POLE VAULT

Joshua Buchholtz, Pole Vault Coach, University of Wisconsin at La Crosse

    The pole vault is perhaps the most dynamic and exciting event in track and field, one that you have to make fun and safe for your athletes. Every pole vault coach and athlete must become a student of the event in order to be successful.
    Inch by inch, it's a cinch ... yard by yard, it gets very hard---describes how to become a successful pole-vaulter as well as how to become a successful coach. The pole vault is an event that requires the mastery of the basic skills before progressing to the next level. There is no easy way to the top in vaulting.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A VAULTER

    Vaulters just don't often fall into a coach's lap, and most often, the good ones go undiscovered. So it's important to be able to know what to look for when keeping an eye out for potential recruits. This was very apparent when I stumbled upon a college athlete on her third year of competition. She was a high jumper and sprinter by trade. With her speed, body awareness, gymnastic background, and a whole lot of tenacity, she became in just two years of competition a vaulter who could pole-vault 12 feet, 4 inches.
    A good pole-vaulter tends to be a good all-around athlete. A potential pole-vaulter has no set body type that you can look for. Though it may seem advantageous for a vaulter to be tall and have long levers, this is not always the case. When looking for an aspiring vaulter, consider the following important factors:
    • Speed. This is key! In general, the velocity with which the vaulter leaves the ground directly relates to the size of the pole, which in turn transfers into the height attained; that is, horizontal energy transfers into vertical energy. It should not surprise you to find a good vault candidate already on your team in the sprints, hurdles, or even the long and triple jump events.
    • Kinesthetic, or body awareness. Coordination and body control playa large role in vaulting. It is important for vaulters to be able to sense what their body is doing and have the ability to make corrections in fractions of a second. As a vaulter progresses, this awareness can be developed and refined. An athlete with good kinesthetic awareness will have more success than a vaulter without it; a good vaulter may often even have a background in gymnastics. This was especially true in the early stages of the women's pole vault during which top vaulters usually had an extensive background in gymnastics.
    • Strength. Strength is the next factor in the success of a vaulter. Strength also affects the principle of speed: the faster vaulters can
become, the more readily they move to longer and bigger poles, resulting in the potential for higher marks. Strength also plays a role in maintaining health throughout training during the track season. By preparing athletes through a sound weightlifting and strengthening program, you can reduce the chance that they will injure themselves.
    • Coachability. A vaulter has to understand first that the pole vault is an event that requires commitment and that often he or she will need to put in more time than athletes who do other events on the track. Time spent working out, practicing both mentally and physically, competing, and being a student of the event, takes dedication. For the coach, determining what makes vaulters tick is part of the job. Knowing how they prepare to compete, what their likes and dislikes are, and what their strengths and weaknesses are constitutes being a good coach. Using these characteristics to motivate and teach the vault will help you get the most out of an athlete without having a negative experience. For example, if you know that an athlete has a tendency to run a little harder on the third attempt and thus "blow through" the pole, you have the athlete move the standards back accordingly. A coach learns over time, through observation in practice and meet settings, how to get the best from each athlete.
    • Attitude and strength of mind. This may be the most important part of vaulting. Many have said that pole vaulting is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical. If you have been around pole vaulters before, you know it seems that some of them are a little strange or crazy. This is how some vaulters deal with the idea that they must hang upside down on a long piece of fiberglass that bends in half, and hope that it throws them in the right direction as they fly in most cases 10 plus feet off the ground. It is inevitable that at some point in a vaulting career, a vaulter will crash, no height in a meet, or just simply have a bad meet. The good vaulters are those who can shake it off, learn from their mistakes, and move on. This mental toughness, while inherent in many vaulters, is also a trainable characteristic.

    Many times, the coach will need to serve as a mediator between the vaulters and their minds. By recognizing how they best cope with situations and by setting them up for success early in their career, the coach can facilitate the vaulters' development and encourage their mental toughness, which will help them to overcome tough times. Many times, this toughness is apparent in those with less natural ability. They overcome their deficiencies by becoming mentally stronger and more mentally prepared than their opponents. I was told a story by a former coach that I now pass down frequently. It's a story of an athlete who was never the stand-out vaulter, never the fastest, never the strongest. But he was mentally tough and always prepared. One rainy day at the NCAA National Championships, he became a national champion because he was mentally tougher in the inclement weather when his competitors faltered.
 

