Question: I am a long time vault coach with a long time problem. Many of my vaulters have trouble getting deep into the pit – resulting in stalling over the bar – despite plenty of height for clearance. This is a common problem based on the number of emails you receive. You have given good explanations of why this is happening, but seldom have I read suggestions on drills, exercises, or practice techniques that we can do to correct the problem. What can we do each day in practice to keep the arms straight, high plant, etc., which will help us penetrate into the pit, and stop the dangerous stalling? Are there drills away from the pit that can help? Specific drills in the sand pit maybe? Any help you can give in the way of specific drills will certainly be appreciated.

Answer: Inexperienced vaulters and those new to the event will be challenged to develop pole speed and to land in the PLZ (Preferred Landing Zone) due to grips too high, poles too stiff or an erratic and inconsistent approach run, pole plant and/or take-off. The repetition of simple skills will develop a sound foundation for developing vaulters. At all times drills should be done so the vaulters develop a feel and sense of timing. The best foundation is to practice straight pole drills and drills with a small bend. The movements of transferring energy from the run to take-off can be learned with 2 and 3 left steps with a straight pole into the long jump pit. In this drill, pay close attention to landing safely on two feet and pad the sides of the pit which are often concrete. The subtle timing of the take-off speed and pole movement is also an important component of vaulting. Vaulters with bent arms at take-off may develop the habit of pulling prematurely causing the pole and vaulter to stall. We encourage you to be creative and develop your own drills to focus or correct individual flaws of different vaulters. Back To Top.

---

Question: As a pole vaulter I am very fast but I stop abruptly at the end and the energy of the running doesn't go to the pole. I jump high for my age, but I have also this terrible mistake. What can I do?

Answer: Slowing down or "stopping" at the take-off is a serious mistake. This action will limit your potential. It is very important to learn to control your speed and to move the pole at the same speed as your take-off. As a young vaulter we encourage you to vault with controlled speed. It would be valuable to learn a powerful take-off (directly under your top hand) and to do this with 3, 4, 5 and 6 left steps. Back To Top.

---

Question: I recently suffered a fracture to my ankle, forcing me not to compete and I was wondering if you could give me some information on how to pole vault untill it heals.

Answer: Talk to your doctor or rehab therapist for safe activities as you recover from an injury. Underwater "vaulting" may develop a feel for pulling on the pole through inversion and push-off, yet the transfer to real vaulting may be dubious. We encourage you to focus on your trunk and upper body strength. At this time it would be very valuable to watch vault films and video. It has been proven that by watching video you can stimulate neuronuclear activity in related muscle groups. Back To Top.

---

Question: How do you take off?

Answer: The take-off is a critical and important phase of pole-vaulting. Mot coaches will determine the valuter's preferred take-off leg by observing simple jumping activities. The take-off should be performed with the concept of adding velocity over the final steps therefore storing greater energy into the pole. Simple mechanics of the pole vault take-off can be learned initially with one, two and three step jumps. At the advanced level the lowering of the pole (pole drop) and pole plant with posture of a sprinter will culminate in a take-off with no loss of energy. A "free take-off" will occur when the take-off foot (toes) break contact with the ground at the moment or close to when the pole contacts the box. In this way the pole bends a the athlete leaves the ground. Energy may be lost to the ground, box and pole when the vaulter is "under" and the pole begins bending as the athlete is still on the ground. Back To Top

---

Question: I recently took over the boys pole vaulting position. Their senior vaulter has one bad habit I cannot get him to break. For the last three years he will not leave the ground if his step is not significantly in. If his step is where it should be he says it does not feel right and he will just run through. I am having difficulty getting him to leave the ground when his step is correct. Any suggestions?

Answer: The take-off foot placement is important, yet rhythm and "setting up" to take-off is perhaps more important. An athlete with no run structure, and/or no rhythm will not take off. It is important as a safety measure that the athlete may "run-through" rather than risk an improper take-off We suggest you have this athlete relearn all the elementary and basic plant and take-off movements. Standing, walking and jogging plant drills would be a good place to start. Following this would be short approach "straight pole" drills (1, 2, 3, 4 left steps). The purpose is to develop a "feel" and confidence to take-off and to build the necessary plant and take-off rhythm. From this point you could build up to pole runs and ultimately back to the runway for full vault approach runs. Back To Top.

---

Question: I have a sophomore at 11-0. His problem is the pole straightens too early, pushing forward instead of upward. How do we correct this problem?

