PoleVaultPower.com

Well I've been lifting about 4 times a week since a month ago, just doing some basic stuff, but is there anything I should add to my workouts? I feel like I may be missing a crucial lift/exercise.

Every workout day:
4x50 slow crunches
4x50 hip crunches (lower abs)
4x25 push ups
50 slow breaths side planks w/ball
50 slow breaths back planks w/ball
40 slow breaths front planks w/ball
2x30 sideways trunk lifts (laying on side picking up shoulders with obliques)
2x20 sideways hip lifts (laying on side picking up hips with lower abs/obliques)
2x50 turtles (half crunch with extended, bouncing arms)
50 Russian twists (half crunch with turning shoulders)
20 free dips
4x10 back extensions (w/25lbs)
200 small arm circles out to the side
200 small arm circles in front
4x200' buildups
4x200' sprints

Arm/Shoulder workout days:
4x15 single arm rows w/25lbs each
4x10 overhead press w/30 punds
4x10 upright rows w/50lbs (25lbs each)
4x10 bicep curls w/25lbs each
4x10 military press w/75lbs
4x15 seated row w/75lbs
2x40 shoulder shrug w/50lbs (25lbs each)
4x15 pec press w/55 lbs (chest fly)
4x10 chest press w/50lbs
4x10 tricep extensions w/25lbs (12.5lbs ea) [pitiful, I know]

Leg workout days:
4x10 leg press w/155lbs
4x15 leg extension w/60lbs
4x15 leg curl w/90lbs
4x15 hip abduction w/70lbs
4x15 hip adduciton w/70lbs
2x50 leg lifts inside
2x50 leg lifts outside
2x30 laying scissor kicks
4x10 calve raise w/45lbs

Extra cardio days:
2 more sprints
1 legged hop sideways, straight, and backwards over 3 barriers
4 times ea: flow, double jump, stick
4xSkip for height 90'
4xSkip for distance 90'
4x20-20's
2x75' rocket jumps
2x60' tuck jumps
4 minute line jump


I usually have one of each type of day a week, then a day of whatever still works :]

I am 5'8" 155lbs; a month ago my coach told me he wanted me 165lbs for next season due to the poles I was getting on (13' 180s), but I think that may have been because my take off was, in general, under. I fluctuate in weight between 155 and 160, but it's usually towards the 155 side.

My PR is 12'6" and I have 2 and a half months until indoor practices start, so I guess I'm asking for any and all advice as to what I should be doing/add to my workout.

Thanks!

Crayford, read this thread: http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=18541

It's just plain silly for your coach to suggest that you should gain weight. You need to gain STRENGTH and COORDINATION ... not weight!

You should also search for the threads where weight lifting in HS is discussed. There's an abundance of experienced coaches on PVP that recommend gymnastics (especiall highbar and rings) over weights. I agree with them. On highbar and rings, you're using your own body weight as the "weight" that you must lift ... to improve your STRENGTH-TO-WEIGHT RATIO. But not only that, you must lift it in ways that simulate real vaults. This improves your overall coordination whilst also improving your strength.

Maybe you misunderstood your coach. Ask him for clarification after telling him what you've learned here on PVP.

Kirk

Kirk,

By doing this I've already gained in my strength to weight ratio; I was about 160 before lifting, now I've lost 5lbs and the change in appearance/fat content is visible. Plus the weight I've been able to lift has risen in every muscle group, but my weight has dropped; isn't that raising the strength/weight ratio?

I do have a high bar, but I admit I don't use it nearly enough.

Also, I have come to understand that I need a higher center of balance, hence the upper body lifting.

As for coordination; is foot bagging (hackysack) good for this? or should I concentrate on another form of eye/body/foot/arm coordination?

I am fairly certain he meant for me to gain weight, as when I will be jumping in the winter the only poles my coach will have for me to move up to will have to be borrowed. The problem is that I have the speed to move up on to 14' or 14'6" poles, I just don't have the mass (the same sort of reason I quit football, ironically).

crayford wrote: ... By doing this I've already gained in my strength to weight ratio; I was about 160 before lifting, now I've lost 5lbs and the change in appearance/fat content is visible. Plus the weight I've been able to lift has risen in every muscle group, but my weight has dropped; isn't that raising the strength/weight ratio?

