A  Goals of Pole Vaulting
  - Vault Safely
  - Go Higher
  - Teach Others to be Safe
 
B. Ways of Going Higher
  - stiffer pole - gives more power (vertical thrust) at the top                              
  - longer pole - vault higher because you can hold higher
  - better vaulting techniques - allows you to get on longer/stiffer poles
 
C. How does a vault actually work
  1. Storing Energy
     - in plant - you store as much energy as possible in the pole
     - where you store the energy in the pole makes a difference
     - everything that stores or creates energy in the plant is good
     - anything that wastes or loses energy is bad
  2. Pole Speed/Rotation
     - the speed at which the pole travels towards the pit
            - the rotation of the pole around the tip in the box
     - determines penetration - how far into the pit you go
            - if you don't create enough pole rotation - you don't make it in the pit!!!!
     - safety factor - if something stops the pole rotation (square pits, illegal box) then
            the pole penetration stops
     - DO NOT CONFUSE POLE SPEED WITH POLE BEND!!
            - pole bend does not necessarily mean penetration
  .  - Factor that effect Pole Speed
            - speed at takeoff
            - vertical component of takeoff (attack angle)
            - plant height
            - hand hold height
            - location of jump foot at takeoff  (on, out or under)
 
  BIG POINT - IF YOU AREN'T MAKING THE PIT - LOWER YOUR GRIP
 
  3. Pole Bend
     - the bending and unbending of the pole
     - Pole Construction - how does a pole work
            - building a pole
                        - starts with a metal form - a square wrap of fiberglass rolled
                                    around it the length of the pole
                        - second wrap of fiberglass creates the “sail piece”, like a
                                    squared off diaper
                        - final wrap of fiberglass - “tape” wrap -
                        - then the whole thing is “painted” with a gel coat, then baked
            - Pole Length is determined by the length of the form
            - Pole stiffness is determined by the amount of “flex” a pole has when bent
                        by a given force
                        - measurement of flex determines the “weight” of the pole
                        - flex # is on every pole - determines the “exact” stiffness of the pole     
     - when the pole bends - energy is stored
            - low bend - bend is all between the box and the sail piece
                        - normally means a low attack angle - created by low plant or out plant
                        - pole “stalls” - not enough rotation to penetrate into the pit
                        - pole bend towards pit - then unbends
            - High Bend - bend is higher in the pole - up through the sail piece
                        - pole rotates to side - creating “window” to swing up
                        - vaulter travels horizontally to penetration - then near vertical
                        - pole unbends vertically - pole rotation controls penetration
            - factors that control pole bend
                        - speed of plant (and of the vaulter at plant)
                        - plant angle (height of plant)
                        - plant vertical component (angle of attack)
                        - height of handhold
                        - flex of pole
                        - position of vaulter at and just after plant
                        - weight of vaulter
                        - jump foot position at takeoff (on, out, or under)
D. Technique to achieve maximum vault
  1. Everything works toward storing energy at plant, then being in position to use the pole
            rotation and bend to gain bar clearance
  2.  Pole Carry - two issues
     - how to carry the pole to achieve optimum speed
     - how to carry the pole to achieve optimum plant
     - different carry styles - what arrives at the best results for speed and plant
            - right angles - what we teach
                        - hand hold - establish upper grip - grip to elbow plus one handwidth
                        - right hand located in back and above the right hip
                        - right arm at right angle from shoulder to wrist
                        - body at right angle to pole
                        - left arm at right angle from elbow to shoulder
                        - left arm at right angle from body through armpit
                        - pole tip above eye level (the longer the pole - the higher the carry)
                        - right hand loosely gripping pole (“V” grip)
                        - left hand holding pole - wrist straight - relaxed grip
           

- problems with other styles
                        - cross carries - rotation of pole creates body rotation
                        - low carries - creates forward lean - less knee lift (speed)
                                    - low plant angles
                        - Front Carry (Russian Carry) - creates forward lean (see above)
                                    - also difficult to make plant work
  3. Pole Run
     - body position - run tall and square to the runway
            - use high knees to generate speed and maintain consistent stride pattern
            - carry pole in a relaxed manner - bounce up and down is OK - back and
                        forth is BAD
                        - find your hip in the run by using your right hand location
      - getting step on
            - count your steps - learn how to do it
                        - a simple count - just count your jump foot 1- # of your jump step
                        - a rhythm count - series of 3-2-1's
            - run slow to fast - reach optimum speed penultimate left before plant
            - finish - plant foot should be directly under plant hand -
                        - high knees maintains speed through plant
     - how many steps  (how many plant foot steps)?
            - beginners - start from 50' - get used to adjusting to box
            - novices - use 6 or 7 lefts  (65-85')
            - intermediates - use 7 or 8 lefts (70'- 110')
            - advanced (high school) - use 8 lefts (90-110')
             - more than that (9 or 10 lefts) lots of room for error - also run out of runway
                                   
