Go Back One Frame – Diagnosing the Cause of Common Vault Maladies

Tom “Doc” Krejcie

Niles North High School

Skokie, IL

ITCCCA 2024 - 1

Illinois Track & Cross Country Coaches Association

Annual Clinic

January 12, 2024

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The Key Points for Better Performance

The vault is a seamless series of actions, performed in succession that build on one another. Perfect execution of one phase helps attain perfect execution of the next. A failure at any phase in the vault most likely will lead to failures in subsequent phases (Symptoms vs. Causes)

• Coach Berryhill from BYU, Reno Summit example.

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2. Coaches need to understand the correct technique based on science, not what seems to work for some vaulter, or for themselves. Choosing a vaulter to emulate should not be based on how good the vaulter is, but how technically correct they are.
• Unfortunately, some coaches base their teaching on myths and misunderstandings which have their roots in the pioneering phase (1960s) of fiberglass vaulting. The Grip and Rip Era
3. I have read too many medical publications where a novel method was justified because: “It works for me, you should do it too”.

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The Key Points for Better Performance

Remember

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1. Watching most pole vaulting videos is not useful unless you know what you are looking for.
2. Don’t tell the vaulter what they are doing wrong, tell them WHY they are doing it wrong.
3. However, what is technically desirable must be physically possible. Tailor the vault to the athlete.

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Words of Wisdom

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Perfection is not achieved by doing extraordinary things but doing simple things extraordinarily well.

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If a vaulter practices the wrong thing, they will become better at doing the wrong thing.

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While Perfection is the Goal, Excellence should be Tolerated.

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As a coach or athlete matures, they progress from: Cocksure Ignorance to Thoughtful Uncertainty

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The Essence of the Vault

The essence of the vault is very simple, get the pole to vertical.

• Demonstrate (max grip width, energy vs. takeoff angle, short vs. tall vaulter)

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The Pole Vault is about Creating, Controlling, and Exploiting the Energy of Movement.

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The amount of energy required to get the pole to vertical is proportional to the angle of rotation.

• The vaulter needs to punch the sky to maximize the angle of the pole at take off.
• The top arm needs to “cover” the ear to maximize the takeoff angle.
• Get the pole moving in the correct direction by jumping up off the ground.
• Do not put energy into the box by stabbing the box or taking off under.

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I have met the late Alan Launder and had the privilege of hearing his approach to pole vaulting firsthand. In this book he (and John Gormley) describe the Adelaide (Australia) Approach.

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This approach is based on the Technical Model of Vitaly Petrov of Ukraine (Soviet Union) as best demonstrated, initially, by Sergey Bubka, Yelena Isinbayeva, and other male and female vaulters in Europe and Lawrence Johnson in the US. Others have since followed this approach.

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Much of this Technical Model is based on the fundamentals of the vault used by stiff-pole vaulters Warmerdam and Richards.

Main Reference

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The Elements of the Vault

A Technically Good Vaulter will:

1. Use the long pendular swing of the takeoff leg (trail leg) to add energy to the system.
2. Use bottom arm pressure (elbow bent) to keep the thorax upright and to keep the center of mass behind the chord of the bending pole.
3. Use the energy of the swing to initiate inversion;
• First swinging (rotating) from the hands
• Then rotating at the shoulders
• Finally bending at the hips and knee(s)
4. Get the hips over the shoulders and feet beyond and behind the hands while driving the hips vertically.
5. Get the hips “above” the pole (cover the pole) before the pole begins to recoil.
6. Bend the left elbow during the “rock back” to allow the body to stay close to the pole as it recoils;
• If the left elbow does not hug the chest and continue to bend during the pull and turn, the body is forced away from the pole and the vaulter “flags”.

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The Key Points for Better Performance

(Carrying the Pole)

1. Maximize running speed by emulating sprinting posture while carrying the pole.
• Rest the pole on the right shoulder and clap your hands. Separate your hands and grab the pole.
• Both thumbs will be pointing to the top of the pole.
• The shoulders should be square to the hips and the runway.
• The top hand should have an open palm with a hand-in-back-pocket look.
• The bottom hand is an open fulcrum located in front of the sternum.
• The bottom arm wrist should be under the pole, not over the pole.
• Both elbows should be bent at 90 degrees.
• The pole tip is lowered by raising the top hand, not lowering the bottom (fulcrum) hand.

