altius wrote:I respectfully disagree re steel technique because everything i have read and seen on film suggests that the best stiff pole vaulters deliberately tried to delay the initial swing on the pole -the swing was the emphasis, not a rapid initial pull.
I, in my turn, should respectfully disagree. The only delay that steel vaulters (40+ inches push) used were completion of the jump of the ground that led with the deep chest penetration to the pole. However, the difference with the fiberglass is that the left hand and right as well (on the steel) are still ahead of the center of gravity and is in the position to pull center of gravity up. On the fiberglass one cannot do this, because left hand and right are behind center of gravity and cannot immediately pull center of gravity up, unless….
