Question:
I
coach
an
18
year
old,
16ft.
(4.90m)
vaulter
who
over
the
season
has
developed
a
habit
of
taking
off
too
close,
this
has
already
caused
inflammation
of
the
shoulder
muscle
and
severe
pain
at
take
off.
The
injury
is
now
almost
fixed
and
we
should
be
able
to
start
vaulting
again
soon.
Do
you
have
any
advice
on
how
to
stop
the
tendency
of
taking
off
too
far
under?
My
present
idea
is
to
drop
the
grip
and
rebuild
the
run
up
gradually,
only
raising
the
grip
after
consistent
achievement
of
the
correct
take
off.
Before
he
developed
this
problem
he
had
a
superb
take
off
position
from
an
effective
grip
of
14'
6",
his
grip
is
now
15'
on
a
16'
pole.
Have
we
been
too
greedy
too
quickly?
Answer:
by
Tom
Hays,
Jumps
Coach
at
the
University
of
Arizona:
The
objective
at
take-off
is
to
be
as
big
as
you
can
be!
There
are
a
number
of
things
that
causes
an
athlete
to
take-off
under
or
to
be
small
at
take-off.
I
am
going
to
list
some
of
these
and
I
hope
they
will
help
you
find
a
solution.
1.
The
way
an
athlete
thinks
about
the
take-off.
•
The
athlete
should
think
about
moving
the
pole
first
before
bending
it.
When
an
athlete
thinks
about
moving
a
pole
first,
the
athlete
tends
to
set
up
the
vault
or
plant
earlier.
2.
Over
striding.
This
is
simply
longer
strides
coming
into
the
take-off.
•
Work
on
stride
rhythm
away
from
the
pit.
For
example:
approaches
on
the
track,
working
on
good
posture,
balance,
and
rhythmical
stride
pattern.
The
runner
should
go
slow
to
fast
with
a
shortening
of
stride
length
through
the
take-off.
Note:
sometimes
if
the
athlete
is
over
striding,
the
athlete
needs
to
move
up
even
if
the
take-off
spot
is
under.
Moving
the
athlete
up
allows
the
athlete
to
get
back
into
a
natural
stride
rhythm.
3.
Lowering
the
pole
tip
too
late.
•
Lowering
the
tip
sooner
allows
the
athlete
to
set
up
the
take-off,
allowing
the
athlete
to
get
their
arms
up
and
be
in
a
bigger
position
at
take-off.
4.
Controlling
the
plant
with
the
bottom
arm.
Some
athletes
think
that
in
order
to
bend
a
pole
they
need
to
use
their
bottom
arm.
This
moves
the
weight
of
the
pole
in
front
of
the
body
causing
the
vaulter
to
be
slightly
off
balance
or
falling
forward
into
the
take-off.
The
vaulter
then
will
naturally
step
under
to
regain
a
balanced
position.
•
Vaulter
needs
to
activate
the
plant
with
his/her
top
hand,
pushing
it
as
high
as
he/she
can
(pushing
the
top
hand
high
at
the
same
time
lowering
the
pole
tip
helps
the
athlete
shorten
their
last
steps
and
promotes
a
take-off
that
is
tall
and
on.)
5.
When
an
athlete
changes
to
a
stiffer
or
longer
pole,
the
athlete's
mental
perception
is
to
run
harder
at
the
box.
This
sometimes
causes
the
athlete
to
run
lower
with
longer
steps
taking
the
athlete
out
of
a
good
take-off
position.
(Athlete
tries
to
get
to
the
box.)
•
This
athlete
needs
to
think
about
a
good
rhythmic
run
and
let
the
box
come
to
him/her.
6.
As
an
athlete
grows
and
gets
stronger,
his/her
run
changes.
•
In
this
case,
you
might
just
need
more
room.
Simply
move
his
run
back
and
give
the
athlete
more
time
to
get
the
plant
in
the
correct
position.
It
is
always
good
to
shorten
the
run
and
work
on
rhythm,
posture
and
balance.
Taking
speed
out
of
a
movement
makes
it
easier
to
repeat,
and
the
more
times
the
take-off
is
done
correctly
the
better
chance
the
athlete
will
have
when
stress
is
added.
Taking-off
from
the
correct
spot
becomes
easier
as
the
athlete
develops
the
correct
concept
of
the
vault.
The
correct
concept
is
moving
the
pole
first
and
then
bending
it.
When
the
athlete's
objective
is
to
bend
the
pole
off
the
ground
he/she
will
never
take-off
on.
Back
to
Top.
Question:
I
am the
father
of a
vaulter
who,
by default,
am trying
my best
to learn
as much
as I
can.
He's
getting
stronger
and
I have
him
on a
light
summer
strength
training
program
led
after
"Periodization
of Training"
I have
read
by Tudor
Bompa.
How
many
athletes
take
periodization
seriously?
It indicates
in this
book
not
to undertake
training
until
after
strength
training
is into
it's
full
swing.
However,
I have
heard
that
vaulters
drill
year
round.
What
are
your
suggestions
and
thoughts
on periodization
of training
with
or without
technique
drills?
Answer:
by Coach
Bob
Fraley,
Director
of Track
&
Field
at Fresno
University
and
Chairman
of USATF
Mens
Pole
Vault
Development:
Periodization
of Training
- Elite
athletes
and
College
athletes
use
Periodization.
They
do so
to allow
them
to:
1.
Peak
for
Conference
and
National
Championships
2.
Control
the
volume
and
intensity
components
in their
annual
plan
3.
Monitor
the
increases
in volume
in their
training
as they
mature
so that
stagnation
does
not
occur
4.
Reduce
injuries
The
concept
of Periodization
is a
good
concept
or plan
but
it requires
a coach
or trainer
who
understands
volume,
intensity,
homeostasis,
involution,
adaptation,
stress,
stagnation,
burnout,
and
individual
threshold
capacity.
In most
cases
in high
school
and
in many
college
situations
the
competition
schedule
will
interrupt
the
cycles
within
the
Periods.
Especially
in high
schools
where
there
is 2
competitions
a week.
The
Annual
Plan
should
include
the
following:
1.
Preparation
Period
a.
Conditioning
b.
Specific
preparation
2.
Competition
Period
3.
Transition
Period
or Active
Recovery
Period
The
most
volume
of work
is during
the
Preparation
Period.
The
highest
intensity
is during
the
Competition
Period.
During
the
Transition
Period
the
athlete
needs
a change
of activities
to allow
the
Central
Nervous
System
to rest.
The
activities
should
be low
in volume
and
low
in intensity,
and
include
a variety
of fun
activities
like
swimming,
biking,
etc.
It is
okay
to include
drills
during
the
Transition
Period
and
the
conditioning
phase
of the
Preparation
Period
if the
volume
(number)
is kept
low.
However,
as a
parent
you
must
take
into
consideration
the
following:
1.
Is the
athlete
involved
in other
sports
at the
same
time?
2.
How
much
physical
ability
does
the
athlete
have?
3.
What
is the
athlete's
level
of fitness?
4.
Does
the
athlete
have
the
mental
capacity
to train
10 months
of the
year?
You
will
find
that
as the
athlete
improves
the
components
of strength,
power,
speed,
flexibility
the
technique
improves.