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TRACK PERIODICALS • BOOKS • TOURS TO THE OLYMPICS, WORLDS, ETC.
contents FROM THE EDITOR
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The Mental Side of Vaulting
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how to submit a college application
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Elite Vaulter Mike Arnold has Big Plans
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Sprinting: the Foundation of a Great Vault
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Let the Off/Preseason Begin
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Elite Edition
october 2013. issue 19 $9.95 elite issue
Let The OFF
Pre-Season Begin Page 34
your source for pole vaulting information
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Mike Arnold BIG PLANS Page 18
Mental side of
Vaulting
Page 6
How to submit a
College Application! Page 12
Sprinting: The Foundation of a
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Great Vault
OCT 2013 issue
$9.95 / OCT 2013
Page 26
Photo by Chris Holloman
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FROM THE EDITOR As we have mentioned before, the fall season can bring a lot of stress with it. School is starting, fall sports are back in full swing, and we can feel loaded down and confused on where to start. This month, Bubba Sparks and our “College Connection” writer, Penny Hanson, have laid out some wonderful advice on where to start with training and college applications (for those of you in your senior year of high school). In his advice column, Bubba has also provided many links to previous advice he has given on pole vault training. Those of you who are looking for ideas on what to do next will be wise to take a look at his plans, advice, and links. And Penny Hanson has laid out the basics of each step of the entire college application process. This article has very good information on what each step entails, and how to achieve it. If you are going to college please take a look.
We also have a first-time special treat this month: Kristin Majerus, recent graduate of the University of Sioux Falls in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has written a personal account of how to explore the mental side of pole vaulting. Pole vaulting is definitely mentally exhausting, but
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Majerus has some great tips to rise above and use the mental side of pole vaulting to our advantage. If you are looking for ways to up your mental game, this article is for you.
Samantha Slaubaugh has also given us a firsthand account of how sprinting can pave the way for great vaulting. What she has to say about how speed influences vault performance is worth looking into, and you won’t want to miss it.
Last, but certainly not least, is our featured cover story on Mike Arnold. Arnold has been through a lot and has managed to keep vaulting with the best. He has some great advice for us also. This goal-oriented vaulter has not always loved vaulting, but has turned his passion toward the sport and come a long way. This is a must-read as well.
Thanks again for sticking with us. We hope you enjoy this October issue as much as the rest. As always, we hope you keep reading. We are gearing up for the holiday season with the rest of you and have more great things in store.
Editor Doug Bouma editor@thevaultermag.com
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75 SC STATE CHAMPIONS, 10 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, AND 3 “TEAM USA” (WORLD TEAM) SINCE 1998.
www.ShealyAthletics.com Rusty@ShealyAthletics.com
803-315-5998
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The Mental Side of Vaulting
Hey guys! My name is Kristin and I’m a recent graduate of the University of Sioux Falls in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I competed in my first pole vault competition in 7th grade in a small town in Nebraska, and recently ended my career as an NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championships in Pueblo, Colorado. Pole vaulting has taken me on a pretty awesome journey and led me to some amazing places and even more amazing people. Like many of you, my career was full of ups and downs, highs and lows, moments of, “This is so fun!” and moments of, “This is so frustrating!” One thing that has helped me through it all has been my mental approach to the sport, mainly these two points that I want to pass on to you: You must learn how to train your mind for competition, and you must learn how to train your mind for life after competition.
By Kristin Majerus, vaulterfit.com
Kristin Majerus
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Pole vault is one of the most mentally exhausting sports out there, and for good reason! The whole “running full speed towards a box in the ground and catapulting
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doing, he somehow convinced himself that he had a “smokin’ tailwind.” It might sound a little crazy, but I guarantee you that he was bringing some serious speed on the runway while the rest of his competition was slow and timid!
