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Below are links to two videos consisting of two different athletes doing the same drill. I am going to start the discussion first by asking which swing up do you like the best. And secondly, what would you change about the one you do not like as much.

Vaulter 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM80MDWfoEI

Vaulter 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EzfMedaDpc

The first drill he bends his takeoff or trail leg knee and uses the force of the kick to put energy into the swing.

The second he keeps his trail leg straight but appears to keep his drive leg piked a little tighter.

I like the first .

i like the second one better because of his straight trail leg through out the swing.

the way i see it is that this drill simulates the action of swinging DIRECTLY after takeoff, in the first video he bends his trail leg and whips it to add more energy into the swing. However, when his takeoff foot leaves the ground would you want it to bend up like that into his butt for him to whip down? no.. that creates a sinking/ sagging on the pole.

the second video shows a fully extent trail leg with indicates the vaulter completed the jumping action of the take-off. for instance, if your going to dunk a basketball are you going to jump and immediately bring your legs into your butt? no youre going to keep them extended to get the maximum height. he could keep his drive knee in more, but the beginning of the swing is the most noticeable to me.

just something i thought id contribute

trayoates wrote:i like the second one better because of his straight trail leg through out the swing.

the way i see it is that this drill simulates the action of swinging DIRECTLY after takeoff, in the first video he bends his trail leg and whips it to add more energy into the swing. However, when his takeoff foot leaves the ground would you want it to bend up like that into his butt for him to whip down? no.. that creates a sinking/ sagging on the pole.

the second video shows a fully extent trail leg with indicates the vaulter completed the jumping action of the take-off. for instance, if your going to dunk a basketball are you going to jump and immediately bring your legs into your butt? no youre going to keep them extended to get the maximum height. he could keep his drive knee in more, but the beginning of the swing is the most noticeable to me.

just something i thought id contribute

This is very well stated and very insightful...

#2

Straight leg swing has been the ideal model in pole vaulting for 100+ years. Just like giants on the high bar, the straight leg generates more power thus faster swing resulting in greatest inversion.

botakatobi wrote:#2

Straight leg swing has been the ideal model in pole vaulting for 100+ years. Just like giants on the high bar, the straight leg generates more power thus faster swing resulting in greatest inversion.

I will agree with this for the most part. However the straight leg swing only generates more energy, not more speed.

The interesting thing about these two vautlers is that the vaulter in video 1 actually swings to inversion in his actual vault (yes leg bends a little but just because he is kicking through), while the vault in video two still has not learned to swing with the straight leg while pole vaulting (he still tucks both legs after he reaches cord of the pole to invert). Both pole vaulters are tall 6'3+ and are relatively the same speed without a pole, but vaulter 1 has a few years of experience on vaulter 2 and jumps about 2.5 feet higher.

Argument with straight leg vs. bent leg to kick through. Look at Tim Mack, he has a big kick through like he is actually kicking something and using his quad and he has one of the highest push offs ever.

trayoates wrote:for instance, if your going to dunk a basketball are you going to jump and immediately bring your legs into your butt? no youre going to keep them extended to get the maximum height.

May be insightful and I believe in using the likeness of other sports for comparisons. We are attempting to elevate in the pole vault and in dunking basketballs, however, there lies a difference. We are not trying to get inverted while dunking a basketball. Hartwig and Markov used the slight flex in the trail leg to "crack the whip" into the swing. Even the master used a very slight bent knee.

Great question vaultpurple.

As usual, both sides of the argument have some truth. Both vaulters have aspects they could improve upon on this drill.

Vaulter 1:
Pros:
-goes elastic, then snaps the trail leg straight through the chord while engaging the shoulders/core, which is the best way to generate swing velocity and get the swing leg to the top of the pole without having to bend the knee. You can see the highbar move from the energy delivered through the swing.
-head is in good position (neutral to upward) to allow hips to rise throughout the swing
-drives heels skyward during inversion

Cons:
-right foot falls out during swing, causing it to act as an "anchor" on the hips, slowing down the swing. The right leg/foot should not fall behind the left leg during the swing. It takes a lot of focus to keep it tight, but the result is worth it.

Vaulter 2:
Pros:
-doesn't get as much pre-stretch due to less elasticity and/or kick whip, but still snaps the leg through the chord (although slower due to less knee flex)
-keeps drive knee and foot locked during swing a little better than vaulter #1
-drives heels through inversion

Cons:
-not as much enough elasticity/snap
-head is looking downward at initiation of swing, causes delay and subsequent earlier break at hips

In keeping with the sports analogies:
Try punting a football with your left foot. Obviously you want the leg to be straight when it contacts the ball (not coincidentally, this is the same idea as snapping the leg straight through the chord of the pole). But do you want it straight when you are setting up for the punt? No. I would suggest that more speed can be generated when the leg bends during the setup of the swing. A slightly bent knee after takeoff is the result of a properly executed takeoff, so don't think you can just isolate this element of technique on the runway the same way you can on a highbar or rings. You have to get the approach and plant right, as usual.

I agree with VaultPurple that this was one of the excellent elements of Tim Mack's technique. I like to use different vaulters as examples of different elements, and Mack was the master of this element. Another good example is Borges. My personal feeling is that if you keep the trail leg straight during the initiation of the swing, you will have to bend it at the top of the swing. Conversely, if you bend it a bit and snap it straight through the chord, it will have enough rotational energy to reach the top of the pole or beyond without bending. If you drop the drive knee/foot, you will probably have to tuck regardless.

Cheers to talking about technique in a respectful manner,

Tom