Video Review

[SuperBanana]

Hi, I would appreciate some feedback on my vault as It seems like when extending the hips to come off the pole over the bar I come away from the pole knocking the bar off on the way up. Looks like I don't drop the shoulders maybe but cant really visualise how to do this.

https://youtu.be/iZqtcUafVMk
https://youtu.be/oxG915pQAQw

I am running from 10 steps using a 13'7 160lbs pole, the first bar is 4.20m and the second is at 4.40m I think. I weigh 143lbs and my pb is 3.93m.

Any advice is welcome,

Thanks!

[GasPasser]

You need to connect to the pole at the top. By that I mean your top hand (right) has to connect to your right thigh, while at the same time straitening out your body out while inverted. It helps if you dorsiflex your feet (heels up, toes down - towards the ground). Then pull with both arms keeping your right hand in contact with your thigh and abdomen, while putting your right foot over to initiate the turn.

You are coming off the pole too early. You want to go up - not out.

Need help visualizing - check out this video....he connects to the pole and stays connected throughout the pull at the top. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlfCaVPlxmw

Also, you are taking off under on your vaults that you posted.

[SuperBanana]

Thanks GasPasser, apologies for not replying until now, I wanted to come back with some footage but unfortunately hurt my shoulder doing javelin so wasn't able to get in any proper vault sessions for a while. I have been back at it for the last few weeks and competed yesterday jumping 4.20m for a pb. I was jumping on a 14' 165lbs which I've been trying to get onto for a while and have finally done it.

https://youtu.be/OhqImgu9aVc

To me I am staying a little tighter to the pole than the videos I posted before but as my hips and legs extend to go over the bar I still shoot towards the bar. I have tried to focus on getting my right hand to my right thigh but as soon as it gets there it comes away again. I've been doing quite a few short approach 6 stride runs and I seem to manage to stay connected to the pole much better but when I move back to full approaches I revert to old habits! I will try to post more video in a few days of some drills but was wondering if anyone had any more suggestions about staying connected or ill it just take time?

Thanks

[KirkB]

You are coming off the pole too early. You want to go up - not out.

The question is HOW to "go up - not out".
...
There really aren't any shortcuts to this, and no matter how much you ignore pre-chord technique and focus on just solving the details of flagging out (and wondering why the heck you're flagging out), it always comes back to something that's happening pre-chord. Why? It's basic physics. ...

Since this is such a common question, I've now snipped this reply, and moved it to another thread in the Intermediate Technique forum (http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=54946).

Please continue to reply to SuperBanana's specific questions on this thread, but read and reply to my new thread for more generic questions and answers.

Thanks.

Kirk

[CallumPV]

Nice vaulting,

As it looks like you are training at Carshalton, it would leave me to believe you are being coached by Allan Williams. If i am wrong please correct me. However, if that is true Allan is one of the best coaches in the country, so I wouldn't be looking on here for any help. Furthermore, if you are at Carshalton but not being coached by him, it may be worth getting in touch, as i said before he is one of the best.



Callum

[SuperBanana]

Thanks kirk for the reply I hadn't realised it stemmed from that early in the jump, I feel like I normally have okay penetration although will lower my grip as I am probably focusing too much on getting onto the bed distracting from other aspects such as a powerful swing. When working the swing before I always focused on keeping it straight and not closing my body too much, but you are talking about working on kicking down rather up(correct me if I'm wrong) so Ill get on a high bar and pole this week and give it a go. In training usually my swing is the thing I think about least as in videos it always stayed straight(and seemed to move through the motions OK) and I thought that was all that was needed.

Also another question, will having a better downswing cause the pole to bend more(thus shortening chord so increasing speed the pole rolls forwards) or is the stretch and driving of the chest that does this(or a combination)? As another coach commented at a competition that my pole doesn't bend much and I do most of the work myself, I didn't think the bend was a particular problem.

Callum I'm not training at Carshalton but know Allan through the events he runs, He is a great coach and enthusiast but I'm not looking to move groups at the moment as I've been making great progress and really enjoy my training, thanks for the suggestion though. I just wasn't sure how to achieve what my coach was telling me about staying with the pole.