Imagery. Using your mind to imagine your performance prior to competition can have a huge effect on your performance during competition. There are two perspectives of imagery: 1. Internal and 2. External. Internal imagery is visualizing future events from a first person perspective, or imagining how things feel and look from inside your own body. External imagery is visualizing your future actions from a third person perspective, as if you are on the sidelines watching yourself perform. Both are effective, it’s just a matter of what works for you. In the days leading up to a meet, usually before I went to sleep at night, I would spend just a few minutes here and there thinking through my upcoming competition. Picturing myself on the runway, approaching the pit, and most importantly going over the bar helped me to feel calm and confident walking into a competition. If I had never competed at the meet before or if I wasn’t familiar with the venue, I would look up pictures on-
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line to help make my imagery more realistic. It sounds silly, but walking into the national track meet and feeling like I’ve already competed there multiple times is a pretty comforting feeling!
Mental preparation for a competition can be just as important as physical preparation. Incorporating mental training into your routine can have a huge impact on your career as a vaulter. Your mind is the most powerful tool in your arsenal. It’s up to you whether it makes or breaks you.
You may be wondering what I meant when I mentioned training your mind for life after competition. Believe it or not, whether you’re in middle school just learning the ropes, a college athlete training year round, or an Olympian representing our nation with your talent, there will come a day when your pole vault career will come to an end. There will be a day when you will have to walk away from the pole vault, and for that reason I urge you to consider this: at the end of the day, pole vault has to be about something more than just trying to improve your mark or win a medal. You have to see it as something bigger than that. It’s easy to get caught up in the joys and frustrations of the competition, but keep in mind
that the experiences you have through the vault are preparing you for bigger and better things down the road.
For most of us, our vault career is nothing more than a tiny fraction of our lives as a whole. Your chances to compete will come and go in what seems like the blink of an eye. I encourage you to use
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this short window of time to grow as a person and learn things about yourself that you can take with you for the rest of your life. Use the vault to develop a work ethic that you will someday apply to your career, your spouse, or your family. Use the adversities of the vault to prepare yourself for the things that life may one day throw at you. And for
goodness sakes, show your appreciation for those who support you and sacrifice so much simply so they can stand in the background and watch you succeed. Don’t limit this opportunity that you’ve been given to your current circumstances. Use it for something greater that will continue to impact your life and the life of others long after
you hang up your spikes for the last time.
Vaulter Fit
Vaulter Fit is a group of former pole vaulters dedicated to helping vaulters and nonvaulters alike achieve their fitness goals. Check out vaulterfit.com to learn more.
Kristin Majerus
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It’s time to take a look at how to submit a college application! College applications are made up of several pieces. Although they are all relatively similar, you need to pay attention to the specifics of each of them to guarantee that you have submitted a complete application.
If you use the Common Application to apply to your schools, all of your “common” information will be forwarded to the college. Common information is your personal information, family status, personal and family education information and your list of activities. Each of your colleges will have supplements in addition to the “common” portions, so you will need to complete these as well. When you apply to schools that don’t use the Common App, you will apply directly on their website and provide all of the requisite information specific to that school. Pay attention
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to the application pieces your particular school requires.
Each college will ask for some combination of these components:
Teacher and Counselor Forms and Letters of Recommendation: Some schools will ask for letters of recommendation and then some, like Cal Poly, will tell you in no uncertain terms that they will not even look at them if you send them. Even if you use the Common App, ALWAYS ask your teacher for a letter of recommendation in person! Teachers, especially the favorite ones, are asked to write many letters of rec and this is time consuming for them. Please respect their time and effort. If you have not asked your teachers for letters of recommendation, you need to get on this right away! If you are submit-
ting the Common Application, your counselor will need to complete the requisite school forms. If your school uses Naviance, all of your recommendations and the counselor report will go through the Naviance system. Each school handles this part differently. Your school may require you to complete a questionnaire to give to your teacher when you request your letter of recommendation, while other schools require that you request the letters through Naviance. You will need to find out the specific procedure for your school before you ask teachers and counselors for their recommendations. **When you complete the Common App, your teachers and counselor will be notified that you have requested their recommendations, but you will need to reconfirm with them that they got the request. DO NOT ASSUME THAT
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THEY ARE WORKING ON IT WITHOUT TALKING TO THEM!