VAULTING TECHNIQUE

    One key training activity is form running to establish or correct any inefficient running patterns. I like to break down the vault event into segments that help a coach and athlete pinpoint and correct any errors in technique.
 

Pole Grip
    You may think that the pole grip and carry are quite basic and don't need to be worked on in practice. On the contrary, the grip and carry can be a vital components in squeezing out inches over the bar.
    First you need to establish whether your vaulter has a preference of takeoff foot. From this, you can determine the best grip and pole carry. Normally, right-hand dominant vaulters place their right hand at the top of the pole and the left hand lower on the pole, which makes the takeoff foot the left foot (figure 11.1).

    Once you have established top and bottom hands, consider the grip distance or distance between the hands. The most efficient way to gauge proper grip distance is to begin with the length of the vaulter's arm from palm to armpit. Have the vaulter grip the pole with the top hand as if preparing to throw it like a javelin then extend the pole back behind the body so that it comes to rest under the armpit. The vaulter should grip the pole by placing the thumb of the lower hand in the armpit and grasping the pole at the point of contact. Increasing the distance between the hands can make it easier to plant the pole, but it may interfere with the inversion of the vault or getting upside down. Narrowing the grip will make it easier for a vaulter to get inverted.
I've found that the best method for finding the right grip distance is to have the athlete establish the plant with a slightly wider grip, then begin narrowing it by small increments. This method assists the vaulter in finding a happy medium.
 

Pole Carry
    With the grip established, it's time to turn to the proper pole carry. To achieve proper form for the carry, the vaulter should put an imaginary gun in an imaginary holster with one hand while checking an imaginary watch with the other. The hand at the top of the pole should rest along the hip like a gun in a holster, and the other hand should be positioned as if the vaulter were checking a wristwatch at about chest height (figure 11.2a). The pole then naturally angles across the front of the vaulter.
    As the vaulters carry the pole down the runway, they must keep their shoulders square. Most important is that the vaulters have a comfortable and efficient approach run, with the pole tip being raised to a nearly vertical position, then gradually lowered
throughout the approach (figure 11.2b). I often stress that a vaulter is a sprinter who happens to carry a pole and that running form and body position should be similar to sprinting form and position.