  4. The Plant
     - The most important phase of the vault
            - where energy is stored - both good energy (vertical and horizontal)
                        and bad energy (erratic forces and rotations)
     - Initiate (start) of the plant
            - the plant should begin at the penultimate (next to last) jump foot step
                        - on a seven left count it should start at six, on eight count it should
                          start at seven
            - plant is initiated by bringing the right hand from the hip into the ribs just
                        below the armpit
     - Plant Completion  
            - right hand is then “punched” directly overhead (beside the ear)
                        - shoulder is briefly shrugged to side to allow pole by - then
                                    squared to runway and pit
            - left arm follows pole up, and is pressed vertically into the pole
                        - left arm is straight - but force of energy is up into pole - not out
                                    (pressing up into pole - not pushing into pole)
           

- body is as tall as possible - shoulders - chest - hips - all lifted vertically
                        with direction of plant
            - plant (left) foot is directly under plant (right) hand       
            - right thigh is parallel to runway - right knee is at a 90 degree
                        angle and right toe is lifted up
            - left foot pushes off of the ground for as long as possible
     - Attack Angle
            - 22 degree jump angle - like the long jump
                        - lower plant angles causes
                                    - low pole bend (broken poles)
                                    - less penetration into the pit
                                    - bad vault
                        - if you slow down to jump up
                                    - high bend
                                    - less pole rotation (because of loss of speed)
                                    - poor penetration
                        - 22 degree jump angle
                                    - high bend
                                    - high pole rotation (good penetration)
                                   
     - Maintain Plant Position
            - keep arms straight and pressed up - keep right knee/toe up and left leg/toe
                         straight and pressed back
            - keep head - shoulders - chest - hips up                                  
     - Pressing versus Pushing
            - Pressing up into the pole with arms creates a high plant angle and store
                        energy high into the pole
            - Pushing the pole forward creates a lower plant angle, and puts the body
                        position outside the pole bend - like an “out “ plant
                        - The Sliding Box Dilemma
                                    - does the “sliding box” drill create pushed plants?
  5. Plant Screw Ups (also see pit geography as a way to analyze plant)
     - plant is lower or under (plant foot is closer to box than plant top hand)
            - get jerked off of the ground - don't store much energy
                        - less pole speed - poor penetration
                        - left leg bends - unable to maintain length or store energy
                        - pole bends and straightens quickly - but not enough penetration
                        - lower back pain
            - plant is out (plant foot is farther from box then plant top hand)
                        - vaulter stays outside of bend - unable to get “through” to inversion
                        - big bend - but very poor pole rotation (pole does not get to vertical)
                        - vaulter jumps into pole - over-bends the pole (possible breakage)
                                    gets a low bend placement in pole
           

- plant is “off line” - not lined up perpendicular to back of plant box
                        - usually caused by round housing plant or a late plant (not fully up)
                        - vaulter follows line of plant - goes off to one or other side
                                    NOTE - a vaulter who seems to “step to the side” to plant
                                                usually creates the situation by swinging the plant
                                                up from the side - straightening the plant will fix the
                                                step (the vaulter cannot just “step right”)
            - vaulter collapses left arm
                        - looks like under vault - vaulter gets low bend and slow rotation
                        - vaulter inverts “off of the ground” - dangerous position when
                                    accompanied by slow rotation
                        - vaulter does not store enough energy - will prevent him from
                                    moving up poles
 