When you request letters of recommendation either from a teacher or a counselor, it is helpful if you give them at least two weeks to complete. Don’t ever ask for a letter of recommendation at the last minute! For example, if you need your letter by October 1st, ask your teacher to have it completed by September 27th. Remember to take weekend days into account when establishing your timeline! DON’T FORGET TO THANK YOUR TEACHERS AND YOUR COUNSELOR! Essay/Personal Statement/ Questions: I discussed the essay last month so I won’t go into a lot of detail here, but when a school requests a personal statement, they are looking for more information about who you are and what makes you tick. This is your chance to impress them with your positive, inquisitive and educated attitude! Many schools will use some version of this question: “How do you think you could enrich our diverse and inclusive community and what are your hopes for your college experience?” You will want to answer that question by stating that you are open to new experiences, you bring diversity and individuality to
their campus with your unique ________ (Juggling talent? Pole vaulting ability? Interest in helping wounded soldiers?) If you don’t know what to say for this, look at the school website to find out what clubs, activities or events interest you and then explain how you will be-
come involved in those and what experience you bring to that arena.
Transcripts and Test Scores: All colleges will use your transcript and test scores to make their admission decisions. With that said, there is a grow-
Penny Hanson
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tion. REA is restrictive in that a student is allowed to apply Early Action or Early Decision to only one school. In some cases, an REA college will allow early application to one additional public university. The REA criteria are different for every school, so you will need to pay close attention to the details of each school’s REA policies! I counsel my students carefully to decide which process is the best for each of them. If you aren’t sure which
way to go, I suggest that you speak with your counselor or college advisor to make that decision.
One More Thing: If you will be applying to schools in the University of California or the California State University systems, both of these applications will open on October 1st. You may submit your application November 1-30 ONLY. You will be notified of the admissions decisions March 1-31.
The most important thing to remember when applying to college is to check, check and recheck your information, your requirements, your deadlines and your process! I hope this information has been helpful. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns!
Penny Hanson Hanson College Consultants penny@hansoncollegeaccess.com
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WORLD CLASS VAULTING POLES
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LENGTH/WT. 14'1"-145 lbs. 14'1"-150 lbs. 14'1"-155 lbs. 14'1"-160 lbs. 14'1"-165 lbs. 14'1"-170 lbs. 14'1"-175 lbs. 14'1"-180 lbs. 14'7"-165 lbs. 14'7"-170 lbs. 14'7"-175 lbs. 14'7"-180 lbs. 14'7"-185 lbs. 14'7"-187 lbs. 15'1"-150 lbs. 15'1"-155 lbs. 15'1"-160 lbs. 15'1"-165 lbs. 15'1"-170 lbs. 15'1"-175 lbs. 15'1"-180 lbs. 15'1"-185 lbs. 15'1"-187 lbs. 15'1"-190 lbs.
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LENGTH/WT. 15'9"-175 lbs. 15'9"-180 lbs. 15'9"-185 lbs. 15'9"-187 lbs. 15'9"-190 lbs. 15'9"-193 lbs. 15'9"-195 lbs. 16'5"-165 lbs. 16'5"-170 lbs. 16'5"-175 lbs. 16'5"-180 lbs. 16'5"-185 lbs. 16'5"-187 lbs. 16'5"-190 lbs. 16'5"-193 lbs. 16'5"-195 lbs.
