Re: The need for a cardiovascular base
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 12:38 am
I firmly believe that running cross country my senior year helped my pole vaulting quite a bit. BUT, you have to look at the big picture...
- I had never been involved in any sport other than gymnastics until the spring of my junior year, so I had very little cardiovascular base.
- When I started track, I would get asthma trying to do our 4 lap warmup (it was skipping and carioca and such, not just running)
- My cross country workouts were pretty low mileage. My coaches knew that I was not a stud distance runner, I was more like a warm body that helped us have a team.
- My running form sucked. We did a lot of sprint drills during the track season, but I think running cross country, even though it was a different kind of running than sprinting, helped me run better than I had before. Obviously continuing to work on sprint mechanics during the track season my senior year helped as well, but I came into the season running better than I had at the end of the previous season.
The number #1 thing that helped my pole vaulting was going to a club and learning how to pole vault. I would never suggest someone do cross country if it meant they would be giving up club pole vaulting, unless they really enjoyed cross country and weren't that serious about pole vaulting. But for me, my cardiovascular fitness was certainly a weak point. Improving it helped me to get through the sprint workouts better during the season which helped my pole vaulting.
Not all high school vaulters have access to year-round coaching. Many just sit on their butts in the fall and do nothing. And for MANY kids, pole vault is not their number #1 priority. The advice on this board tends to be given as though all of the kids are aspiring to be the next Olympian, and without knowing very much about the big picture of the kid's life.
Running cross country is FUN for a lot of kids. For most HS kids who are of average athletic ability, running cross country is better than doing nothing. Most kids are not focused or knowledgeable enough to direct themselves through a fall conditioning program. They need someone else to direct them and they need the social factor that comes with a team sport.
I am not saying cross country is the right choice for everyone, but I hate seeing it demonized on here. For many HS kids, particularly those of average (or worse) physical abilities, and who are not currently doing a fall sport, it is a good option, one that beats doing nothing.
- I had never been involved in any sport other than gymnastics until the spring of my junior year, so I had very little cardiovascular base.
- When I started track, I would get asthma trying to do our 4 lap warmup (it was skipping and carioca and such, not just running)
- My cross country workouts were pretty low mileage. My coaches knew that I was not a stud distance runner, I was more like a warm body that helped us have a team.
- My running form sucked. We did a lot of sprint drills during the track season, but I think running cross country, even though it was a different kind of running than sprinting, helped me run better than I had before. Obviously continuing to work on sprint mechanics during the track season my senior year helped as well, but I came into the season running better than I had at the end of the previous season.
The number #1 thing that helped my pole vaulting was going to a club and learning how to pole vault. I would never suggest someone do cross country if it meant they would be giving up club pole vaulting, unless they really enjoyed cross country and weren't that serious about pole vaulting. But for me, my cardiovascular fitness was certainly a weak point. Improving it helped me to get through the sprint workouts better during the season which helped my pole vaulting.
Not all high school vaulters have access to year-round coaching. Many just sit on their butts in the fall and do nothing. And for MANY kids, pole vault is not their number #1 priority. The advice on this board tends to be given as though all of the kids are aspiring to be the next Olympian, and without knowing very much about the big picture of the kid's life.
Running cross country is FUN for a lot of kids. For most HS kids who are of average athletic ability, running cross country is better than doing nothing. Most kids are not focused or knowledgeable enough to direct themselves through a fall conditioning program. They need someone else to direct them and they need the social factor that comes with a team sport.
I am not saying cross country is the right choice for everyone, but I hate seeing it demonized on here. For many HS kids, particularly those of average (or worse) physical abilities, and who are not currently doing a fall sport, it is a good option, one that beats doing nothing.