Indoor track begins! and I need help

[sooch90]

All right, so December 8th was my first meet of indoor track, and it wasn't pretty. I only cleared 12 feet, a foot below my pr, and I was pretty sloppy in general. Here's the video..

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 5889&hl=en
*edit* oops I show the same 12' jump twice, my bad

I'm running from 6 lefts, gripping at about 13' on a 14' 150lb UCS. I like that I'm not striding out nearly as badly as I was before, but I could still shorten up my last 3 lefts some more. However, I'm still leaning back, and my plant needs some major improvements.

What're your thoughts on "upward" pressure at plant? It's evident that a lot of successful vaulters apply upward pressure at plant (and do not get a free takeoff like Bubka), what're your thoughts about that?



Anyway back to me, I've gotten worse! Some how, I'm not getting any pushoff when I jump. These are some of my old jumps
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 3161253292
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 8313141683

So what am I doing differently? Or what am I doing worse? As far as I can tell, I IMPROVED my run and my pole carry, but yet I'm not coming off the pole as well. Is it because I'm "rusty" maybe? (I haven't really had a chance to pole vault since August)

All right, any comments and tips would be highly appreciated
thanks!

[powerplant42]

Well, first off, you most likely are pretty rusty. But, formwise, you're doing a few noticeable things. Your run is nicely structured, and it looks like you should move your run back to 7 steps to increase speed. Your take-off is alright, and you swing to the chord of the pole fine. After that, you start to break down... Once you get to the chord of the pole, you break your trail leg... immediately. So, you can't get an effective upwards roll of your hips and push-pull.

[vault3rb0y]

Your run and carry look fine. Plant is a bit late, and that works in to your worries about your last 3 steps not being quick. The drop looks well timed, and if you let it drop at about 3 steps out, your steps should quicken before your take off. Nothing to say to help get your plant up early, other than to get your hands up a half step earlier!!

I support and train with upward pressure with the bottom arm. Everything in your jump should move up. your arms are getting SMASHED at the take off. There is a happy medium between blocking out and getting your arms smashed. Think about having your top hand as high as possible at the plant, and while finishing your take off and stretching your body, only let your hands come back far enough to be centered over your body in a V shape... the apex of the V being your head. Keep upward pressure with both hands when you start swinging. I get the feeling you may be using your bottom hand to help with your swing, and it only allows your hips to come to a certain point. Instead, keep pushing up with that bottom hand, and swing around the axis of your top hand instead. This will allow you to do a "bubka" on the pole just like you do on a high bar. using that bottom arm to initiate or help with the swing is going to limit the power of your swing. Keep both hands up and let your hips do the work.

Pop-ups can be misleading for what "axis" to swing around, because you can pull with your top and bottom hands and not see a big difference in the jump. But do some pop ups and swing around your top hand, not your bottom, and you will keep your hips moving up better. Then go to a soft pole, holding around 12' (if you say you hold 13' for your jumps in meets) and try to perfect the above technique. Then slowly move up your pole series and don't move up your grip until you are jumping 6"-1' over your handhold. You definitely have the strength to be doing that holding around 12'6-12'9. If you are gripping 13' and jumping 12', go back down to basics and get your form caught back up. My coach always tells me "if your form is bad on a short run, going to a longer run is just like turning up the volume on a bad radio station. Get it looking good on short poles so that when you turn the volume up it still looks good".

Definitely dont add more steps to your run unless your form is as good as you want it to be for the rest of this year. Anyway, hope that helps!

[sooch90]

Thanks so much for the advice guys! I really appreciate it

first about swinging with a trail leg, I tried it, and used to use only a straight trail leg. However, I'd never be able to get my legs fast enough in to a good position. I dunno, I kinda just gave up on it I guess, which is kinda bad, but I just can't seem to get it to work. Plus, it might not be worth spending time and energy trying to break this habit, when I could work on other things.

I've never quite understood this whole "axis" of swinging. What exactly do you mean by swinging from the top hand? How is it any different from just swinging? Could you elaborate a little more?

Yeah, I'm gonna move to a shorter pole whenever I get the chance to practice (which is pretty rare because of the weather) and really work on getting my hands up at the plant.

Thanks again guys for the help!

please keep the advice comin!

[vault3rb0y]

You may have trouble getting into that good position because your take off is under. Becoming comfortable with a more free take off is a difficult but extremely important aspect of vaulting. That will give you more time to finish your take off and set up for your swing before the pole hits the back of the box. Right now you get ripped off the ground a bit.

