Short Approach Work

[slowest5.50]

My jumpers decided to have some fun this week and establish a run and personal best from each approach starting with 2 lefts. Use a real bar and it doesn’t matter how many attempts it takes.

Post your stats:
# of Lefts (or Rights) 2, 3, 4, or 5:
Approach Distance:
Size Pole Used:
Grip Height:
Height Made:

I'll post our results later this week.......

[souleman]

Bubba fashioned this "game" utilizing a similar approach to this. I call it the "facing your demons" game. How it works is, using DJ's chart you have your vaulters left foot on the mid mark to start, grip must be at the grip mark and they must clear the height before moving up. Example, you put the bar up to 7', standards all the way back, left foot at 30 feet, and the grip is at
9' 2". They get 3 lefts, a right and the take off. They must make the height before they can move the bar up. Bubba has told me that he has had 15 footers that when they started this couldn't get past 8' 0". Once they did and started moving up, so did their PR's. Anything to help them progress and take some of the boredom out of drills and practice is a good thing I feel. Later...............the geezer

[Bubba PV]

Beginner to Bubka author, Alan Launder, likes his athletes to have fun by finding PRs from as close as 2 total steps. Pretty tough but it is fun. Bubba

[kmonty51]

Mike - I like the sounds of that "Face Your Demons" game. It could add some pizzaz to our drill work (especially when we're indoors, gymnasium bound, during March and April). Do the kids start at the same midmarks that DJ has set for a 7 or more lefts approach (that's what it sounds like), or do you adjust because they don't have any speed generated prior to hitting the midmark? Also, ya got any more games like that? I'm reaching a point where I feel better about my knowledge of the event - now I just have to work on becoming better at coaching it! I'm gettin' there....

How's that backyard set-up coming?

[slowest5.50]

Here are my two guys results:

Corey:
2 Lefts
26'0" Approach
12'3" Grip
10'6" Take Off
13' 150 Skypole
Made 11'6"

3 Lefts
39'6" Approach
11'0" Take Off
13'0" Grip
14'0'" 165 Pacer
Made 13'6"

Travis
2 Lefts
26'0" Approach
12'6" Grip
9'0" Take Off
13' 150 Skypole
Made 11'6"

3 Lefts
39'0" Approach
13'6" Grip
9'9" Take Off
14' 145 Pacer
Made 12'6"

[slowest5.50]

Bubba fashioned this "game" utilizing a similar approach to this. I call it the "facing your demons" game. How it works is, using DJ's chart you have your vaulters left foot on the mid mark to start, grip must be at the grip mark and they must clear the height before moving up. Example, you put the bar up to 7', standards all the way back, left foot at 30 feet, and the grip is at
9' 2". They get 3 lefts, a right and the take off. They must make the height before they can move the bar up. Bubba has told me that he has had 15 footers that when they started this couldn't get past 8' 0". Once they did and started moving up, so did their PR's. Anything to help them progress and take some of the boredom out of drills and practice is a good thing I feel. Later...............the geezer

Huh? Give me another example....."grip must be at the grip mark"? I don't understand. It this straight vaulting with the pole not bending?

[AVC Coach]

This is all we do from the middle of July until the end of November. Best way to learn to vault correctly!

Here's a few PR's we've had in the past!

Stephanie Foreman
4 lefts: 12'00"

McKinley Rea
5 lefts: 11'06"

Jason Pelletier
4 rights: 15'00"
5 rights: 16'06"

Spencer McCorkel
4 lefts: 16'00"
5 lefts: 16'10"

John Ellis
3 lefts: 13'00"
4 lefts: 14'00"
5 lefts: 15'02"

Sam Ewing
4 lefts: 15'00"

We don't really do much under 3 or 4 lefts/rights besides pop-ups.

[souleman]

Ken, the backyard setup got it's USATF approval last week thanks to a little help from Bubba and Jan Johnson. As to the game (and Bubba, you can chime in here) I personally have to "cheat" a little with a walk up to the mark because I run slower than used engine oil in Minnesota in the middle of January. Ideally, the vaulter should start from a dead start with the foot on the mark. If you know the chart and want to adjust for different heights of the vaulter I guess that's allowable. Key thing is from a safety standpoint even though eventually you will want your vaulters utilizing and being adjusted as close as possible to the chart, (ladyvolscoach has some great info and drills to make this happen) don't stick them so far out that they can't reach the plant (hope you know what I mean by this). Slowest 5.50, all of the info you need for the game is right on DJ's chart as to grip height, take off mid mark (starting point) etc. It's no longer linked in the forum (Becca probably hasn't got to that one yet with the new server) however, Bubba has a usable chart on his web site at; http://www.bubbapv.com/Pages/dj.htm . Straight pole or flexed pole I don't really think it matters. I use my 12 X 150 Spirit when I play and I'm about 155 to 160. The pole might bend a little but not much. Hopefully Bubba will chime in with how he runs the game. Later........Mike

[kmonty51]

Yeah, I've got Dj's chart and ladyvolspvcoach's run drill saved on my computer. I also have several paper copies of each. Pretty good stuff. We used both quite alot last spring. I really like the idea of combining their info. with games that the kids can have fun with while learning proper pole vaulting technique.

[slowest5.50]

Ken, the backyard setup got it's USATF approval last week thanks to a little help from Bubba and Jan Johnson. As to the game (and Bubba, you can chime in here) I personally have to "cheat" a little with a walk up to the mark because I run slower than used engine oil in Minnesota in the middle of January. Ideally, the vaulter should start from a dead start with the foot on the mark. If you know the chart and want to adjust for different heights of the vaulter I guess that's allowable. Key thing is from a safety standpoint even though eventually you will want your vaulters utilizing and being adjusted as close as possible to the chart, (ladyvolscoach has some great info and drills to make this happen) don't stick them so far out that they can't reach the plant (hope you know what I mean by this). Slowest 5.50, all of the info you need for the game is right on DJ's chart as to grip height, take off mid mark (starting point) etc. It's no longer linked in the forum (Becca probably hasn't got to that one yet with the new server) however, Bubba has a usable chart on his web site at; http://www.bubbapv.com/Pages/dj.htm . Straight pole or flexed pole I don't really think it matters. I use my 12 X 150 Spirit when I play and I'm about 155 to 160. The pole might bend a little but not much. Hopefully Bubba will chime in with how he runs the game. Later........Mike

Printed off the chart and now understand what you are talking about! Thanks for the info and we will see what happens!

[lonestar]

Bubba and I call DJ's chart "The List" and he would have me use it a few different ways:

1) Advance the List - use the corresponding grip and 6 step mark (as a starting mark) and jump the prescribed height, then adjust the numbers for each subsequent height

2) Beat the List - jump the height assigned to the given grip/run, then try to jump as many heights as possible above the assigned height with that same grip/run setup - when you miss 3 times move up to the next setup

3) Cycle the List - Like "Advance the List" except you use the next run for the same grip to get comfortable with a "pre-jump" or "free takeoff." For example, 33' would be your assigned starting mark for a 9'10 grip, except here you would start at 34' with a 9'10 grip to put you out a foot (more or less)

My favorite scenario is Beat the List. It can really help improve pushoff efficiency. One of my girls jumped 10'0 with a 10'6 grip from 6 steps (35'), which is only about a 2" pushoff, but it beat the list by 2 grips (11'1 is the assigned grip to clear 10'0).

Disclaimer: DJ does not advocate these other uses of the list - just "Advance the List".

[souleman]

Thanks Kris for the explanation. I knew that you guys had a couple of ways of using the list. I was hoping that you would chime in on this and appreciate that you did. Later............Mike