[KirkB]

I feel like I normally have okay penetration although will lower my grip as I am probably focusing too much on getting onto the bed distracting from other aspects such as a powerful swing.

You can always raise it again if you start blowing thru. But lowering it will allow you to focus on the downswing; driving to the stretch; and then working on your downswing - without fear of stalling out.

... you are talking about working on kicking down rather [than] up (correct me if I'm wrong) so I'll get on a high bar and pole this week and give it a go. In training usually my swing is the thing I think about least as in videos it always stayed straight (and seemed to move through the motions OK) and I thought that was all that was needed.

It's actually a circular motion - the first part of which is "down" (just like on the highbar). You will be very surprised at how much faster your extension off the pole is once you improve the speed of your downswing! The initial (and quick) effort in your swing needs to be immediately after takeoff - not when you're inverting. Kick down.

When working the swing before I always focused on keeping it straight and not closing my body too much, but you are talking about working on kicking down rather [than] up (correct me if I'm wrong) so I'll get on a high bar and pole this week and give it a go. In training usually my swing is the thing I think about least as in videos it always stayed straight (and seemed to move through the motions OK) and I thought that was all that was needed.

The idea is to swing your trail leg in a long, circular motion to get fully inverted by the time your pole begins to unbend. The faster, the better. Then (and only then) can you have an extremely vigorous extension - straight up. The initial motion is down, but the full motion is circular - just like on a highbar. In fact, that's where you need to learn this motion, then apply it to the pole via muscle memory.

... will having a better downswing cause the pole to bend more (thus shortening chord so increasing speed the pole rolls forwards) or is the stretch and driving of the chest that does this (or a combination)? As another coach commented at a competition that my pole doesn't bend much and I do most of the work myself, I didn't think the bend was a particular problem.

Yes and yes - it's a combo.

Your pole is bending OK right now (you don't want it to be too soft, else you won't be able to extend off it vigorously), but once you get a better jump and drive into it, it's going to bend more on you. You will have to go up a pole or two quite quickly because of this increased power in your takeoff / stretch / downswing. That's all good news! Have your "next pole" ready to go (bring it with you to meets) to be ready for when you start overbending this one.

The best indicator that you're overbending is if you're hitting the bar on the way up (with standards at 80), and you're landing on the far end of the coach's box. Also, the pole will feel "mushy".

Kirk

[SuperBanana]

Thanks for the reply Kirk, I've been working on swinging my trail powerfully whilst stretching my chest up, to me the leg swing is going much better than the driving the chest up and forwards. I haven't been able to get much footage but here are jumps from last week and today(bar is at 4 metres in both from 8 steps):
https://youtu.be/7Jxw4UYvUV0
https://youtu.be/RxqKgb9C61E

Focusing on my leg it appears to be swinging better than in prior videos and a little better pop off the top as a result. I'm going to keep working on this for a while as I haven't had much opportunity to train due to exams. I think it still looking as if my hips come away from the pole a little too early still so working on this pre-chord technique will hopefully help with that.

[KirkB]

I've been working on swinging my trail powerfully whilst stretching my chest up, to me the leg swing is going much better than the driving the chest up and forwards.

This looks like some good improvement!

You're right that you're still not driving and stretching the chest thru. Once you do that, you'll see further improvement.

Two other things to note ...

1. You're extending your legs too soon. I hate to call it a rock-back, but you need to stay tucked (legs bent) a little longer (or swing for a tad longer time) before you extend your legs.

2. To get more vertical (and to not flag out, as you are), you need a more powerful downswing. And of course to get that, you need to stretch your chest forwards and your trail leg back more. But the STRETCH is ONLY a position that you instantaneously pass thru - it's not a PAUSE!

One other thing is that you shouldn't be holding your pole so low as you're running. Better to carry it high, and gradually lower it. It will feel more weightless that way, you won't overstride as much, and it will give you a better forward lean on takeoff. (You're still under a bit, due I think to overstriding your last couple steps.)

Keep up the good work!

Kirk