerplant42 wrote:Depending on your PR, you should probably not be lifting much at all, especially in high school. Far more important to be working on your plant and take-off than on your pectoral strength.

If you can't help it and feel like you really have to lift, VP's general concept works. The further away from peak you are, the more light weight stuff you should be doing. Make them explosive lifts, and do as much body weight lifts (including plyometrics) you feel comfortable with.

How about when someone ask for how to lift, you respond how to lift. And if they ask if they should lift or do something else, then tell them your opinion. But some of these threads get way off topic. Yes high bar is important, but then go make a thread about the importance of high bar, and leave the threads about lifting... about lifting...

Lifting is a very important part of pole vaulting. It does not matter what your PR is. Age is more important than PR. If you are over 15, you should be lifting weights if you want to be the best athlete you can be... in any sport!

You need everything in pole vault. Sprinting, lifting, gymnastics, drills, vaulting. Its a really hard sport to train for and you need it all. Yes some may be more important than the others, but you need them all, so when someone ask for help in one area, help them in that. Them maybe we can keep a thread on topic for once.

"How about when someone ask for how to lift, you respond how to lift. And if they ask if they should lift or do something else, then tell them your opinion. But some of these threads get way off topic. Yes high bar is important, but then go make a thread about the importance of high bar, and leave the threads about lifting... about lifting...

Lifting is a very important part of pole vaulting. It does not matter what your PR is. Age is more important than PR. If you are over 15, you should be lifting weights if you want to be the best athlete you can be... in any sport!

You need everything in pole vault. Sprinting, lifting, gymnastics, drills, vaulting. Its a really hard sport to train for and you need it all. Yes some may be more important than the others, but you need them all, so when someone ask for help in one area, help them in that. Them maybe we can keep a thread on topic for once."

Come down of your high horse old son - because I would have responded -and have responded on many occasions -to questions about weight training in the same way as PR42. At the level of this athlete everything is not important - TECHNIQUE is important above all things - weight training is an absolute distraction -only to be done at this point IF there is NO possibility of putting the same amount of time in with a pole - even a pvc pipe - because the biggest problem with virtually everyone who posts on the beginner and intermediate strands here is not lack of strength - it is limited technique. Limited, because like most folk - even some who should know better - they do not understand that through simple repetitive drills they can perfect their run/pole carry and plant - the absolute keys to safety and success. As long as weight training is the soft option young vaulters will never be encouraged to undertake the repetitive drills -to train like gymnasts in effect - necessary to begin to master this event.

So to restrict a response to the topic as you suggest and not try to improve a youngsters understanding of how to become a better pole vaulter is definitely not what pvp is about. YOU can offer as much advice as you like on the best way to weight train - it is pretty simple stuff after all -and I will continue to tell folk that unless there is no possibility of working with a pole - and the only alternative is playing on the Xbox - do not worry about weight training - do simple body resistance exercises when you get up in the morning for example.

I am certain that if Becca thinks we are too far off topic she will do something about it - without you becoming a censor.

Sprint work and light plyometrics on the track are good things to do for strength at this stage of development. Doing things like ostriches, high skips, and bounds all help with strength AND with technique/speed... especially if you do some of these sorts of drills with a pole.

Also, as I'm sure altius will also agree with, general physical games are great to do right now. His favorite's volleyball.

And sit ups are always alright... But core work on a high bar is preferrable.

I cannot agree that it is a good idea to discourage anyone from weight training. To the contrary, an intelligent system of progressive resistance training can set the course for a lifetime of healthy living. The many benefits of weight training are well documented.
Respectfully,every young athlete who takes up pole vaulting is not going to be the next Joe Dial or Mary Saxer, but everyone can benefit from properly supervised and executed lifting programs.
Certainly, ample time should be devoted to technique drills and gymnastics for the developement of vaulting proficiency, but I must add that to say "do not lift" is disingenuous at best and potentially detrimental.