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The Key Points for Better Performance

(Carrying the Pole)

1. A relatively narrow grip is critical to a high plant, yet the position of the bottom hand is an important element in controlling the pole during the run up and lowering the pole during the plant.
2. If a vaulter is forced to counter the torque forces of a horizontal pole, these forces invariably compromise their running posture and balance. The most common Symptom (what you see) is leaning back and running with a heal strike.
3. In the early 1970s a tip-on-ground run up was taught. Now the carry is with the pole at 70 degrees.
4. There is no point in torquing the upper body to carry the pole on the vaulter’s right side if they are going to jump with the pole on their left.

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The Key Points for Better Performance

(The Run Up)

1. The Run Up must be Controlled , Balanced, and in a strong position at Takeoff rather than just fast.
• The key word is Optimum Speed not Fastest Speed.
• Choose the shortest run up distance necessary to produce the highest possible speed which the vaulter can control.
• Commit a considerable percentage of training time to improving both maximum sprinting speed and Optimum run up speed.

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• Early meets / young competitors: 4 Lefts

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• High School Vaulters: 6 - 8 Lefts

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The Key Points for Better Performance

(The Run Up)

1. Optimum Speed is a Controlled Run Up.

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2. Ultimate performance is related to speed at Take Off.

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3. There is little benefit in running more than 6 or 8 Lefts if the vaulter decelerates during the last 3 steps (plant).

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4. No point in running at all if the vaulter is out of control and/or off balance and unable to Plant and Takeoff effectively.

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The Key Points for Better Performance

(The Plant)

The plant should start when the penultimate Left is hitting the runway (L – R – Takeoff).

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1. The first move is the shift. Moving the top hand up and forward from the back pocket to the front of the chest. Get the pole in front of the chest to avoid a “roundhouse” plant.

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2. As the Right foot is contacting the runway, the top hand is elevated to the front of the shoulder.

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3. Simultaneous with the Left foot contacting the runway, the top hand is punched to the sky as the vaulter drives the right knee up and jumps off the ground. Shift – 2 – 3

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The Key Points for Better Performance

(The Takeoff)

According to Vitaly Petrov, “The only thing that really matters is the run up and the takeoff!”

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1. The elbow of the top arm does not bend until the vaulter is inverted. The left elbow is bent.
• The most common beginner’s error is trying to pull their body up the pole (boys more than girls).
2. The swing is initially from the hands and progresses to the shoulders and hips.
3. A long trail leg must be actively kicked forward in a long sweeping motion.

1. The takeoff must be from an outstep or, at a minimum, under the top hand.

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• At takeoff, the vaulter needs to aggressively jump up much like attempting a layup in basketball.
• The top hand must be punched upward (Big hands, High hands)
• The head should be centered on the pole between the elbows, no peeking!
• The right knee must be actively driven up with the right foot under the butt.
• The trail leg must be fully extended with toes pointing down (full plantar flexion).

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The Key Points for Better Performance

(Optimizing and Individualizing the Runup)

3 Lefts

4 Lefts

5 Lefts

6 Lefts

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A vaulter can no longer determine their steps, during a meet,

by running backward on the runway

(There are many reasons why it does not work)

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The Key Points for Better Performance

(Vaulter not hitting the takeoff mark)

1. First, make sure the runway is marked correctly even if it appears to be professionally done.

• I was at a meet where, during warmups, no one could hit their take off mark.
• I measured the runway and found that the marks were measured from the front of the box.
• When I attend a meet, I ask permission to mark the runway if not already done. Much better for the vaulters than a tape measure on the runway.

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3. Is there a headwind, tailwind, or crosswind?

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3. Is the vaulter consistent with their first step? Do they skip, do they lift their “anchor foot”?

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4. The vaulter should be counting “Lefts” out loud. Also helps initiate an early plant.

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5. The runup can be divided into two sections and separated by the midmark.

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6. The midmark can help determine if the problem is in the first or second “halves” of the runup.

