"Model" Summary

This is a forum to discuss advanced pole vaulting techniques. If you are in high school you should probably not be posting or replying to topics here, but do read and learn.
dj
PV Enthusiast
Posts: 1858
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2004 9:07 am
Expertise: Coach
Contact:

"Model" Summary

Unread postby dj » Fri Jan 07, 2011 12:27 pm

good morning…

these are the “points” we should continue to follow……

A. the exact grip (for that person’s physical characteristic), the exact way to stand (takeoff foot forward, the pole lifted correctly into position and the proper way to lean and push out

B. left wrist high and above the elbow

C. keep the left elbow turned out at the plant and takeoff.

D….. Petrov…
1. Before the take-off leg contacts the ground the vaulter needs to create a maximum space between him and the pole. His arms must be stretched, the right (left) arm continues the line of his body, whereas the left (right) arm is at right angle the pole axis.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------…


Petrov…
Take-off and penetration
The efficiency of this phase depends on the vaulter’s skill in the drop/take-off junction, on whether he is able to begin the push before the pole is set against the box. The pole must be smoothly transferred to the plant position when the vertical take-off plane is crossed. The technically correct movement demonstrates the right acceleration of the pole by the moment the vaulter reaches the vertical take-off plane.
The left arm is not trying to bend the pole; it plants it firmly towards the bar and then transfers the effort to the right hand, so that the pole is bent by the impact of the vaulter’s speed and mass. The vaulter, alert to the resilience of the pole, must perform all the subsequent actions on the pole as on a rigid support.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Petrov…
The grip of the pole during the approach is one of the most important details in a modern vaulter’s technique. In order to reach the maximum controlled velocity during the approach and to naturally proceed to the hang on the pole with subsequent muscle effort shift, to transfer from the hang to overturn on the pole, it is first of all necessary to free oneself from the retarding effect of the pole on the pole-vaulter. To a considerable extent it can be improved by the correct pole hold and width of the hold, i.e. the distance between the hands. A modern technique pattern in pole suggests the grip at the distance of 60-70 cm (distance measured from the thumb of the left hand to the thumb of the right hand).
The width of the grip varies from one athlete to another and depends on the athlete’s height and length of his arms, strength of the arms and mobility in the shoulder and especially in the wrist joints


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dj.. to reach maximum controlled velocity during the approach run… you must accelerate from the first step. To accelerate correctly there mush be a forward lean and a push from step one.. as the athlete progresses in the amount of speed they will become more vertical in posture simply because that is the “physics” of acceleration. What most vaulters are doing, including T-Mack and even going back to Bubka, is they have to much “control” and less acceleration. that actually creates less “maximum speed” potential on the runway.. Plus when they get to a critical meet or bar height they inevitably (naturally) come out of the start faster to have enough speed for their grip or pole size and miss their steps (to far out at the “MID”) causing a stretched stride losing more speed. (Isi’ at the world champs)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Petrov….

1. set up of a single system: vaulter/ pole
2. evolving pattern of the first strides
3. run-up rhythm (acceleration), length and rate of the strides.
Maximum speed, its rationality towards the end of the run-up are established and depend on the correctly performed first strides.
It is necessary to stress here that the position of the pole and the vaulter/pole system influence the length and pace in the beginning of the acceleration.
-

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Petrov..
It is preferable to launch into acceleration the single solid vaulter/pole system while controlling it through the left hand. Various changes in the rate of the movements, pole position, irregular running often occur as a result of the vaulter’s attempts to start run with various jumps, imitating the start in long jump and triple jump). All of this gives rise to so many irregularities and errors that sometimes it is hard to understand the reason for the movements.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Petrov…
During the whole run, including the pole drop, the left hand is held high enough and on the same level (chest level).
The left hand provides the direction and the bearing point around which the drop and the plant take place. If this is the case, then during the run it must remain motionless, positioned higher than the left elbow at all times.
Any motions of the hand (forward, backward, down or sideways) will break the single vaulter/pole system.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Petrov…
The left hand remains at the same level as 6 steps before the push; while slightly moving ahead, it controls the height and advancement of the pole. Two steps before the push, the pole is a little higher – 10-15 cm above the vaulter’s center of gravity.


