these are the “points” we should continue to follow……
A. the exact grip (for that person’s physical characteristic), the exact way to stand (takeoff foot forward, the pole lifted correctly into position and the proper way to lean and push out
B. left wrist high and above the elbow
C. keep the left elbow turned out at the plant and takeoff.
D….. Petrov…
1. Before the take-off leg contacts the ground the vaulter needs to create a maximum space between him and the pole. His arms must be stretched, the right (left) arm continues the line of his body, whereas the left (right) arm is at right angle the pole axis. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------…
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Petrov…
Take-off and penetration
The efficiency of this phase depends on the vaulter’s skill in the drop/take-off junction, on whether he is able to begin the push before the pole is set against the box. The pole must be smoothly transferred to the plant position when the vertical take-off plane is crossed. The technically correct movement demonstrates the right acceleration of the pole by the moment the vaulter reaches the vertical take-off plane.
The left arm is not trying to bend the pole; it plants it firmly towards the bar and then transfers the effort to the right hand, so that the pole is bent by the impact of the vaulter’s speed and mass. The vaulter, alert to the resilience of the pole, must perform all the subsequent actions on the pole as on a rigid support.
Petrov…
The grip of the pole during the approach is one of the most important details in a modern vaulter’s technique. In order to reach the maximum controlled velocity during the approach and to naturally proceed to the hang on the pole with subsequent muscle effort shift, to transfer from the hang to overturn on the pole, it is first of all necessary to free oneself from the retarding effect of the pole on the pole-vaulter. To a considerable extent it can be improved by the correct pole hold and width of the hold, i.e. the distance between the hands. A modern technique pattern in pole suggests the grip at the distance of 60-70 cm (distance measured from the thumb of the left hand to the thumb of the right hand).
The width of the grip varies from one athlete to another and depends on the athlete’s height and length of his arms, strength of the arms and mobility in the shoulder and especially in the wrist joints
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Dj.. to reach maximum controlled velocity during the approach run… you must accelerate from the first step. To accelerate correctly there mush be a forward lean and a push from step one.. as the athlete progresses in the amount of speed they will become more vertical in posture simply because that is the “physics” of acceleration. What most vaulters are doing, including T-Mack and even going back to Bubka, is they have to much “control” and less acceleration. that actually creates less “maximum speed” potential on the runway.. Plus when they get to a critical meet or bar height they inevitably (naturally) come out of the start faster to have enough speed for their grip or pole size and miss their steps (to far out at the “MID”) causing a stretched stride losing more speed. (Isi’ at the world champs)
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-Petrov….
1. set up of a single system: vaulter/ pole
2. evolving pattern of the first strides
3. run-up rhythm (acceleration), length and rate of the strides.
Maximum speed, its rationality towards the end of the run-up are established and depend on the correctly performed first strides.
It is necessary to stress here that the position of the pole and the vaulter/pole system influence the length and pace in the beginning of the acceleration.
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¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Petrov..
It is preferable to launch into acceleration the single solid vaulter/pole system while controlling it through the left hand. Various changes in the rate of the movements, pole position, irregular running often occur as a result of the vaulter’s attempts to start run with various jumps, imitating the start in long jump and triple jump). All of this gives rise to so many irregularities and errors that sometimes it is hard to understand the reason for the movements.
Petrov…
During the whole run, including the pole drop, the left hand is held high enough and on the same level (chest level).
The left hand provides the direction and the bearing point around which the drop and the plant take place. If this is the case, then during the run it must remain motionless, positioned higher than the left elbow at all times.
Any motions of the hand (forward, backward, down or sideways) will break the single vaulter/pole system.
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Petrov…
The left hand remains at the same level as 6 steps before the push; while slightly moving ahead, it controls the height and advancement of the pole. Two steps before the push, the pole is a little higher – 10-15 cm above the vaulter’s center of gravity.
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Petrov…
When making the last two steps of the drop, the vaulter should not “lose” the pole by stretching the left arm forward (as if looking for support, the box). All the movements during the drop take place while the left hand is kept over the left elbow.
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What is import here is you have to be doing these things, in the way they are described to jump according to “physics”.
You must start left foot forward, pole held correctly, accelerate at a progressive rate, not at a “controlled” (less than maximum obtainable speed by the 6 step “MID”) rate.
Another point that needs to be made is that Bubka, Isi and even Tully and Bell had their best “left arm picture” (extended) when they were gripping the top of poles that didn’t have the sail piece moved up.. one of the first things noticeable in Bubka’s “technique” was that he was bending the top of the pole “over” and all the way through the top grip.
When I mention this it is generally miss understood.. because the terminology for the “action of bending the pole” is now referred to “loading the pole”. It is not a loading of the pole… and I think the “research” that has been done shows that you can’t “store” enough energy (catapult action) in the pole to give the vaulter much height above grip at all.. height above grip comes from the swing.
The original term was to “shorten the radius”. And in a two pendulum system (same terms Petrov uses) the advantage is not the “loaded pole” but the shortened “radius” that made the fiberglass pole the pole of choice and enabled the men’s record to go up by 4 feet over a 50 year time period. Because we have had 3 generations of vaulters “thinking” catapult the “shortening of the radius”, which a straight left arm accomplishes, term is not an understood concept.
Bottom line is the action (physics) is much more important than a “picture”. The right “action” from the first step, with the correct grip for your speed on a “symmetrically” bending pole will give you the best results for your talent level.
dj
ps.. i mentioned Tully and I and the left elbow....I might add that Tully received much of his technical knowledge from Tellez as I got my base from Guy Kochel (Earl Bell and numerous other champions) from 1974 to 1984.