• One elite vault coach could predict his vaulter’s make or miss based on the midmark.

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The Key Points for Better Performance

(Not hitting the takeoff mark)

The midmark can help determine if the problem is in the first or second “halves” of the runup.

4. Chopping steps just before take off usually means the runner is too far away.

• A basketball player hit three-point shots from 22 feet because they “know” how far the basket is away from them and shoot with the appropriate amount of energy.
• A vaulter can tell from three-lefts out that they are too far from the box. Therefore, they add an addition “Left” to their run as two very short steps. This can be picked up if Lefts are counted.
• For too many years, I thought the short steps were in response to being too close.
• Beginning vaulters prefer to be IN rather than OUT (Innie versus Outie).
• Correction of taking off under is difficult but necessary. (e.g., Slide Box)

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The Key Points for Better Performance

(Not hitting the takeoff mark)

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The Key Points for Better Performance

(Punching the top hand to the sky)

1. Even if a beginner is running with the pole overhead, they need to finish at takeoff by punching the sky.
2. The same is true for those who plant very early and run the tip of the pole on the runway:
• Beware of a box with an elevated front lip.
• At takeoff, the top hand needs to punch the sky to maximize pole angle and move the pole.

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The Key Points for Better Performance

(Flexible-Pole Vaulting Commonalities with Stiff-Pole Vaulting)

1. Drive the pole Forward at takeoff.

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2. Takeoff Out, or at least beneath the top hand; Never under.

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3. Spring Up at takeoff.

• Taking off too close will whip the vaulter off their feet and force the hips and legs up too early into the swing which, in turn, takes the vaulter past the pole on the way up and destroys pole momentum.

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4. Once the body passes the pole (chord) the vaulter should shorten the body (bend at hips/knees) to speed up the angular rotation of the vaulter that is necessary for the body to swing up rapidly.

• During 1/3 of the vault, the swing is from the hands
• During the next 1/3, rotation is around the shoulders/hips and knees
• The final 1/3 is the turn and push off

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Note the outstep takeoff point.

For stiff-pole vaulting, the lower hand was shifted up the pole for a very narrow grip. Right knee driven up with the heal under the butt to help the vaulter jump up.

Dutch Warmerdam

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1. The takeoff must be from an outstep or, at a minimum, below the top hand.
2. At takeoff, the vaulter needs to aggressively jump up.
• The top hand must be punched upward (Big hands, High hands). (Carolina Carmichael Moll)
• The right knee must be actively driven up with the right foot under the butt.
• The trail leg must be fully extended with toes pointing down (full plantar flexion).
• The pole should be straight at the instant of take off (Free Takeoff).

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Cornelius “Dutch” Warmerdam of Fresno State

Held the World Record from 1940 – 1957 at 15’-7¾”

Note:

The Hang Phase and the Double-leg Swing

There is no “push” provided by a stiff pole

The Double Pendulum – Low Center of Gravity

Takeoff and Swing

from Hands

Rotate around

Shoulders

Pull up

and Turn

Bend at

Hips and Knees

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The elbow of the top arm does not bend until the vaulter is fully inverted and then starts the pull and turn.

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Changing the tempo of a Metronome�Raising the Center of Gravity

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High Center of Gravity, Slow Pole Movement

Low Center of Gravity, Rapid Pole Movement

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Two-time Olympic Champion Bob Richards (1952 and 1956).

The body swings from the hands until the body reaches the pole and then rotation switches to the shoulders and hips.

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Do not think in terms of a Flexible Pole but, rather, an infinite set of Straight Poles (the Chord of the Curved Pole - Red Lines) of varying length.

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The swing is initially from the hands and progresses to the shoulders and hips/knees once the body passes the chord of the pole (red line).

Advantages of a Flexible Pole.��The ever-changing chord length of the pole is its functional length. The shortening chord is what allows vaulters to grip higher on a flexible pole. Shorter poles (lower grips) move faster/easier to vertical. The trail leg covers greater distance with a flexible pole.

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Keep the Center of Gravity as low as possible to allow the pole to “roll” forward. The bottom of the pole must “roll” beyond vertical.