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POWER-X Poles MODEL 35046PX 350/48PX 350/50PX 350/53PX 350/55PX 350/57PX 350/60PX 350/62PX 350/64PX 350/66PX 350/69PX 350/71PX 350/73PX 375/50PX 375/53PX 375/55PX 375/57PX 375/60PX 375/62PX 375/64PX 375/66PX 375/69PX 375/71PX 375/73PX
LENGTH/WT. 11'6"-100 lbs. 11'6"-105 lbs. 11'6"-110 lbs. 11'6"-115 lbs. 11'6"-120 lbs. 11'6"-125 lbs. 11'6"-130 lbs. 11'6"-135 lbs. 11'6"-140 lbs. 11'6"-145 lbs. 11'6"-150 lbs. 11'6"-155 lbs. 11'6"-160 lbs. 12'4"-110 lbs. 12'4"-115 lbs. 12'4"-120 lbs. 12'4"-125 lbs. 12'4"-130 lbs. 12'4"-135 lbs. 12'4"-140 lbs. 12'4"-145 lbs. 12'4"-150 lbs. 12'4"-155 lbs. 12'4"-160 lbs.
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MODEL 400/53PX 400/55PX 400/57PX 400/60PX 400/62PX 400/64PX 400/66PX 400/69PX 400/71PX 400/73PX 400/75PX 415/57PX 415/60PX 415/62PX 415/64PX 415/66PX 415/69PX 415/71PX 415/73PX 415/75PX
LENGTH/WT. 13'1"-115 lbs. 13'1"-120 lbs. 13'1"-125 lbs. 13'1"-130 lbs. 13'1"-135 lbs. 13'1"-140 lbs. 13'1"-145 lbs. 13'1"-150 lbs. 13'1"-155 lbs. 13'1"-160 lbs. 13'1"-165 lbs. 13'7"-125 lbs. 13'7"-130 lbs. 13'7"-135 lbs. 13'7"-140 lbs. 13'7"-145 lbs. 13'7"-150 lbs. 13'7"-155 lbs. 13'7"-160 lbs. 13'7"-165 lbs.
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The Power-X series makes it easy to fit athletes to the pole’s weight rating. This series of poles is designed to return smoother to give the athlete time to lift their feet above their head for maximum jump height. Power-X has increased hoop strength and easy load capability to maximize durability and performance. NOTE: All special custom poles by weight or flex number require an extra $50.00 per pole upcharge.
recoil Poles MODEL LENGTH/WT. PRICE MODEL LENGTH/WT. PRICE 400/62R 13'1"-135 lbs. $500.00 430/57R 14'1"-125 lbs. $540.00 400/64R 13'1"-140 lbs. $500.00 430/60R 14'1"-130 lbs. $540.00 400/66R 13'1"-145 lbs. $500.00 430/62R 14'1"-135 lbs. $540.00 400/69R 13'1"-150 lbs. $500.00 430/64R 14'1"-140 lbs. $540.00 400/71R 13'1"-155 lbs. $500.00 430/66R 14'1"-145 lbs. $540.00 400/73R 13'1"-160 lbs. $500.00 430/69R 14'1"-150 lbs. $540.00 400/75R 13'1"-165 lbs. $500.00 430/71R 14'1"-155 lbs. $540.00 400/78R 13'1"-167 lbs. $500.00 430/73R 14'1"-160 lbs. $540.00 400/80R 13'1"-175 lbs. $500.00 430/75R 14'1"-165 lbs. $540.00 400/82R 13'1"-180 lbs. $500.00 445/62R 14'7"-135 lbs. $600.00 400/84R 13'1"-185 lbs. $500.00 445/64R 14'7"-140 lbs. $600.00 415/64R 13'7"-140 lbs. $530.00 445/66R 14'7"-145 lbs. $600.00 415/66R 13'7"-145 lbs. $530.00 445/69R 14'7"-150 lbs. $600.00 415/69R 13'7"-150 lbs. $530.00 445/71R 14'7"-155 lbs. $600.00 415/71R 13'7"-155 lbs. $530.00 445/73R 14'7"-160 lbs. $600.00 415/73R 13'7"-160 lbs. $530.00 415/75R 13'7"-165 lbs. $530.00 415/78R 13'7"-170 lbs. $530.00 415/80R 13'7"-175 lbs. $530.00 415/82R 13'7"-180 lbs. $530.00 EASIER TO BEND FASTER TO RETURN 415/84R 13'7"-185 lbs. $530.00 Recoil is engineered with special stiffeners of glass and hybrid composite materials to store more energy while reducing pole weight and diameter. The result is a lightweight pole that is easy to bend and “RECOILS” with the power you need. Lower initial load requirements allow you to load the pole with more energy from the swing and receive a greater return of energy as compared to a conventional round pole. NOTE: All special custom poles by weight or flex number require an extra $50.00 per pole upcharge. Pricing is subject to change without notice. POLE FREIGHT: One to three poles is $160.00. Each additional pole is $25.
