The TAKEOFF Magazine

COACH’S CRITIQUE

Rice University pole vault coach David Alan Butler breaks down technique in this walk through of a vault by Pole Vault Carolina’s own Maddie Davies. David is the author of Pole Vault, A Violent Ballet.

1. The Run

The vault is born from the first steps out of the back. Here, the tip of the pole is too low, its weight resting on her left hand. This becomes a static carry, where the pole hinders full acceleration. The tip must be high enough that the vaulter feels just a little weight. Tip up creates “hips up”, great posture, and a free, relaxed acceleration.

At six to eight steps out, the tip should be no lower than 45 degrees. Because the tip is low in the beginning, it drops too early. Early drops of the pole’s weight can create tension throughout the body and negatively affect the strides. Maddie can improve her carry by cocking the bottom arm’s wrist and slightly tucking the bottom arm’s elbow.

As the tip of the pole is carried statically, her shoulders crunch with tension and her strides are choppy, unable to open up and accelerate with full turnover. As she loses the weight of the pole, she adjusts by keeping the pole back and free of her hips. This counterbalancing is a good thing and allows the pole to be held up, the pole being “carried” but not freely “dropped”.

The Plant

Three steps out, plant presentation is initiated, but because of the wide handspread and “straight wrist, elbow out” carry, her plant is a “twist, pole out and then up. With a more active pole drop and a narrower grip to fit her body, the plant movements would be more up through the body, pushing both arms towards vertical.

As Maddie pushes off her penultimate, the pole should be pushed off her forehead. Here, the bottom arm is extending out, the top hand following, the wide grip causing the out and up pathway towards vertical. I would suggest that she perform short runs with a narrow grip of 12-14 inches wide and once she is comfortable, grip one fist narrower than her current grip. This would create a higher angle of attack of pushing the pole up and up and up.

As she hits her takeoff foot, Maddie’s plant is still not fully extended, with the bottom arm straight out, top hand slightly bent. The shoulders are closed. I believe that this plant extension would be much better if her handspread was narrower and an “active pole drop” would create “seemingly weightless” lifting of the pole towards vertical.

The Takeoff

Maddie is under, pole bending while her foot or part of her foot is on the ground. Her bottom arm is force-bending the pole, arms/shoulders are static and stopping. I look for movement and expansion of the body into the pole. The bottom hand should open to a vertical line from the hand through the hips. In other words, if the bottom arm is 12 o’clock, the body can enter the pole.

As she begins to swing, Maddie’s blocked stiff arm begins to break, in order for the swing to swing through. This becomes a “shortcut” of flight beside the bend. Breaking always tells the pole to unbend prematurely.

Maddie connects with the top of the pole nicely. At this stage she should be initiating the turn. Also, the pole appears to be too soft and traveling, taking Maddie towards the crossbar.

COMMENTARY

Maddie looks strong and fast. She shows great potential.

1. Get the tip at the beginning of approach up at 60- 70 degrees, much less weight on the bottom hand.

2. Cock the left wrist and rest the weight between thumb and index finger.

3. Keep the tip under and let it go as you sprint into your last eight steps.

4. Attack acceleration into the drop of the pole, trying to “beat the tip” to the box.

5. Narrow the grip gradually to at least a fist’s width.

6. During plant presentation, push the pole up through the body and attempt to extend both arms at the same time, a split second before striking the back of the box.

I know this is a lot of information, but if Maddie just improves one of these, she will fly higher. Improving pole drop will open her stride and she will feel faster.

A more efficient plant will allow better acceleration into the takeoff, putting her takeoff placement farther out and ON or free.

Maddie may have to adjust her run because an active drop creates a more balanced upright postural position. Hitting a better takeoff position will allow her to be on ten pounds stiffer poles and a higher grip.

The pole vault is a series of connections.

An active pole drop creates faster acceleration. The falling pole allows the plant to be more extended, raising the angle of the pole’s rotation before it bends

A more “elastic” attack, with both arms moving up, allows the hips to be engaged, rotating the pole faster and putting the athlete in a beautiful inverted position on top of the bend of the pole. The vaulter will feel like they are being launched! Maddie would become Rocket Maddie!

Alright Maddie, time to go to work! I look forward to seeing your progress!