| Teaching Beginners Each season, start all beginners
as well as more advanced vaulters with the following beginning drill
sequence. Encourage your vaulters to use this set of drills each
day as part of their regular routine prior to actual vaulting. Each
drill should be done 5-10 times per session emphasizing perfect
technique. Your vaulters are ready to begin vaulting for height
when they have mastered the beginner's drill sequence. They should
first find a pole they can bend and vault on safely from 4 or 5
lefts. This is commonly known as short run vaulting and is an effective
approach to learning good technique. As they improve, athletes should
gradually raise their grip one or two inches at a time until the
pole is too soft. At this point, they should take the same handhold
on a slightly stiffer pole from the same run. If the new pole is
too big from their present approach, have the vaulter increase the
length of his or her approach by one left (two strides). If the
pole is still too big, he or she may need to move back one more
left. This system is called "making the run fit the pole." It will
save your program broken poles, give your kids great technique and
improve the safety of your vaulters. Once the fundamentals of technique
have been learned, the progression is really just a series of higher
grips, stiffer poles and longer runs. During this entire sequence,
it's very important to keep your vaulters focused on the basic elements
of perfect technique listed at the right.Basic Technique Concepts
for Success n n Use a measured check mark system for all approaches.n
n Take off directly under top hand. n n Both arms pressed all the
way up prior to pole hitting the box at take-off |
"Standing Reach Grip" or "Bottom Hand-Top Hand Starter's Grip"
is the perfect beginner's starting grip. With the tip of the pole
between feet, reach as high as you can with your bottom hand.
Then hold 12" higher with your top hand.
- Jump up at the take-off like a long jump.
- Stay right side up for the first instant off the ground.
- Bring (swing) a straight trail leg forward and then up to
keep pole moving to vertical and get body upside down.
- Row hands forward during swing and use top hand as a guide
to vertical.
- Get feet past top hand, pull body (upside down) and stay close
to pole.
- Learn to vault with standards a minimum of 18 inches back.
- Master all parts of the beginning drill sequence prior to
progressing to advanced drills, long run vaulting and higher
hand holds.
Common Technique Mistakes
- Invalid step systems or no step system.
- Running off the ground instead of jumping up at take-off like
a long jumper.
- Slowing down to plant the pole.
- Starting pole plant later than the next-to- last left.
- Hands not all the way up prior to the pole hitting the box.
- Hands, shoulders, and hips not square at take-off
- Take off inside of top hand.
- Jumping around the pole instead of at it.
- Pulling with arms instead of hanging during swing phase.
- Tucking trail leg off the ground instead of staying long.
- Throwing head back instead of swinging to get inverted.
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- Stiff arming the pole and thus blocking the swing.
- Getting "jerked" (allowing hips and feet to get pulled in
front of shoulders right after take off).
- Holding hands wider than shoulder width.
- Carrying pole across body so that it creates a roundhouse
plant.
- Holding too high on too small a pole for current technique
and ability.
- Failure to learn proper technique prior to raising grip.
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