Beginning
Pole Vault Formulas & Progressions
Article By: Jan Johnson, Olympian
Part 1. Grass
Vaulting the first step in the progression
Selecting the proper
starting grip is very important for learning the beginning drill
sequence. Selecting a grip that is too high will make it impossible
to learn the most efficient take off technique. Once the proper
starting grip has been establish, don't hesitate to progress quickly
to the optimum grip, by raising hands in 2" or 3" increments,
until he correct amount of pole speed is obtained. For the purposes
of learning the grass vaulting sequence outlined below, start
by gripping the pole only as high as you can grip with your top
hand when the pole plug is between your feet.
Pole Vaulting
Articles By: Brian Yokoyama, Mt. San
Antonio College
The takeoff
(plant) is the most important technical aspect of the pole vault.
It is responsible for transferring running energy(speed) into
the pole and setting up the swing/rockback. As the efficiency
of the plant increases, a greater amount of energy is transferred
to the pole, allowing for the use of stiffer poles and increased
clearances.
Sorting Through Important Pole Vault Concepts
Article By: Ed Jacoby, U.S.A. Olympic
Coach, Boise State University
General Objectives
1. Usable speed at plant and takeoff
2. Height of the center of mass, of handhold and pole angle relative
to vertical
3. Transition of horizontal velocity to vertical velocity
4. Pole speed to vertical
Safe & Simple
Pole Advancement
Article By: John D. Mahr, Coach, Sultana
High School, Hesperia, CA
The task
of advancing a pole vaulter to a higher rated or"stiffer" pole
is always fraught with guesswork. It is never really based on
objective or factual data. The decision is generally made after
much intuitive observation of the athlete's progress in strength,
speed, and a host of other factors.
Management Of Risk
In Pole Vaulting
Article By: Jan Johnson, Olympian
Part of the
process of learning to pole vault is learning to manage risk.
It should be a big part of any pole vault education program. Many
of the lessons learned in pole vaulting are parallel to those
in life. Consider for a moment the way basic skills of reading,
writing and math have such a large impact upon a student's later
success. Now consider the way a vaulter's ability to run with
and plant the pole also have a huge impact upon his later success.
In both cases, his early lessons have a big impact upon later
results. Perhaps the most important aspect of controlling risk
in the pole vault, as in primary school, is environment.