With regards to the axis of swinging, think about this-

You are on a high bar with your hands directly over your head when you do a swinging bubka. Is this easier or harder to accomplish if your hands are directly over your head, or pushed out in front of you a bit? It is harder with your hands out front, because you are forcing your hips to swing around an "axis" farther from your vertical center of gravity. By axis, i mean the point that your body rotates around when you swing. If it is out in front of you, your swing energy will either be reduced tremendously or even stop, forcing you to flag out before you are inverted.
How this relates to your jump- I get the feeling you are supporting a lot of your body wieght by pulling with that bottom arm. This is the same as forcing your body to swing around that "axis" farther away from your body. If you push up with your hands, and let all your weight balance on your top hand, and only use your bottom hand for upward pressure, your body will swing the same way it does when you are on a high bar- over the "axis" directly over your body. From there, all the power of your swing will go into the pole and you will set yourself up for a much nicer top end.

When i have this problem my mental ques during your jump are "hands high" and "let my swing add the energy, not my shoulders", in case that helps. I hope you understand what i am talking about a bit more now.


Keep in mind, this is just what i see, and i am just an 18 year old vaulter. I can help you with some minor details, but you will need the seasoned experience of a great coach to put it all together. But good luck!

[powerplant42]

Another thing to think about is that elite vaulters don't have a straight trail leg...or do they?... What you could sort of get in your head to help get your leg back, is that the best in the world have a bent trail leg right after take-off. BUT, it's a bend at the knee BACKWARD (I guess it would be tough to have a forward bend, but whatever...). Then, after take-off/follow-through is finished, the trail leg bends anteriorly back to straight, and then the leg continues moving up at the waist. I don't know, maybe just remembering that could help you with your trail leg issue.

[SinCity]

U need to look closely at your takeoff. I'm not gonna say, free takeoff, because their is a misconception around here that can be dangerous. Your run looks decent but still could use some work. Try starting taller and not leaning with your first step. If you lean from the first step then your gonna be leaning the entire run. Your reaching onto your takeoff foot which is causing the rest of your problems. Until you can get your takeoff foot close to underneath your top hand, with great posture then you will never be able to takeoff. And the cause for this, reaching at takeoff, is 1. You need to work on your run and rhythm. 2 Your plant is late. IF you look at your last years vaults your plant is a little earlier, still late, but better and your takeoff is a little better keeping you behind the cord of the pole longer which is critical to jumping well. These are 2 things which if done correctly will lead to more success in the air, and getting better posture in your run, plant and takeoff is the key to vaulting. Don't even worry about the swing yet, that is something that happens from what is done on the ground.

[powerplant42]

A note on upward pressure... if it is applied while you're on the ground, yet the pole tip hasn't reached the back of the box yet, you're good and have gotten a free take-off. You can then push a little more during take-off, then swing and so on.

[vault3rb0y]

Just a thought, but im not sure i agree that if you lean during your first step that you will lean throughout your entire run. I believe bubka even implemented a standing fall for the beginning of his run. I believe that in order to accelerate, many athletes lean somewhat during the first take off step of their run. As long as your pole tip stays up, you aren't falling forward, and you begin to run tall your last 3 steps into the box, you will be fine. The whole point of the run is to set up for your ideal take off. That most always means being as tall and fast as possible your last 3 steps, and if you need to lean a bit to get started, but end up tall at the plant, you will still be ok. Just make sure if you start out leaning forward, it is ONLY for the sake of acceleration and that you end up tall and begin your pole drop in such a way that you feel no weight pulling you forward.

[SinCity]

Ok, well if it is important to be fast the last few strides, than why do you need to acclerate with the first. I believe that you set up your stride pattern, rhythm and posture with your first step and that it is critical to be solid with the first as well with the last. I don't believe you need to accelerate out of the back, it needs to be powerful and dynamic, but not accelerant if that makes any sense.

I just believe you need to start out with correct posture, so you can concentrate on other things during the run. If you are leaning at the start then you will have to correct that throughout your run, which will take focus away from foot strike, plant timing and takeoff.

[powerplant42]

But sprinters (good ones at least,) have a BIG lean at the start of their run. Of course they don't have a pole, but the mass added and displacement of COM isn't really enough to completely abandon the idea of a lean for acceleration at the start of the run. Just my thoughts.

[SinCity]

I understand what you are saying, but It is not a sprint. It is not a race down the runway. It is about being consistant with stride pattern and rhythm, then setting up the takeoff for maximum velocity thru the takeoff. While also setting up good angles with your posture and hands and feet.