Getting Back into vaulting

[ltp102]

Hi,

I am a pole vaulter that jumped from 8th grade through my freshman year in college but have not touched a pole since. I am getting a very serious itch to jump again this year. It has been 5 years since I have last vaulted and I wanted to see if anyone else has taken the sport back up after such a period of and any suggestions on how to get back into shape/ the sport.

Thanks.

[OUvaulterUSAF]

I vaulted from Jr High all through college. I took ~3 years off after graduation. I only planned on taking a year. The first thing I did was find a coach and a club. Since I started last January, I was already behind the power curve. I spent 3 weeks on getting back into some sort of running shape. Then I started vaulting two times a week and hit a meet or two. I finished the season around the first week of August. I then started up with my club on practices after labor day this year and began vaulting in early October. It's all (muscle memory) just now coming back to me. If you have specific questions, just PM me. Also, I'm sure there are a lot of people on this board just like you.

[TeddyVault]

I was out of the vault for five years or so after a bad fall that dislocated an ankle. Don't have the same speed anymore, but after a year and a half back I have much better form, though on shorter poles. Probably closing in on where I was when progress was halted, (14 or 14'6").
Motivation is an issue, out of college, not a master, not of high caliber, just doing it for shits and giggles but it hurts so much more now. I have to experiment with different styles and stuff to keep involved.
Main thing is confidence, getting it back. Most helpful thing for that is find a good coach who will tell you that you can do it and get excited about your vaulting. Hard to do on your own when you've been out for a while.
Also just lots of short pole work to get really, really comfortable vaulting again. Your mind will probably have figured out a few extra connections in your head since your time off.
Good luck.

[KYLE ELLIS]

i respect someone who does it for fun! if nothing elses it keeps you in all around good shape?!

[Russ]

Five years ain't noth'n. You'll be okay. I took 27 years off before coming back last year (I was 45 when I decided to try to vault again).

I started by running...just to lose some weight and to get into good overall fitness. I got a complete physical first, come to think of it. I started a moderate weight lifting program and started doing some workouts with a rope that I set up in the back yard. I think that I spent about 6 months of running and stationary biking (along w/lifting & rope work) before I ever tried taking off from a runway. I also went to Jan Johnson's Skyjumpers camps and got several vault videos.

Good luck!

[ltp102]

Thanks guys for the tips - i'm trying to get back in shape now, and hopefully I can vault this spring