Answer: A pole that "straightens too early" will cause the vaulter to land close to the box and not the center of the pit. This can be both dangerous and cause a vaulter to lose confidence. Immediately we suggest you have the vaulter lower their grip. In addition be sure the vaulter always works toward a powerful forward and upward take-off. It is always better to bend the pole less and consistently land in the center of the pit than to have a larger bend and land closer to the box. Back To Top.

---

Question: I am a freshman in high school. This is my first year doing distance track and pole vault. I am really excited to be pole vaulting. It's a great time. I would just like to ask what kind of drills should I do to get better and what should I do and not do to become successful?

Answer: The fact that you are prepared to do drills is a very important component to being successful. Please look at the Frequently Asked Questions portion of this website. For beginning vaulters, even the basic parts of picking up the pole, holding and running with it are very important. Do not take any shortcuts. Balance, technique and rhythm of everything you do is critical. Practice and more practice of safe and simple movements will ensure a very strong base to build upon. Back To Top.

---

Question: How long of an approach should new vaulters start with?

Answer: The proper approach run is very important. Please look at our Frequently Asked Questions section. You will find helpful information there. Back To Top.

---

Question: How high (on average) does a male have to vault to walk on to a Division I track team?

Answer: Not all Division I schools have the same criteria. Each coach measures potential a little differently. Your best bet is to contact the universities you are interested in. It would be very helpful to send a tape to the head Coach and ask him about their philosophy with walk-on vaulters. Back To Top.

---

Question: My son will be entering the 9th Grade next year. He currently vaults 10' on an old pole we have at school. I don't even know what it is rated. He weighs about 105 lbs. What would be a good length pole and what should it be rated?

Answer: High School vaulters are not allowed to vault on poles below their weight. The minimum stiffness your son should use is a 110 lb. pole. As a 10' vaulter, we suggest a 12' 110 lb. pole. Back To Top.

---

Question: My vaulters are always asking me where the soft spot on the pole is. Is there one, and if there is, how do you find it?

Answer: Each pole will have a slight pre-bend or sag. A quick method to check this is to simply rest the pole against the board of a hurdle (one tip on the ground) and gently roll it. The pole will come to rest with the inside of the bend facing up. Back To Top.

---

Question: I just broke my pole at the last meet I was at. What can cause this? The state is making sure that people don't weigh more than their pole says. I have tried to use poles for my weight and I can't bend the pole, can you help me?

Answer: Fortunately, vaulting poles broken during use are very rare. Almost always pole breakage can be traced to an impact such as being dropped, kicked or otherwise – where resin or fissures have been fractured or damaged. Poles may also break if overpowered or over-stressed You are correct, it is now a High School rule that vaulters are NOT permitted to exceed the weight of the pole (i.e. test weight - 12' 140 lbs.). It is expected that beginning vaulters on the proper weighted pole will bend the poles only a small amount, this is normal. We suggest you continue to work on the fundamental skills of pole carry, an accurate approach run, tall pole plant and strong take off. Back To Top.

---

Question: I have no pole vault pit and I am highly concerned with the girls that are wanting to jump. We were told when we went to camp this summer that we would be able to jump this year, then they decided not to purchase a pit. We are in a top position to win our region but I need to be able for these girls to work on this as well as educate myself. I came from NC and don't know much about Pole Vaulting. We are in the North Georgia Mountains and I have been looking for a private coach. Please help. We can go to another school to practice some on their mats but are there things I can work on at home that we don't necessarily have to do on a mat - I.E.: pop-ups, etc.? Any help would be better than what I have.

Answer: By Coach David Butler, Jumps Coach at Rice University
I have had the great privilege to spend the last two summers, and this coming summer also, in Italy with Vitali Petrov, the father of modern pole vaulting & Sergey Bubka's Coach. For the first 45 minutes to an hour of a pole vault session, he has his men & woman vaulters work through a series of plant and take-off drills and exercises, all on the ground or track.

These drills can be done on a street, track, grass field, sandpit, or from a beach into a pond or lake! The drills are all done in varying speeds, focusing on the critical movement of the plant as the vaulter walks, jogs or sprints down the runway. The arm position (full top hand grip and bottom hand elbow in, wrist cocked) of the pole carry and the constant dropping or the pole as the vault moves, is emphasized. Any deviation from a sound technique of pole drop and plant will result in the vaulter decelerating, and not able to move the pole to vertical.

Try having a vaulter walk in slow motion and plant the pole – they will soon discover their problems in moving the pole. Also have them perform a 6 step straight pole vault (non-bending) and see if they can move the pole to vertical without pulling in, down, or past the pole – and planting high with both arms. Back to Top.

---

Answered Questions • Next • Page 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 • Back