Approach
    As I mentioned, a pole vaulter is really a sprinter carrying a pole! The mechanics are nearly the same: An athlete carrying a pole simulates the arm positions of a sprinter, with the major difference being that the upper body movement is limited by the carry. The upper body should stay relaxed and the vaulter should stay in control of the pole.
    It is not important for a beginning vaulter to establish a full run until the basic pole carry, approach, and simple pop-ups can be done efficiently. The vaulter should become comfortable handling the pole before shifting attention to consistent runs or approaches. Rules and regulations regarding when athletes can begin to use facilities and equipment vary from school to school and state to state, but generally, the sooner the vaulters begin practicing, the better off they are. If poles are not available, athletes can use anything that simulates a pole-broken poles cut into shorter sticks or old broom sticks are adequate substitutes for preseason training.
    Once the fundamentals of carrying and running with a pole become efficient, it is important to start establishing a consistent run. The length of the approach and the type of run-up will vary depending on the characteristics of each individual athlete. In general, when determining the length of the approach, consider the vaulter's ability, body type, speed, and comfort or experience with vaulting. New vaulters should use a shorter approach than that used by the more advanced athletes. An athlete who takes more time to reach peak speed will benefit from a longer run; however, an athlete who attains peak speeds quickly may be comfortable with a short or long approach.
    Approach work is important to all levels of vaulting. There will be times when more advanced vaulters who are struggling with their run need to return to working on their approach for consistency. As a coach, it is important for you to recognize this and to get the struggling vaulters off the runway and on the side to work on their run.
The approach can be started various ways.
    I recommend the four-step, walk-in approach that consists of a rock-back step, with the takeoff foot being forward, followed by four steps. I recommend this start because it allows for more consistency by adding a checkpoint after the four starting steps. Another approach start is the simple run with little or no buildup. Some athletes prefer the shuffle or skip start, in which they shuffle or skip into the run and check their step as they pass their starting mark.
    I also recommend using checkpoints on the runway to mark the starting point, the four-step mark, and the takeoff point. If the athlete's run is inconsistent, a coach may want to add a mid-mark halfway into the approach and a four-step check mark for those using a four-step walk-in. The vaulter can develop a more consistent run, and you, as coach, can see
more clearly the discrepancies in each section of the approach and communicate them to the vaulter. (Remember to use the term step to refer to every time the takeoff foot hits the runway and the term stride to refer to every time any foot hits the runway.) Generally, a beginner would use an 8- to 10-step approach plus a 4-step walk-in. This would mean that the athlete's takeoff foot would hit the runway four or five times, not including the walk-in.
    Once the vaulter has established a start, the rest of the approach should be identical no matter what the length of approach. With the pole nearly vertical, the approach should be a consistent acceleration through the plant. The pole should then be lowered gradually throughout the run. Remember that a vaulter is a sprinter who carries a pole; the lower body mechanics of a vaulter should be the same as those of a sprinter.
    During the early season, it is important that athletes establish a good run before actually vaulting in practice or competition. Vaulters should do this by running and recording the takeoff step. A slide box made from two-by fours can be used to simulate a plant box during approach practice. Use a line or tape on the floor to give vaulters a visual mark for the appropriate plant point. When vaulters run approaches for consistency, record each approach to determine any adjustments the athlete needs to make from the previous run and the takeoff point. To determine a takeoff point, place tape or chalk marks on the floor to indicate the distance in feet from the back of the plant box. Once the individual becomes consistent, you may need to put only three or four marks down (e.g., at 10 feet, 10.5, 11, 11.5).
 

Developing a Consistent Approach
    Consistency is key in developing an approach, and repetition is at the heart of consistency. When I was in high school, our track season started in early spring. Living in northern Wisconsin and not having an indoor facility, we were often forced by the snow to conduct many of our practices in the gym. This is where I developed my approach run. I would measure out my run diagonally in the gymnasium, lay down tape for my start and takeoff points, then do 15 to 20 runs each day. Going into my freshman season, we had an indoor meet before I ever had a chance to leave the ground and actually vault. I had been doing my runs religiously for two weeks prior to the meet, but I had never bent a pole before, and my personal best in middle school was nine feet. In my inaugural high school indoor meet, however, I bent the pole in warm-up from a full run the first time down the runway. What a rush! It was addictive, and I wanted more. I ended up clearing 10 feet, 6 inches in the first meet of the year without one day of full vaulting----I had only spent time on the run.
 

Pole Plant
    The plant begins four steps out from the plant box when the vaulter's right foot hits the runway (figure 11.3a). With the pole parallel to the ground from the approach and the upper body still in the "gun in the holster, check your watch" position, the pole should begin to pivot on the hand that is lowest on the pole as the top hand runs the pole directly up and along the side of the ribcage (figure 11.3b). Both arms should be extended one step from the plant box (or as the dominant foot hits the ground). The top hand should be directly over the takeoff foot as that arm extends fully (figure 11.3c). I tell the athletes to make sure they put the biceps of their top arm in their ear. It is also important to push the plant up and away from the body and to keep the head and eyes following the forward hand. Body position at this point should be tall and aggressive.

Take off
This is where the vaulter takes on the characteristics of a long jumper, since the movement of takeoff is similar in each event. The takeoff, or plant, foot should be directly under the
body as the pole hits the back of the plant box (see figure 11.4a). The center of gravity then rotates forward and is projected slightly upward, with the knee driving the lift (figure 11.4b).

    The athlete should drive the thigh up so it is parallel to the ground, and the takeoff leg should be allowed to trail as it pushes off the ground through the toes, creating a hang or dragging motion with the trailing leg. As the athlete leaves the ground, the pole should be pushed away from the body and separation between body and pole should be maintained. As the vaulter is traveling forward and upward, the pole is moving forward and bending but not swinging.
    The drive now becomes important, as this is where the horizontal energy from the run is "loaded" into the pole. This also dictates how far a vaulter gets into the mats. If vaulters use the proper pole---one that is rated for body weight and of the appropriate length for their ability---they may still come up short by not getting into a proper drive position. By holding this "drive" position a split second longer, the vaulter gives the pole more time to travel to near-vertical position before it unbends,
taking the athlete deeper onto the landing mats.
 

