Talent identification

[rossi]

Hi all!

I just want to share this with you:

I have been a pv-coach for a couple of years now, and some of my athletes have had quite good progress. Today a new guy wanted to try pole vaulting. He is eighteen years old, about 1.80 cm, 75 kgs and a former gymnast. Quite fast as well.

You can say a lot about his teqnicue, but this is quite impressive after two hours of practice:
Bungy is at 3.50, 4 lefts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rArWUv9l ... ture=g-upl

A nice day at work!

[rossi]

And after five months of pole vaulting:

4.60 m: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QudZ6rN8P7w
4.40 m: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNvBi2vh-Hw

Grip around 4.20 on a 4.50m/160/19.9, 16 steps
The athlete is 1.75 m/68 kgs
He has got gymnastic skills on a high level, and is pretty fast. He learns fast and is highly motivated.

- his approach is a bit flat
- he takes off a bit under
- the plant is a bit late
- and he doesn't cover the pole as he should. He is interrupting the chain of energy input

We are focusing on the approach run, plant and take-off at this moment. If he manages this on another level, I think it will be a lot easier for him to move his hips all the way - and cover the pole.
Keep in mind that he started pole vaulting september 2012

I would appreciate any views or/and advice.

[tsorenson]

Hey Rossi,
Great job with this kid. He is coming along very quickly. I think you are on the right track on working on the ground aspects, since those can never be perfected and always have a major influence on the top end. Tightening up the last strides, keeping the hands high during the plant, and quickening the hands during the plant will help a lot. Make sure he is getting his hands moving "ahead of the feet" on his walking plants

That being said, in regard to his top end: What I see is that he is pulling with his top arm (around 5 seconds) which stops the upward rotation of the swing. He should think more of pulling "through" the top arm as the shoulders aggressively drop back and hips rise, similar to a power clean or a free hip circle on a horizontal bar. This will keep pressure on the pole and assist the hip rise more than trying to pull up with the bicep. If he has a gymnastics background, the free hip analogy may make sense to him.

Good luck, keep up the good work
Tom

[rossi]

Thanks Tom!

You are right, he is pulling with his top arm. That is one of the reasons he stops the rotation. Altius pointed at the late pole drop and low left arm - which, among, has a negative effect on the top end.
We have had a few sessions, after the competition, focusing on the issues mentioned above, and I think he already has made great progress.

All these jumps are from 5 lefts. Grip 4.00 m

Bungy at 5.05: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94SD9oXn42I
4.85: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUlBCbff-t8
4.65: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0udMaYcvgh0

[rossi]

Thanks Tom!

You are right, he is pulling with his top arm. That is one of the reasons he stops the rotation. Altius pointed at the late pole drop and low left arm - which, among, has a negative effect on the top end.
We have had a few sessions, after the competition, focusing on the issues mentioned above, and I think he already has made great progress.

All these jumps are from 5 lefts. Grip 4.00 m

Bungy at 5.05: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94SD9oXn42I
4.85: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUlBCbff-t8
4.65: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0udMaYcvgh0

[rossi]

These jumps are after 1 year of vaulting. He is now going "all in" for pole vaulting.

4.90 m, grip: 4.00 m, 6 lefts, 4.35/175 Essx: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOgJUg1G3dk
5.00 m, grip: 3.95 m, 6 lefts, 4.35/175 Essx: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1d4PsrlnFw

Any comments about his technique?

[altius]

In haste - Has clearly made excellent progress - but first we really need to see whole run. left arm/hand needs to be better positioned - it is too strong at moment. Left leg must continue to swing straight after passing chord of the pole - and swing should be faster to get him covering the pole not under it - then drive shoulders under faster. This is nit picky stuff but remember perfection comes from doing small things extraordinarily well.

[KirkB]

What I see is that he is pulling with his top arm (around 5 seconds) which stops the upward rotation of the swing. He should think more of pulling "through" the top arm as the shoulders aggressively drop back and hips rise, similar to a power clean or a free hip circle on a horizontal bar. This will keep pressure on the pole and assist the hip rise more than trying to pull up with the bicep. If he has a gymnastics background, the free hip analogy may make sense to him.

This kid is doing great for a first year vaulter! Clearly his gymnastics background has helped tremendously. And congratulations to you too, Rossi, he wouldn't be doing this well without your good coaching.

I will not comment on his full jump, as Altius and Tom are already giving good hints there.

But I would like to reinforce what Tom said about the "power clean" and the "free hip circle". The hip-cirle-to-a-handstand on the highbar especially, since that might resonate with him, since he's a gymnast. He should trust that the FEELING that he gets when his shoulders drop during a free-hip is almost EXACTLY how it should feel on the pole.

He seems to want to look at the bar (probably due to his inexperience), which is preventing him from dropping his shoulders down as his hips go up (as per a free-hip or a power-clean, as Tom noted). Instead, he's hunching his shoulders, which cause him to flag out rather than fully extend vertically.

I would ask him if he looks at the highbar while he does a free-hip. Of course not! Then why look at the bar while he's on the pole? This analogy might help give him the confidence to realize that he can TRUST his body to give him the awareness of where he's at on the pole without looking - just as he relies on his body awareness during a free-hip.

Just an idea.

Kirk

[rossi]

Thanks for Your advice, Alan and Kirk

He have some Challenges With his approach run. He is quite fast, but his run is to flat at the moment. We are of course working on it, espescially by doing a lot of drills. He has a very Nice and high run when he performs these drills. So, I think he gradually will be able to do the same in his run-up.
Our focus right now is these elements
- powerful jump at take off (free take-off)
- Finishing take off, and get his chest "through his Pocket"

I agree, Alan, that his left arm is to strong. He pulls at an early stage, which kills the swing. He needs to get his left leg further back to cover the pole. And Kirk, I told him what you said about the high-bar. He understood what you meant, and is willing to try. This kid learns fast, and has a tremendous body-awareness, so I can spot differences from one jump to another. But right now, I want him to master the elements I mentioned first, before we focus on the top end of the jump. I really believe he will master these elements a lot better when I get him to MOVE the pole and jump more powerful.
These jumps are from 4 lefts. Yesterdays training:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4TIKAOfXGE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nf3t89dDKc

Again, thanks for commenting. I really appreciate it.