Posted by Vault Fan on July 25, 2001 at 09:29:10:
In Reply to: Pole Vault Coaching Tips posted by Vault Fan on July 25, 2001 at 09:15:06:
The following are 20 selected responses to Vaultworld’s survey for Pole Vault Coaching tips:
1. Phil Gorrill 20:24:35 5/17/99 P/B 14’
strong knee drive and strong trail throughout
swing, rotation at the shoulders
feet at one o'clock positon
11. Jennifer Infantino 10:03:10 11/11/97 9’
driving the right knee and keeping the left leg back until the time is right to swing it;
swing the hips to the hands and invert
15. Chip Owen 18:04:14 11/04/97 14-0
first of all you need to have your trail leg
back as far as possible then when you start
your swing up you will gain tons of momentum
when you swing getting yourself right on
your back
21. Brian DeLoriea 16:30:53 10/21/97 11’ in 8th grade
having a good trail leg and waiting for your pole to start to recoil before swinging up
24. Warren Evans 19:37:36 10/16/97 Coach and PV
A big delay followed by an active aggresive
paddle with the arms and a powerfull kick
of the take off leg
37 Courtney Keith 16:26:56 8/29/97 PV
Momentum. Work those abs!
40. Jen Sutyak 18:01:01 8/14/97
Good penetration in the pole and great abdominal and upper body strength.
42. Tim McMichael 06:51:20 7/31/97 PV & Coach 18-5
A great swing up must transfer energy to the pole and put the vaulter in an optimal
position to go for the bar. This area leaves alot of room for individual differences. For
everyone, however, the weight of the legs must be behind the hips at the completion of
the swing up.
48. Paul Jorgensen 23:34:29 7/03/97 Coach
The run and the plant allow for a good swing. I would emphasize the chest, "C", keeping
the trail leg straight on take off. The body should be stiff like a board
58. Karl Koonce 10:17:16 6/10/97 Coach
A good knee drive and straight back leg. It also important to know when to swing up.
62. Jeff (CAVEMAN) Culligan 17:05:34 6/03/97 PV 14’
The swing up will be much easier if the approach and plant/takeoff are done correctly.
BUT, keeping the arms and legs long throughout the swing will put you in a great
position to maximize energy when the pole begins its recoil. Really use your armstrength
to get upsidedown here.
103. Shawn McGrew 17:21:24 4/02/97 PV 14’3
When the momentum of the run hits your butt and you feel it kick your swing leg as if you were
kicking a football as hard as you can.
116. Jeff Hess 18:42:21 3/25/97 Coach
Stay behind the pole initially to load pole. Prepare to row with arms as legs whip up to meet
arms.
135. Ivan Chacon 19:41:06 12/02/96 PV 15-6
Abdominals. If you have a weak stomach your swing leg will be slow. You need to be shredded
and strong in the stomach. Make the swing deep so you lift your whole body with it, landing on
right hand right hip.
142. John Ambrose 13:33:31 10/24/96 Coach and PV 16’
A good inverted C.The energy stored during the drive in can help you swing upside down.
Vaulters also need to remember that the bottom arm has to give after the drive in, in order to be
able to rock completely upside down.
154. Mike Sullivan 01:28:20 8/27/96 PV 13’6”
A great swing up is the product of your approach, plant, and knee drive. Then you need to follow
through with your hips and get vertical. Pretend that there is a hoop at the top of your pole or
directly above you in the air and try to get your feet to go straight through that hoop before you
ever try to turn.
155. Greg Schroeder 01:24:27 8/27/96 PV 16-5
A great swing up can only occur after a great run and a great plant. Without the first two
elements, a swing up can only be adequate or functional, but never great. If the first two elements
are great, then the swing up is almost automatic. To focus on the swing up is like putting the cart
before the horse. If you're not swinging up well, you are probably not running and planting well.
Sure, its a lot of fun to practice swinging up. However, most vaulters (i.e. you and me) would be
better off concentrating on our runs and plants. Very few vaulters come away from a jump saying
"My run was great and my plant was great but the jump was no good."
158. Jon Anderson 01:07:41 8/27/96 PV 16’ 3/4”
A good swing up follows from a good plant and approach.
Always be active on the pole, rowing with
the upper arms as you swing your lower body
161. Geoff Steward 00:56:19 8/27/96 Coach and PV
Conversion of runway speed gathered during the approach to rear leg drive allowing a full swing
from the shoulders. The straighter the athlete's body during the swing, the less energy that is
wasted in trying to extend at the top of the pole [from a piked position]. In order to swing up
effectively, the athlete must develop and maintain trunk strength...an integral part of ALL pole
vault workouts.
164. Tim Suto 00:46:01 8/27/96 Coach and PV
A great swing up requires control in disributing
body weight. The vaulter must wait before tucking his legs
and then twist and sky at the appropriate time
It requires timing and being able to know where your body is
at all times
174. Shawn Devereaux 23:24:25 8/26/96 Coach
A strong high plant. Keep both arms long not stiff, allow arms to drag back. Lead with your chest
not hips. Long seperation between driving lead leg and trail leg. Swing up rotating at the
shoulders not the hips.
181. Mario Oliver 15:39:29 8/25/96 Coach and PV
I go with the single leg swing. During the swing, maintain a leg lever with the trail- leg. Maintain
maximum seperation from the pole with the arms as they row the pole through. Swing the hips
up high, not allowing the butt to hang.