Swing and Inversion
    Now the vaulters are in a position in which they are literally hanging from the pole with their takeoff leg dragging behind and their lead leg driving off the ground. It is important that they keep separation between the pole and the body. The swing should start with a long but vigorous movement of the trail leg and hips. The athlete should continue holding the drive position of the lead leg and not let it drop to a double-leg swing position, which could cause a loss of forward momentum. Another key as the vaulter goes through this swing motion is to keep the top hand moving. Use the analogy of paddling a canoe to represent what "moving" means. Have the vaulters imagine pushing their top hand from above their head in a big half-circle out in front of their body and continuing back to their opposite thigh. With this upper body action, the lower body should swing through while the entire body swings as a whole.
    Think of a clock as you observe a vaulter from the side. The vaulter's head should be at 12 o'clock, with drive leg leaving the ground at 6 o'clock (figure 11.5a). As the vaulter drives forward, the trail leg should trail behind close to 8 o'clock, then swing through long and hard until the upward swing at about 5 o'clock, where it should start to be tucked inward to created a quicker rock-back motion into a vertical position (figure 11.5b). This is similar to the principle that figure skaters use during a spin. When skaters begin to spin they start out with arms extended, similar to the long leg-swing of a vaulter; this causes slower action. To spin faster, they bring their arms in, or tuck them in, just as vaulters do with their leg to create greater rotation and speed to achieve an upside-down position.

Extension and Clearance
    As the swing leg is tucked in, the top hand continues to move to its position near the opposite thigh. This is when the vaulter must work with the pole to time an extension that will create the most vertical position possible. As the pole starts to unbend, the vaulter must pull and extend, bringing the hips close to the pole and laying the head back (figure 11.6a).     As the vaulters start the turn while moving upward, they should try to put their right foot over their left foot (if the vaulter is right-handed; it's vice versa for a lefty). When the pull and turn are completed, it is important to continue the vault with a solid push off the top of the pole as the bottom hand leaves the pole, with the top hand pushing off vertically (figure 11.6b).

    The objective is to literally fly off the top of the pole and continue to gain height. As the feet clear the bar, the vaulter should imagine another bar about a foot above the actual bar; the vaulter should then imagine clearing that mental bar before bringing his feet down by folding at the hips. A vaulter clearing the bar should look a lot like a slinky. Be sure that the parabolic pathway, through which the vaulter travels over the bar, is a tall and narrow one. To be sure, a coach may want to watch a vault from the side.

SELECTING THE RIGHT POLE

    An important question for vaulters and coaches is what pole an athlete should choose. Pole selection is determined by many factors. First, consider the weight of the athlete. A vaulter should not exceed the factory weight limit of the pole he or she is using. In fact, to get more snap out of the pole, a vaulter should strive to use a pole with a higher weight rating than the vaulter's actual body weight would dictate.
    How do you know when it is a good time to go to a stiffer pole? One indicator is when the athletes are consistently going deep into the landing mats. Another sign is when they are getting inverted well, but still knocking off the crossbar on the way up. When moving up in weight, use five-pound increments, if possible, so that adjustments are minimal.
    The length of the pole is another factor in proper pole selection. As with the weight of the pole, the length of a pole that a vaulter uses will increase progressively as the vaulter improves. Beginner vaulters, male or female, should start vaulting by "straight-sticking" (pole vaulting without bending the pole). Therefore, beginners can use any pole length because they are not running fast and are usually not gripping to height. I recommend that beginners use a 10- or 11-foot pole because of the simple fact that these poles are easier to handle.
    A sign that it is time to move up to the next longer pole length is when a vaulter starts to clear heights that are the same height as the pole. When moving up to a longer pole, the athlete may need to grip further down on the pole while becoming accustomed to that pole. Another aspect to consider when increasing pole length is the weight rating. If you increase the length of a pole, it may be necessary to go back down to the next lower weight because gripping down on a longer pole makes the pole stiffer.
There is no formula for when to go up a pole in length as opposed to weight. As a coach, you will need to work that out with your athlete; it is a game of trial and error. Generally, if the vaulters are blowing through at relatively low heights, then they will need to go up in weight. If it seems that the athlete is achieving an apex in the right spot over the bar but is just not getting enough height for clearance, then a longer pole may be needed.
 

