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My coach wants me to try a free take off, and obviously that requires keeping the prestretch (i believe thats the term) and keeping both arms extended until the swing comes through naturally. I feel confident in my top arm, but the left arm only gets extended 80% of the time. Is having a consistent bottom hand imperative for deveoping a good free take off, or should i see how things go and make adjustments. Are there any drills that can be done off the runway working on the bottom arm extension.

Im hoping the free take off will assist and a faster swing and more energy which i need to bridge to the next pole. Physically im ready for it as i can get my hips 6' above my grip, but i cant yey handle the flex and resistance of the larger pole, so hopefully more energy in the take off will let me keep the standards past 18 inches. inform me if im wrong about this

A good free takeoff allows the left hand (or bottom hand - Stacy Dragilia vaulted left handed hence the bottom hand was right - a little love for left handed people) to be more extended at take off, but it is more important as to where the hand is located. Many vaulters extend the bottom arm outward instead of upward. The bottom hand, at takeoff, should be more above the head than in front. Perhaps you've heard the coaching cue "high hands". Think of it as jumping to a high bar: both hands are extended above the head. Additionally, to create a swing on a high bar, you essentially have to takeoff "free" or away from the bar. Jumping to the high bar will cause your torso to swing. However, try jumping to a high bar directly under it......there will be very little swing if any at all. Pole vaulting can be viewed quite similarly to swinging on a high bar. Imagine you're running with an imaginary pole toward a high bar at a point jumping with hands extended above your head grabbing the bar and thus swinging forward; that is if you keep your trail leg back. Hey, a pole can bend as much as 90 degrees creating a high bar. Now you just have swing yourself over the top of the high bar. Just for giggles, try the same imaginary drill on the high bar by only reaching with your right hand (or top hand). HA! Good luck with that. Get the point. High hands.............bottom hand more above the head.