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Petrov…
When making the last two steps of the drop, the vaulter should not “lose” the pole by stretching the left arm forward (as if looking for support, the box). All the movements during the drop take place while the left hand is kept over the left elbow.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is import here is you have to be doing these things, in the way they are described to jump according to “physics”.

You must start left foot forward, pole held correctly, accelerate at a progressive rate, not at a “controlled” (less than maximum obtainable speed by the 6 step “MID”) rate.

Another point that needs to be made is that Bubka, Isi and even Tully and Bell had their best “left arm picture” (extended) when they were gripping the top of poles that didn’t have the sail piece moved up.. one of the first things noticeable in Bubka’s “technique” was that he was bending the top of the pole “over” and all the way through the top grip.

When I mention this it is generally miss understood.. because the terminology for the “action of bending the pole” is now referred to “loading the pole”. It is not a loading of the pole… and I think the “research” that has been done shows that you can’t “store” enough energy (catapult action) in the pole to give the vaulter much height above grip at all.. height above grip comes from the swing.

The original term was to “shorten the radius”. And in a two pendulum system (same terms Petrov uses) the advantage is not the “loaded pole” but the shortened “radius” that made the fiberglass pole the pole of choice and enabled the men’s record to go up by 4 feet over a 50 year time period. Because we have had 3 generations of vaulters “thinking” catapult the “shortening of the radius”, which a straight left arm accomplishes, term is not an understood concept.

Bottom line is the action (physics) is much more important than a “picture”. The right “action” from the first step, with the correct grip for your speed on a “symmetrically” bending pole will give you the best results for your talent level.

dj

ps.. i mentioned Tully and I and the left elbow....I might add that Tully received much of his technical knowledge from Tellez as I got my base from Guy Kochel (Earl Bell and numerous other champions) from 1974 to 1984.

User avatar
altius
PV Rock Star
Posts: 2425
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 8:27 am
Location: adelaide, australia
Contact:

Re: "Model" Summary

Unread postby altius » Sun Jan 09, 2011 3:15 am

dj states "The original term was to “shorten the radius”. And in a two pendulum system (same terms Petrov uses) the advantage is not the “loaded pole” but the shortened “radius” that made the fiberglass pole the pole of choice and enabled the men’s record to go up by 4 feet over a 50 year time period." Absolutely correct re the shortened radius. In fact IMHO I did a pretty good job of explaining the importance of the shortening radius in Chapters Five and Seven of BTB2. Indeed I believe -again IMHO - that my notion of an infinite series of stiff poles has the potential to greatly increase our understanding of this and other issues in the vault.

While it is true that there has been considerable misunderstanding about the so called catapult effect of modern poles I would caution readers to carefully consider the statement. "I think the “research” that has been done shows that you can’t “store” enough energy (catapult action) in the pole to give the vaulter much height above grip at all.. height above grip comes from the swing." I also dealt with this issue in Chapter Seven -page 41 - and I would advise folks to read what is written there before writing off the possibility that the vaulters interaction with a rapidly straightening pole can allow them to vault higher than would otherwise be the case. They are pulling turning and pushing to spiral up the pole and accelerate into the space above their grip - this is infinitely easier if the pole is moving rapidly in that same direction. The bigger the difference between the rated stiffness of the pole and the athletes body weight the faster the pole will straighten. Note I deliberately did not make any reference to a catapult action but used the term 'the straightening speed of the pole' in BTB.

However it is also worth considering the fact that Petrov based his technical model on the need to jump with greater grip heights AND on STIFFER poles. Then if it is ALL about the swing, why would Bubka be trying to put energy into the pole as he punched his hips to the vertical and drove his shoulders underneath them. Take a look at Petrov's original paper - P287 BTB - and you will see that little pearl tucked away in it. On that page you will also find Petrov stating -
"The moving forces on the athletes body rise are as follows
1. Kinetic energy of the straightening pole.
2. The power boost of the athletes muscle effort
Further, the main force is energy of straightening the pole".

