Bruised Lower Arm

[slowest5.50]

Please share any feedback on why the lower arm gets bruised when a vaulter gets better at swinging to the top of the pole and what you feel the vaulter should do to correct this. It's obvious that the pole is hitting the lower arm when it returns to vertical while the vaulters hips are moving between the arms. Just wanted to hear some feedback.

[pistolpete6994]

Tell your kids to tough it out..... its a mark of a good vaulter. If they are really wusses about it they can always put a sweat band or something on their arm... one of my girls does it.

[AVC Coach]

Give him a high five and tell him to rub some dirt on it. I love to see those bruised forearms on my vaulters. Hope to see more soon.

[ashcraftpv]

I'd say it was the result of doing something right: attempting to stay tight to the pole. I used to get those all the time and had a permanent bruise on my arm every year during vault season. I tell my kids now to just "nut up" and deal with it, or you could suggest they go buy a sissy pad like you see some kids wearing.

[slowest5.50]

I tell my kids now to just "nut up" and deal with it, or you could suggest they go buy a sissy pad like you see some kids wearing.

Too funny!!
Any suggestive comments to say to my lady jumpers?


I too remember the bruising but thought if I could swing faster, get my hips higher when the pole was returning and turn, I would be pass the point of when the pole hits the lower arm. Does this sound right?

[AVC Coach]

If my kids make a big deal out of the bruise, I have them put a pad on it. I want them to focus on the task at hand and if they're thinking about that bruise, we're not getting much accomplished.

Besides, I don't want them to somehow figure out an alternate route around that pole, and they will if it hurts bad enough.

If you're pulling straight through at the top, you can't really avoid that contact between your forearm and the pole. At least I haven't seen a way to avoid it.

[baggettpv]

Shouldn't bruise. Pole is straightening before you start moving around it. Bad, bad, bad....and besides it hurts. Swing to a 1/4 turn. You bruise the arm when you hang under it until the pole straightens.

Rick

[AVC Coach]

I'm not sure what you mean by "moving around the pole". Could you explain?

[skyin' pimp]

it's true 'bout the bruise gettin' easier on ya, at least from my personal vaulting and a few of my vaulters that really learned a good phase III.. when i was vaultin' 18" or so over grip, i would get just this nasty bruise on my arm and it was tender and made my left arm look like a damn popeye arm, (not from muscle though).. once i figured out how to time up my turn better, my bruise got better, i was gettin' rotated around the pole before it was completely straight and it caused less stress on that area and consequently, i've got 36" over grip, a 38" pr in a meet.. i've had a couple of my kids get it.. takes some time

[Russ]

Over the years many, many excellent vaulters have worn pads. I'm from the school that considers the bottom arm bruise a sign of doing many things correctly. Wolfgang Nordwig, Dragila, Chelsea Johnson are just a handful of vaulters who've done pretty well for themselves wearing a bottom arm pad. I keep a supply on hand and insist that my vaulters wear them when they start to bruise.

I prefer the Adams brand youth-size football forearm pads.

[dj]

good morning

baggettpv is right ... ladies and gentlemen

bad..bad..bad x sq...........

means your swing is late and the hips did not come back high enough..quick enough..

a vaulter shouldn't try to bring the "shins to the hands" a vaulter should try and bring..swing.. the (for right handed jumpers) top hand knuckles to the left groin.. in a 1/4 turn manner..

practice this on a stiff pole "pop up" ..........toes together extended up the pole

dj

[AVC Coach]

Aah! You make it sound like the plague. Is it really that bad, bad, bad?

I've seen all of my vaulters go through this stage as they progress. I think that once they start connecting with the pole and feel comfortable enough to finish while inverted, they get this bruise because the pole is too soft.

After they grasp the concept of swinging to the hips and directing their energy toward the sky (instead of at the bar), they build the confidence to finally jump on some stiffer (quicker) poles and the problem takes care of itself.