Jumps Are All Running Jumps
If you¡¯ve ever high jumped, long jumped, or triple jumped, you know that the approach sets up the entire jump. Whether an athlete has a successful jump is almost always determined by the approach. The same is true for the pole vault. You cannot have a good plant and everything thereafter if you¡¯re approach is wrong. Get consistent.
¡Is Fast Approaching
Take the ¡°right¡± steps in your approach. The pole vaulter should begin the run aggressively, building momentum. The vaulters¡¯ steps should be directed along the axis of the pole, so that the pole is being ¡°pushed¡± down the runway. A pole vault approach should be between seven and ten takeoff steps, shorter for a beginning vaulter and all runs should be appropriate to a vaulter¡¯s ability to accelerate and hold that speed, not the athlete¡¯s actual top speed.
The best vaulters are not always the fastest, but the best at not slowing down just before the plant and accelerating into the pit. When pole vault coaching, make it easier on your athletes and tell them only to count their steps with their takeoff foot, so they are counting in a fairly regular pattern, not too fast, and only up to seven, eight, nine, or ten.
Hand Holding Heaven
What is the best way to hold pole vault poles?
Answers: Grip the pole with hands about shoulder-width apart (measuring trick: grab the pole with your top hand, rest your forearm on the pole and grip with your bottom hand just below your elbow). Top hand with palm facing up, bottom hand with palm facing down and the top hand should be within the assigned grip range of your pole vault pole.
When you carry the pole, the top (rear) hand should be just behind the hip and the bottom (leading) hand, near the center of the chest at a right angle to the elbow. After the first few aggressive steps, the pole tip is relatively high, the pole tip should drop slightly with each step, the change in position controlled by top (rear) hand. The tip of the pole vault pole should be at forehead height just before the plant. Next, it¡¯s on to the next phase.
Wonderful Women
Does your high school have the pole vault? What about girls¡¯ pole vault? Girls¡¯ high school pole vault is one of the fastest growing events in girls¡¯ athletics. Why? Because girls were not even allowed to jump until just a few years ago! Not to mention there is plenty of money in womens¡¯ college athletics and if you are an up-and-coming female pole vaulter, chances are the colleges will look at you as a great investment.
1, 2, 3.
Never tried the pole vault? Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s as easy as one, two, three! Well, one, two, three, four, five, to be exact. The pole vault can be learned in five phases.
They are;
- the approach
- the plant
- the takeoff
- the swing
- the clearance.
Pole vaulting is a method. It is a dynamic sequence of movements combined with strength, speed and flexibility. Perform these steps in order and you¡¯ll get over the bar and into the pit.