TRAINING SEASON

    The vault is an all-around event that uses the whole body, and because of that, the whole body needs to be developed. Training needs to address all aspects of preparation including technique work, lifting for strength, speed training for technique, cross-training for endurance and all-around fitness, and mental training for competitions.
We break the season into three general phases: preseason, in-season, and off-season. If enough time and effort is put in during the preseason, the actual season can be much more productive, as the body will be fit and able to adjust quickly to new techniques.
    The preseason is when the foundation is laid for the whole year. This is the time to build strength and speed without worrying about being fresh to vault. Coaches can alter the schedule for the preseason to work around any camps or clinics the vaulter needs to attend. Camps and clinics are absolutely great preseason training. Not only do your athletes get a chance to vault, but they also learn new techniques and see other vaulters of varying abilities. Many areas also have track and field clubs that have meets throughout the summer, giving athletes a great opportunity to vault through the summer months. Generally, though, lifting two to three times a week is most important for the vaulters. Table 11.1 provides a list of lifts that are especially beneficial for vaulters, including some of the best lifts for the vault----the power clean and jerk, and the snatch. Coaches should implement aerobic conditioning and form running as well.

    Once this basis of training has been established, the in-season training phase is the time for vaulters to continue honing technique while maintaining strength and fitness. Table 11.2 provides a sample training week for vaulters during the in-season. Table 11.3 (a and b) shows examples of a typical non-vaulting practice day and a vaulting practice day. These workouts all depend on the time of the season and the shape the athletes are in. Coaches may wish to give extra days of rest if productivity is lacking. Remember, too, that a vaulter is a sprinter carrying a pole, so it is good to train vaulters as such. Have them work out with the sprinters and horizontal jumpers, if possible.

    Don't forget that an athlete also needs a recovery period after a season. This should be a period of three to five weeks that includes nothing more than light running and activity before the athletes get back into full training. I call the off-season the time for active rest; athletes stay physically active without focusing on anything vault-specific. Hiking, biking, and canoeing are perfect active-rest activities to do two to three times a week during the offseason. An athlete may want to continue doing some sort of running two times a week as well. This period is important to give the body, as well as the brain, time to recuperate from the previous season and to get hungry for vaulting again.
 

VAULT DRILLS

    Numerous drills and activities can be done to supplement vaulting workouts, either on vault days or on non vault days. Here are some of my favorite drills.

Two Pole Sand Drill
    1. Tape together two poles. The tape should form an X a couple feet from the top of the poles.
    2. Place the bottoms of the poles in the sand so that they are somewhat buried and standing upright on their own.
    3. The vaulter grasps the poles about 6 to 12 inches above reach when the poles are vertical.
    4. The vaulter takes one step and jumps off the ground, simulating the takeoff of a vault. A coach may help beginners by physically pulling the pole through the motion.
5. The vaulter takes off and maintains the lead thigh position parallel to the ground with a 90degree separation between thigh and calf. The trail leg is extended behind the body. The vaulter holds     this position and lands in the sand in that takeoff position.
    As the athletes become more comfortable, allow them to grip higher and higher, taking a couple walking steps into the takeoff. Keys to this drill include the athletes' hanging lengthwise from the poles and maintaining the separation between their legs from the takeoff point. This drill is great for beginning vaulters because it allows them to get the feeling of taking off the ground and hanging from the pole-all in a safe environment, over a sand pit.
    Beginners can also try the drill with one pole. This drill can be less intimidating than the athletes' having to rely on the pole vault pads and plant box while they are still being introduced to basic pole vault concepts. Again, the vaulter grips the pole with the top hand about 6 to 12 inches higher than can be reached with the pole standing vertical (right-handed vaulters use their right hand, and vice versa).
 