Yes, this sounds good ... but that's not what you said in your last post. You said that your coach wanted you to gain 10 pounds ... from 155 to 165!

crayford wrote: ... Also, I have come to understand that I need a higher center of balance, hence the upper body lifting.

No, that's not a good reason to do upper body lifting. If you said it's to strengthen your shoulders to take the impact of the plant/takeoff, then I'd buy that. But not to raise your center of balance. That's a silly reason!

crayford wrote: ... As for coordination; is foot bagging (hackysack) good for this? or should I concentrate on another form of eye/body/foot/arm coordination?

No, hackysacking isn't anything close to what I meant. I meant excercises and drills that simulate the body actions of a real vault. Those are best done on highbar and rings.

crayford wrote: ... I am fairly certain he meant for me to gain weight, as when I will be jumping in the winter the only poles my coach will have for me to move up to will have to be borrowed. The problem is that I have the speed to move up on to 14' or 14'6" poles, I just don't have the mass (the same sort of reason I quit football, ironically).

It's silly ... almost laughable ... that your coach wants you to gain weight to fit the poles he has available for you. Have you read the thread about strength-to-weight ratios yet? Also search for "strength weight ratio" and read those threads too ... CAREFULLY!

The proper approach is to get stronger and faster this fall ... and then ... as your winter indoor season approaches ... to find poles that match your new strength and speed.

In the 12 minutes elapsed between my last post and your last post, I can't believe that you've done all of the research that I recommended. And I'm fairly certain that in this 12 minute span you haven't asked your coach for clarification yet.

Please take my advice and educate yourself ... as I'm recommending. THEN ask your coach for clarifications. THEN reply to this thread.

Either you or your coach have some HUGE misconceptions.

Kirk

Didn't mean to offend, sorry if it seemed like I did.

I have not done the research yet, but rest assured I will. It just seemed to me to make sense to ask what I did, and yes, have been told that I need to lift upper body to rise my center of gravity.

And I apologize for misinterpreting your definition of coordination.


I'll shut up now.

The problem is that I have the speed to move up on to 14' or 14'6" poles, I just don't have the mass (the same sort of reason I quit football, ironically).

All it takes is the speed and the jump and if you are 155 then 180 poles could be too small eventually.

I jumped on 15' poles this summer and am 5'5 140ish, and my team mate in high school was 155 and jumped on 190s... unless you are really small (like twiggy) you do not need any more mass for your body frame to get that strong. I know guys that are 5'8 155 and they can bench well over 200 lb. Just high weight, low rep.

I

Afternoon...

Sounds like you are doing a whole lot with out much specification of what you want to accomplish. First off just lifting will not gain you weight... Recovery and eating while lifting will gain you weight....

There are two sides to strength training, the neurological side and the hypertrophy/hyperplasia side. You need to keep in mind that pole vault is a very ballistic action so doing slow abs may not be your best bet. If you want to look good at the beach then doing them slow to focus on hypertrophy is what you want. But just from a jumping high prospective that's probably not what you want. To me, most of vault core work needs to be explosive and about initiation of movement... you have some of that so it seems okay.

In terms of lifting, if you think about the vault as a whole... really there is no motion in the vault that bench press simulates... Not to say that that strong chest and pectorals are not important but it is very easy to get away from training for the vault and get into training for the beach... So perhaps incline bench is probably more applicable... So maybe you should be focusing on more specific lifts. Like multi action lifts and Olympics...

Furthermore, because strength increases just as much neurological result that a muscular results you should be wanting to increase weights each week, even if its just a little bit each week. The human body adapts to what is thrown at it, so if yo have a few months to get ready, you are going to want to make sure you are making periodization (spelling?) a priority so you do not reach a plateau stage. Keep in mind that your body works in cycles... So because an indoor, outdoor, and post season track season is very long if you start too much too soon you will get burnt out half way through and you will throw off your peaking timing for big meets at the end of the year.

If I was you, I'm not but if i was... About 20 to 30 days before your first indoor season practice start doing nothing, let your body breakdown, heal, and untrain. then about 5-10 days before the first practice start doing some light work to introduce your untrained body to exercise... This way you can keep your peaking schedule on time and still come into training fit and not out of shape.

hope that helps,
cheers
bel

problem is, by then I won't have a high bar :/