Body Memory

A forum to discuss pole vault technique as it relates to beginning vaulters. If you have been jumping less than a year, this is the forum for you.

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Mecham
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Body Memory

Unread postby Mecham » Tue Jan 11, 2005 6:51 pm

I dont know if it is just me, but when my body goes through the exact motions and feelings of an event, i can remember it and the do it again. The first time i go through the event something needs to be making my body go through those motions then i can do it on my own just like i was "told" or "shown" or "felt" to go through. I am just wondering if there is any type of excercise or anything that gives you the exact feeling of the vault with out actually vaulting. I know this might sound confusing. but anything helps!!
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Unread postby ashcraftpv » Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:20 pm

Repetition is the key to muscle memory.

Tying your shoes is a great example of this. You don't have to think about tying your shoes, you just do it. Why? Because you've had thousands and thousands of repetitions.

Same goes for the vault.
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Unread postby Mecham » Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:23 pm

or correct repetition?
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Unread postby Robert schmitt » Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:43 pm

correct repitition is important, yes. While I don't know of any thing that replicates the feeling and movement of an entire vault there are a lot of imitative drills and gymnastics that help with different portions of the vault. Sky Systems I & II are full of them.
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Unread postby ashcraftpv » Tue Jan 11, 2005 8:33 pm

Mecham wrote:or correct repetition?


correct repetition is the key to correct muscle memory ;)
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Unread postby fong520 » Tue Jan 11, 2005 10:17 pm

i heard underwater vaulting is cool... i wanna try it.. i think thats it at least?.
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Unread postby indestructo » Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:18 am

underwater vaulting is a great way to similate the vault. You can run through it slowly, while someone watches, and tweek anything that needs tweeking....
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Unread postby souleman » Wed Jan 12, 2005 2:33 pm

It'll cost you about $50 (according to Bubba) but I haven't seen anything that can teach vaulting muscle memory like this deal. I've posted this address before but I think it applies here for you.http://www.bubbapv.com/Pages/bardrill.htm
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Unread postby lonestar » Thu Jan 13, 2005 11:29 am

Muscles don't have memory, your brain does. The term muscle memory is used all the time, but is an outdated, incorrect term. Every time you perform a movement, your brain starts writing a "motor program." Just like a computer runs off programs, so does your brain, which in turn tells your muscles what to do. If you program it wrong, which can be done in just 1 wrong repetition, it can often take hundreds of repetitions to "re-program" your brain to tell your body how to do it the right way. So practice good habits in everything you do.

There are a lot of drills out there, and most of them only make you good at doing that drill, but don't affect your vault that much. Pop-ups are a great example. How many people have you seen that can do awesome pop-ups, really crank upside down and all, but can't even get their hips to their hands on a real vault? A pop-up is a lot different than a real jump, a whole different motor program, and once you add more speed, grip, and are bending the pole, you have a whole different dynamic to try to invert upon. Choose drills that most closely resemble the vault.

Earl Bell's "Zero-Step" Drill on the front of the pit is an excellent one. Why? Because once you master it with no steps, you add 2 steps and do the same thing, then a bungee, then a bar, and then keep adding 2 more steps every time you max out on bar height. The movement itself never really changes, just the degree and speed to which you do it. Whenever you can turn a drill into a vault with as little deviation as possible, you've got a good drill.
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Unread postby vaultmd » Thu Jan 13, 2005 12:43 pm

Well said, Kris.

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Unread postby souleman » Thu Jan 13, 2005 1:03 pm

Kris, where is a good explaination and internet demo on that Earl Bell excercise. Sounds to me that it could be the best thing for me to do when I start jumping again. Later....Mike

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Unread postby rainbowgirl28 » Thu Jan 13, 2005 1:15 pm

souleman wrote:Kris, where is a good explaination and internet demo on that Earl Bell excercise. Sounds to me that it could be the best thing for me to do when I start jumping again. Later....Mike


Here's two pictures of the 0 step drill

http://www.polevaultpower.com/media/05r ... 70038.html
http://www.polevaultpower.com/media/05r ... 70039.html


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