"When I mention this it is generally miss understood.. because the terminology for the “action of bending the pole” is now referred to “loading the pole”. It is not a "loading of the pole…"

So the next issue is one of language use! IMHO if you mention 'bending the pole' for whatever reason, there is the potential to reinforce all of the ideas that have held the development of the vault back -that is that at take off one must bend the pole. Using the term "loading the pole" takes this issue away, because now the athlete can think about moving the pole up and forwards at take off and, if they are correctly positioned, the pole will be loaded by the top arm and begin to bend, without any attempt by the athlete to cause it to bend. Note Bubka's quote on page 119 of BTB2.

On a tangent I would also ask folk to consider that a world record distance of over 1000 yards was achieved many years ago with an arrow fired from a old fashioned composite bow -made of horn/glue/various woods. That could only have occurred if the potential energy stored in the body of the bow was released as kinetic energy in the arrow.
Its what you learn after you know it all that counts. John Wooden

User avatar
Tim McMichael
PV Master
Posts: 714
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 3:36 pm
Expertise: Current college and private coach. Former elite vaulter.

Re: "Model" Summary

Unread postby Tim McMichael » Tue Jan 18, 2011 10:28 am

On a tangent I would also ask folk to consider that a world record distance of over 1000 yards was achieved many years ago with an arrow fired from a old fashioned composite bow -made of horn/glue/various woods. That could only have occurred if the potential energy stored in the body of the bow was released as kinetic energy in the arrow.


This is a fascinating fact. Please elaborate a little more on how this applies to the vault.

Without a doubt, the catapulting effect of the pole is minimal enough to ignore. The faster it is moving, the harder you can swing, and that is where the energy is coming from.

dougb
PV Whiz
Posts: 131
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 10:05 pm
Expertise: elite vaulter - Coach
Lifetime Best: 4.4 m
Favorite Vaulter: Feofanova
Location: Auckland, NZ

Re: "Model" Summary

Unread postby dougb » Tue Jan 18, 2011 4:06 pm

"Without a doubt, the catapulting effect of the pole is minimal enough to ignore"

Definitly true in the begining or intermediate levels, but at the elite levels where 1cm is important?

Doug Balcomb
PV Coach, Auckland NZ
The older I get, The better I was.

ADTF Academy
PV Follower
Posts: 494
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2005 12:57 pm
Location: South Bend, IN

Re: "Model" Summary

Unread postby ADTF Academy » Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:18 pm

The secondary point to Tim's comment is rather this catapulting effect of the pole is performed through the creation of additional energy or the conservation of potential energy stored in the pole.

Take a cylinder and place a marble in it. Make the cylinder small enough that the marble barely fits. Now fire compressed air through the cylinder of x psi. The marble will fly into the air. Did the marble do anything itself or did it just go for a ride. Same experiment except make the cylinder 10 times larger with the same marble and same psi of compressed air. What happens to the marble this time? Does it go as high into the air? Why not?

The marble will begin to bounce all over the place and not receive all the energy as when the cylinder was smaller. Vaulters and coaches need to get away from trying to create energy on the top to a mindset of conservation of energy. If a novice vaulter is trying to push themselves up into the air they will only do 1 thing. A giant pushup and flatten out the hips and lose pike height.

As doug put at the beginning and intermediate levels this is minimal enough to ignore (the catapulting effect). However, the concepts of conservation of what little energy there is available and positioning on the pole at the top of the jump isn't. Tim is right the first part of the jump sets up the top there is not doubt the speed of the swing and speed of the rotation of the pole into the pit can maintain energy created at takeoff. However, All to often we see vaulters perform the first half with success just to widen the cylinder at the top of the vault attempting to create energy with the arms and get out of alignment with the pole. Think little marble in narrow or wide cylinder, which will go higher? Last time I checked no top arm extension and hips over shoulders in a piked position is higher than straight top arm and hips flat to the pit.

User avatar
Tim McMichael
PV Master
Posts: 714
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 3:36 pm
Expertise: Current college and private coach. Former elite vaulter.

Re: "Model" Summary

Unread postby Tim McMichael » Fri Jan 21, 2011 7:44 pm

I once saw an interesting drill in an old track and field manual that I dug out of the old stacks at OU's library. This was stiff pole era stuff and this drill has definitely been lost to time. They fixed a hoop to the top of the pole that was just a little wider than the athlete's hips and practiced vaulting through it. While I never tried it, I always thought it was a great way to think about where my body needed to be at the top of the jump.


Return to “Pole Vault - Advanced Technique”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 27 guests