Pole Runs
    This is a must-do drill for all vaulters, it and involves simple full-approach work, away from the pole-vault area (e.g., on a track straightaway). Experiment with different takeoff positions and techniques. Practicing these approach runs on a track gives athletes unhindered repetitions of running with the pole, thereby helping them to develop a routine and some consistency. Remember that the vault is a chain of events that starts with the approach; therefore, it is critical that athletes first develop a consistent approach.
 

    Jog Plants
    This drill emphasizes the last five steps of the approach and the plant. Carrying a pole, the athlete starts the approach at a jog and focuses on accelerating the last five steps as well as hitting the correct hand positions when lowering and planting the pole. In other words, the sequence is as follows: gun in the holster, check your watch; gradually lower the pole (it should be parallel to the ground); move top hand up the side of the body; and extend top hand straight over head (biceps in the ear). As the vaulter maintains focus on the correct positions, it is important that he or she also build a progression of five aggressive steps.
 

Plant Drill
    This drill reinforces building strength and maintaining the plant and drive positions. It creates and maintains body positions similar to the plant and takeoff of vaulting. This coach-assisted drill can be done against the wall in the gym, in the plant box, or just about anywhere you can plant a pole against an object that won't move.
    1. Using a pole rated 10 or more pounds over the vaulter's body weight, the vaulter simulates a plant with the butt-end of the pole against a plant box or wall.
    2. The vaulter then takes three steps away from the plant area. From this point, with the pole tip sliding on the ground, the vaulter simulates the last three steps of the approach into the plant.
    3. With the coach standing on the side of the athlete and following closely, the vaulter takes the three approach steps; the coach then places his or her hands in the mid-ta-upper back of the vaulter.
    4. The coach gradually pushes the vaulter upward and inward, simulating the takeoff.
    Additional assistance may be useful to help the vaulter reach the correct positions. Often the knee may drop during the drive phase and may therefore require another person to physically assist the thigh and lead leg into the correct drive position. Another focus of this drill is for the vaulter to keep the trail leg dragging behind. This can be assisted by having another person block the trail leg from swinging under the body, by stopping it with a hand from the side.
 

Warm-Up Series
    Also called pop-up drills, the following series of drills are an effective way for beginning vaulters to start vaulting as well as a good set of drills for the more advanced vaulters to use to warm up. These drills highlight on the main vaulting positions.
 

One-Armed Hangs.

    This drill emphasizes the tall takeoff by the vaulter's hanging from the pole and holding the takeoff and drive positions.
    1. The vaulter grips the pole with one hand, no more than a foot higher than can be reached with the pole vertical. This is important. The more comfortable and capable the vaulter becomes, the higher up the pole the vaulter can hold, as long as he or she is making it into the pit without stalling out.
    2. Holding the pole with the top hand in the "gun in the holster position," the vaulter slides the pole's butt-end along the runway, starting about 20 to 30 feet from the box.
    3. The vaulter slides the pole along the runway and into the plant box. The plant should simulate the whole motion of the top hand. Make sure the acceleration during the run is aggressive at the plant.
    4. Once the pole plants, the athlete projects off the ground, holding this drive position all the way until landing on the mat. Make sure the vaulter's body is traveling between the top hand and the pole. A right-handed vaulter (whose right hand is top hand) will take off with the left foot on top, the right hand above the head, and the left shoulder rubbing the pole as it passes by.
Other variations that work as part of the warm-up series include the following:
 

Long-to-long.

    The focus of this drill is on the takeoff and leg swing. Attacking the plant box, the vaulter should have a tall, high plant and solid takeoff from the ground. The trail leg should trail behind momentarily as the knee drives and the thigh stays parallel to the ground. Then using a vigorous, long, trail-leg swing, the whole body moves as one piece without bending at the waist.
 

Long-to-short.

    Working on the same principles as the long-to-Iong drill, the long-to-short drill adds the tucking action of the trail leg. With a solid plant and takeoff, the long leg swing is tucked in as the trail leg starts its upward swing. This creates a quicker rock-back action so that it may seem as if the only thing stopping the vaulter from doing a complete back flip in this position is the contact with the pole.
 

