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What is the mark of our elites 8 left/right approach? I know Brad goes from that all the time. Also what is your takeoff mark from that approach? Just wondering!

Zachmo

My 8 left is about 123' and take off at 13'. My mid is 56'.

Darren
...working on becoming "elite"

i'd say you are pretty close if not already elite jumping 5.60 and getting 3rd at indoor nationals! and 123 is a pretty beastly 8 left!

hey

what grip do you use with that "MID"....

do you have a penultimate? or know the length of your last three steps??

and do you feel you may be stretching a little on your last 6 steps???

dj

I don't feel like I am stretching; I just have really long legs. The run feels pretty natural and my strides get faster and shorter towards the end of the run. I hold at 5m, and really don't concentrate on a penultimate. I just try to get my arms up during my last 2 lefts.

hey

sounds like you have a very good run.. and are very close to a strong step up....

i asked about the penultimate because it seems you are so close to being onto something big that a little more "impluse' at the takeoff would put you jumping 19' with that grip..

by "impluse" i mean not just a "visual" out or "jump" ... but an active movement where the takeoff ball of the takeoff foot snaps down under the butt, the top hand reaches and shoots up.. high.. the knee drives..pops hard and forward.. boom at take off.. while traveling forward.. then you would have the pole speed to continue a fast swing.... which would give you more "air" above the grip...?

make since..

ask ladyvolscoach... he and i have talked about it so much he may explain it better..

dj

That does make sense. Earlier in the season during approach runs I worked on driving my heel up to my butt and that gave me a huge lift off of the ground. I think your right, because when my heel comes up hard the trail leg presses the ground harder.

equal and opposite reaction...

it doesn't necessarily mean your takeoff angle would be up.... but what you would be doing is moving onto the pole without "pulling' or sagging down on the pole..

impluse.. boom.. forward .. high reach.. swing like hell...

dj

dj wrote::)

equal and opposite reaction...

it doesn't necessarily mean your takeoff angle would be up.... but what you would be doing is moving onto the pole without "pulling' or sagging down on the pole..

impluse.. boom.. forward .. high reach.. swing like hell...

dj

One of the most important technical aspects of vaulting for most emerging elite competitors is learning to takeoff with the quads and not the hamstrings. It can take quite a few months to learn it, but absolutely crucial to long term success.

Just a reminder that I am wondering what the takeoff mark and starting mark are for an 8 step approach. Thanks!!

Zachmo

UWvaulter wrote:That does make sense. Earlier in the season during approach runs I worked on driving my heel up to my butt and that gave me a huge lift off of the ground. I think your right, because when my heel comes up hard the trail leg presses the ground harder.

I never paid much attention to my knee drive until I read this thread to put it into perspective. So I messed around with the proper knee drive today and I could feel a difference. Reminds me of two pistons in an engine firing at opposite times all contributing to the same force--(take-off). Plus swinging to the chord of the pole seemed much quicker. I'll have to experiment from a long run.

Zach, sorry to contribute to the hijacking of your thread. I don't know the elite marks but my are as follows from an 8 left.

height 5'10"
grip 15'
approach ~102'9"
take-off 13'6" to 14'
mid ?? 5 steps in left in my approach is around 42' so I would guess it's 49'

I guess I could add to this, so far mine has been 107, but my steps have been inconsistant... I haven't been able to get outside of 11-6 from that approach, so thats why I am wondering what others are running!

Thanks Chris! How is the rest of your season going? Hope all is well man!

Zachmo