A long trail leg must be actively kicked forward in a long sweeping motion.

The bend in the pole must go deeper than the plane of the crossbar because the recoil occurs from the middle of the pole.

Physiologic Principles

• Muscles on the same side of the body/joint contract together and, simultaneously, allow relaxation on the opposite side
• Throwing the head back arches the back and relaxes the abdominal muscles
• Who does abdominal crunches with their head back?
• Lifting the lead leg foot/toes (dorsiflexion) allows for more strength in the hip flexors of the drive leg at take off.

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Technical Model versus Style

• There are two accepted technical models in the high jump
• The straddle (western roll) and the (Fosbury) flop. The flop has biomechanical advantages and is now used almost exclusively.
• There are two accepted technical models in the shot put.
• The shift or glide, and the spin. Both are used by elite athletes.

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• Style is how each athlete modifies the Technical Model to best suit their physical characteristic
• Single versus double-leg swing
• Long trail leg to inversion versus a tuck-and-shoot.

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Technical Model versus Style

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16’- 3”

19’- 5”

16’- 1”

16’- 5”

15’- 9”

15’- 5”

20’- 5” WR

19’- 9”

19’- 2”

19’- 4”

WR

16’-7”

Yelena Isinbayeva

Adjustments to the Vault

• One undeniable fact: The vaulter must get to the bar before they can clear the bar.

A major problem with many vaulters is gripping too high on the pole. This will only be good for a short-term gain (ShortTermism). Bryan Carrel (PV Junkies and Gill) starts freshmen vaulters at the U of I with a grip lowered by a foot.

I get so frustrated when I see a vaulter get a foot over the bar but come down on it.

• If the vaulter is not landing in the Preferred Landing Zone (PLZ) or Coaches Box, it is incumbent on the coach (or vaulter) to make a change.

Causes:

1. The vaulter is Gripping too High.
2. The Pole is too Stiff.
3. The Plant is too Low.
4. The Take Off is too far in/Under (Reverse Pendulum).
5. The vaulter is not Jumping Up off the runway.

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Final Thoughts

A run through or a bail out should not be viewed as a lack of moral fiber (guts). The vaulter is usually responding naturally to intuitive feedback from their body; something is wrong. Bailing out is a response to insufficient energy in the vault (failure in getting the pole to vertical). The cure is for the vaulter to quickly lower their center of gravity (bail out).

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The general understanding of the pole vault has been limited to describing what many elite vaulters do rather than developing clear guidelines for what should be done.

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Myths and misunderstandings have had a greater impact on technique than has science.

• Maybe if an elite vaulter had better technique, they would jump even higher

pvscb.com�$35.00

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Adjustments to the Vault

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Tips and Tricks

I have observed that you can make a quick evaluation of a vaulter by comparing the distance of their take off mark to their best height cleared. You do not need to know what their grip height is.

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1. Beginner, < 1 foot. For example: Take off at 6 feet and vault no higher than 7 feet.
2. Starting to get it, 1-2 feet. Take off at 8 feet and vault 10 feet.
3. Good high school vaulter, 3 feet. Take off at 9 feet and vault 12 feet.
4. Now you have my attention, 4 feet. Take off at 10 feet and vault 14 feet.
5. Bubka; Take off at 14 feet and vault 20 feet.
• As best I can estimate, Bubka covered over 60 feet with his last three lefts.

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Tips and Tricks

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Been there, Done That

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Handout

Thank You

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Link to Clinic/Speaker Survey

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The Key Points for Better Performance

(The Run Up)

1. The Run Up must be Controlled , Balanced, and in a strong position at Take Off rather than just fast.
• The key word is Optimum Speed not Fastest Speed.
• Chose the shortest run up distance necessary to produce the highest possible speed which the vaulter can control.
• Commit a considerable percentage of training time to improving both maximum sprinting speed and Optimum run up speed.
• Early meets / young competitors: 4 Lefts
2. Young men: 8 Lefts Young women: 6 Lefts
• 6 Lefts lends well to a 3 – 3 – 3 approach.

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1. 2 3 1 – 2 – 3 Plant – 2 – Take Off

L L L R L R L R L

1 2 3 4 5 6