Long-to-short and extend.

    Continuing the long-to-short action, add an extension of the legs and hips from the tuck position. Coaches can add a turn to this as a vaulter progresses. With the turn, the vaulters land on their belly, looking back down the runway.
 

Kick Off the Bar
    This drill is for a vaulter who has established a solid plant and swing, but may not be getting fully inverted or upside down. Set a bar or bungee cord approximately two feet above the vaulter's personal best height. The goal is for the vaulter to knock off the bar or get both feet over the bungee. Make sure the vaulter is holding a good drive off the ground; make sure that there is a big swing, that the shoulders drop back, and that the vaulter is able to look directly back down the runway. You can turn this drill into a mini-meet by providing an opening height, then raising the bar up, giving the athlete three attempts to knock off the bar.
 

Window Vaulting
    Similar to the kick-off-the-bar drill, this drill allows the vaulter to work not only on getting back into an inverted position, but continuing the vault to extension, hip height, and bar clearance. With one bar or bungee placed at a high but maintainable height and another bar or bungee two feet higher, the vaulter strives to get inverted, kicks off the top bar, and clears the bottom bar.
 

Gymnastics Work
    Gymnastics is one of the best cross-training tools for a pole-vaulter. Everything from tumbling to working with parallel bars stresses the concepts of vaulting by developing the muscles used in vaulting and by training kinesthetic development.
 

Tumbling.

    I recommend focusing on tumbling for beginners. In particular, two basic skills that are helpful for pole vaulters to master are walking on the hands and being able to roll out of a fall and roll backward into a handstand. By repeating these skills, the vaulter develops strength and kinesthetic awareness, and prepares the body for more advanced training techniques related to gymnastics.
 

Parallel Bars Takeoff Swings.

    Swings off the parallel bars focus on the swing phase of the vault while strengthening the vaulter's upper body. Have your vaulters prop themselves up on the parallel bars-both hands on the bars, with their arms straight and their legs hanging down. From this position, the athlete should be able to assume a good takeoff position by swinging freely with the arms and driving the knee up, allowing the trail leg to follow. To propel the vaulter into takeoff, it is key to allow the trail leg to swing back and get a full-forward swing-through.
 

Stationary Swings.

    Divided into three separate drills, stationary swings are excellent for honing the full swing and extension. On a set of stationary rings, have the vaulter assume a good takeoff position with the drive knee and trail leg in proper position. The vaulters should swing from their shoulders, keeping their body in line without breaking at the waist (a common fault). Have them swing all the way to a vertical position while keeping the body in line and maintaining the separation of the drive knee and trail leg. Abdominals and shoulders should be the main propellants for this drill. This first basic ring drill is called the long-to-long and is identical to the long-to-Iongs done in the warm-up series (with the exception that these are done on the rings).
 

Long-to-short.

    Working on the same principles as the long-to-long drill, the long-to-short ring drill adds the tucking action of the trail leg. With a good plant and takeoff, the long swing is tucked in as the trail leg starts its upward swing at approximately the five o'clock position (using the clock analogy), thus creating a quicker rock-back action.
 

Long-to-short and extend.

    Continue the long-to-short action and add an extension of the legs and hips from their tuck position. Instruct the vaulter to lay the shoulders back and allow the head to stay neutral. If you want to stress the extension off the top, have the athletes (once upside down) tuck back into a ball and slowly lower their body back until their back is parallel to the ground; then have them extend and shoot their legs back to a vertical position.
 

Underwater Vaulting
    If you have a swimming pool, use this activity to keep the interest of the vaulters. It is an excellent simulation of the body positions in a full vault.
    1. Find an old, long pole to use in the pool, one that you will never use again.
    2. Have one person sit on the end of the diving board, holding the pole in a vertical position so that it is resting on the bottom of the pool. (Be sure the pole is long enough to extend out of the water.)
    3. The vaulters start by holding the sides of the diving board near the wall of the pool. They then drop straight down the side of the wall to the near-bottom of the pool. With arms extended (to reach for the pole), they push off the wall.
    4. They grasp the pole and maintain a drive position until they are pulled nearly parallel to the pole.
    5. When the top arm is in line with the body, they should initiate the swing, continue through the tuck, rock back, pull, turn, push, and by using the surface of the water as a crossbar, finish with a hip clearance and a fly-away. The resistance of the water slows the whole process down and allows the vaulters to concentrate on the positions they must maintain.
Swimming is a great strength workout for the shoulders but is also an excellent conditioning workout. Try to incorporate a swimming workout along with the underwater vaulting.
 