  5.  The Drive/Swing Phase
     - the inverted C Position
            - an active phase of the vault - not just “hanging” on the end of the pole
            - both arms remain long and aggressive - pressing up into pole
            - both arms “drag” back - right arm goes behind head
                        - head becomes the bottom of the “triangle”
                        - chest drives forwards - stays ahead of hips
                        - right knee stays up and bent (don't drop it)
                        - left leg drags back - stores energy for inversion later
                        - left toe stays down - right toe stays up
            - “inverted C” is from right hand on top of pole, through body, to
                        left foot leaving the ground
     - hold this position as pole bends and rotates in towards pit
     - when pole swings to side - then time to invert
     - screwing up the inverse C position
            - dropping the right knee to increase pole bend (lowers center of gravity)
                        - causes greater bend, but makes it very difficult for vaulter to   
                                    rotate up past horizontal
            - pulling down with either arm (particularly right)
                                    - increases pole bend - but stops pole rotation
                                    - pole “stalls”  - also a great way to break poles
            - flexing in the left arm
                        - causes body to begin to invert - but
                                    - as hips start to swing up - pole will begin to unbend
                        - pole will unbend prematurely - and therefore stop pole
                                    rotation and bring vaulter “up short” of pit
                        - also reduces energy storage in body needed for inversion in
                                    next phase of vault
    

- blocking out the left arm
            - causes a great deal of pole bend and rotation
                        - often prevents the pole from swinging to the side -
                        - stops hips from rotating up, and prevents inversion
                                    - at best you “row” out of the vault
                                    - at worst you go over “butt first” and never turn over
 
  6. Swing - Close Off - Flex in
     - Swing - Close Off - Flex in phase is the part when the vaulter rotates from the “drive”
              phase to the inverted phase
     - Swing  begins when the pole stops bending towards the pit and swings to the side  
                        - while on bigger poles this is very obvious - the smaller the
                                    pole the smaller the bend and the quicker the process is
     - the best way to visualize what happens is to think of a gymnastic high bar
            - when the pole rotates to the side - the vaulter gets in the “high bar”
                        position with both arms extended and immediately begins to
                        rotate around the bar to an inverted position
     - Close Off is initiated by the vaulter driving both hands towards their thighs/knees
                        while at the same time swing their extended left leg up, keeping the
                        right knee bent and driving up   
     - Once the body reaches an inverted position with legs over and behind the head - flex-in     
            - Flex-in is initiated by flexing the left arm - the back of the hand rotates to 
            a position to the left of the center line of the chest
            - the right arm then bends slightly and gets as close to the  front of the right                                                         hip as possible
            - the final “close off” position is then as follows:
                        - hips over head - left leg extended towards the top of the pole
                        - head in a “natural” position - not forward but not “thrown”
                                    back (don't look for the crossbar!!!!)
                        -  left arm flexed in such that the back of the wrist is touching the
                                    left chest just to the side of the mid line
                        - right arm is flexed such that the “little finger” side of the hand is
                                    up against the right front hip
     - Inversion Mistakes
            - watching the crossbar - keeps hips from going above shoulders
            - blocking with the left arm (failing to flex-in) preventing inversion and
                        causing vaulter to either “hook” over the bar or go over butt first
                        (often caused by too wide a grip or “pushing” lower arm)
            - not lining up at close-off - so that the pole causes the vaulter to fall or roll
                        to the side as it unbends
 

7. Pull - Turn - Extend
     - Pull may accurately describe what it looks like vaulters are doing on the top of
            pole, if the vault is executed correctly so much vertical energy is coming
            from the pole through the vaulter, that is reality the vaulter is “shot” off
            of the top of the pole.
     - As the vaulter comes off of the top of the pole vertically, extending both legs,
            the vaulter executes a 1/2 turn (rotating so that he goes over the crossbar
                        front down, back up)
     .  While this usually occurs naturally, it can be created by crossing the right foot
             over the left as the vaulter shoots up. 
     - The vaulter should then extend vertically off of the top of the pole for as long as
            possible.  As the vaulter reaches the point where the  body starts to fall
            off:
            - begin to pike at the waist over the crossbar
            - release the pole with first the left hand, then the right
                        - while throwing the pole back is important if the pole will
                                    not pass under the bar - it should be done with a wrist
                                    flip action - not a “whole arm” action
            - DO NOT throw the arms back - but drape the arms over the bar for
                        as long as possible - keeping the chest concave
            - “Snake” the bar - first with the left arm and then the right - staying
                        over it until the last second - then pulling the chin and head away
                        - also pulling the feet under the bar may help in creating more
                                    rotation and getting away from the bar                                      
            - after clearance, land with arms and legs wide into the the pit to lessen
                        impact
     - Mistakes on bar clearance
            - trying to grab or “volz” the bar (both illegal and usually ineffective)
            - throwing the pole too hard or throwing arms back
                        - driving chest into bar
            - landing on feet - spraining ankles or causing knee injuries
            - landing in a “ball” - bottoming out on bad pits