Videotaping and Reviewing
    Videotaping and reviewing the results could be the most beneficial part of each day's practice. Videotape everything-form running, underwater vaulting, gymnastics, and most important, practice vaults and vaults at meets. If possible, watch these tapes as soon as possible with your athletes, and view them repeatedly thereafter. This gives vaulters a visual image to go along with their impression of what they did and felt during a particular drill or vault. It is important for them to see themselves making mistakes as well as correcting mistakes and being successful. Besides viewing tapes of themselves, vaulters should observe vaulters of their own caliber as well as elite vaulters. Tell your athletes to immerse themselves in vaulting videos whenever possible. If they can see vaulting done correctly and can recognize common vaulting mistakes in themselves and others, they will have a better chance of vaulting correctly.
 

Mental Imagery
    Probably one of the most underrated and underused drills in vaulting is mental imagery. If the vault is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical, as many say, vaulters need to strengthen the mind as well as the body. Mental practice is one way to do so. When vaulters can see themselves vaulting correctly and performing well in their mind, they are more likely to do so on the track. From drills to competition, mental success breeds physical success.
    Develop a routine of mental imagery practice that your athletes can do repeatedly throughout the day. Have them get to a point where they can view every motion of the vault not only as if they were actually vaulting but as if they were watching themselves from outside their body. By incorporating other senses, such as sounds, with the motions of the vault, vaulters can bring a heightened realism to the mental vaulting. For example, instruct them to have that big trail leg make a "swoooosh" sound as it swings through. It may also be beneficial for the vaulters to imagine themselves being successful in different kinds of situations, such as on a windy day, in the rain, or on a cold day. Mental imagery does work, but like other practice drills, it must be done regularly.

Vaulting Safety
    As a coach, it is your responsibility to maintain a safe and effective vaulting facility. From training to competition areas, you must see that the activity is safe for athletes.
    Your governing body has established recommended guidelines for the size of the landing pad, the surrounding padding, standard covers, and box protection. I recommend exceeding these regulations whenever possible.
    It is a fact that vault mats are an expensive investment for your facility, so it is important that you and your athletes take good care of them. After practice, have athletes place covers over the mats to protect them from the elements when not in use. Use pallets (without nails), tires, or professional risers to keep the mats off the ground.
    Track programs often have small budgets, and poles are not the cheapest track and field equipment; therefore, it is important to take care of your vault equipment. Store and transport poles in the factory tube or in a reinforced case. A plastic-drain tile inside a pole-vault carry bag is a one of the best ways to transport and store each pole; anything that keeps the pole from direct contact or damage is ideal. When the poles are not going to be used for an extended period of time (i.e., over the summer), take the tape off the poles and store them in an area that is room temperature. Keep the poles in a place where they are not liable to be damaged.
    There are also a couple things you can do to extend the life of your poles. By keeping them out of the sun, you decrease the wear on the resins in the structure of the poles. Most poles have an outer layer of protective wrap, but it is a good policy to have athletes put any poles not in use in the case. When a vaulter bends a pole, many times the bend will rub on the side of the plant box and create scarring on the side of the pole. This weak spot in a pole is a potential spot for a break. To prevent this, you can either buy a specially designed protection strip from a track and field catalog or you can tape tongue depressors or Popsicle sticks over the wear area.

    The pole vault is a dynamic event, and the athletes who participate in the event are dynamic athletes. With each unique individual comes a particular set of abilities, characteristics, and vaulting styles. Because there is no one correct way to vault, the strategies presented here are basic concepts of vaulting and can be adated for each athlete. With the basic concepts in mind, vaulters can explore what works for them and find personal success.
 

FROM: Coaching Track & Field Successfully by Mark Guthrie