POWER-X Prep Poles MODEL 275/30PX 275/37PX 275/41PX 275/46PX 275/55PX 305/37PX 305/41PX 305/46PX 305/50PX 325/41PX 325/46PX 325/50PX 325/55PX 325/60PX 325/64PX 325/66PX 325/69PX 325/71PX
LENGTH/WT. 9'-65 lbs. 9'-80 lbs. 9'-90 lbs. 9'-100 lbs. 9'-120 lbs. 10'-80 lbs. 10'-90 lbs. 10'-100 lbs. 10'-110 lbs. 10'8"-90 lbs. 10'8"-100 lbs. 10'8"-110 lbs. 10'8"-120 lbs. 10'8"-130 lbs. 10'8"-140 lbs. 10'8"-145 lbs. 10'8"-150 lbs. 10'8"-155 lbs.
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The Power-X Prep pole is engineered with the same technology and precision as our larger poles. Small diameters are used that will bend to match the needs of beginners that are learning to vault. Power-X Prep is easy to load and has a smoother return to allow ease of timing for new jumpers. All UST ESSX poles are pre-bent with perfect alignment to the soft side which eliminates any twisting during use. NOTE: All special custom poles by weight or flex number require an extra $50.00 per pole upcharge.
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UST ESSX is a division of UST Mamiya 14950 FAA Blvd. • Suite 200 • Fort Worth, TX 76155 • (817) 267-2219 Sales - Bruce Caldwell: 1-877-367-3779 International: (817) 819-1472 • Email: Bruce@UST-ESSX.com
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Elite Vaulter Mike Arnold has Big Plans By: Michelle Walthall “As a matter of fact pole vaulting wasn’t my first love,” says elite pole vaulter Mike Arnold. “I played baseball my entire life and thought it was going to be my career. I started playing baseball as soon as I could walk and continued up until I was a freshman in high school. By my freshman year, baseball became too political and wasn’t fun. After failing to make the high school team, I decided I did not want to play anymore and took the entire year off from all sports. During my sophomore year, I started playing sports again and decided to run track. I attend all pre-season workouts and when the first day of practice arrived, I was ready to pole vault. We hauled out the pits and started vaulting shortly after. I ran from 2 steps and landed into the pit and, from then on, I haven’t looked back.”
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Haven’t looked back is right! Here are some of Arnold’s track and field accomplishments he shared with us: In college Arnold was 2013 NCAA track & field All-American, 2012 U.S. Olympic Trial qualifier and participant, 2012 NCAA academic All-American, 6x Big Sky Conference champion, 1X Big Sky Conference runner NCAA Track & Field up, 4x Championship qualifier, 2009 Pan American junior runner up, 2009 USA Junior Outdoor Championship runner up, 3x Idaho State outstanding field athlete, and 1x Idaho State track & field MVP. And in high school Arnold was 2008 Nevada 4A state champion and 2005 Nevada 4A JV champion. He has a pretty impressive list, to say the least. As impressive a vaulter as Arnold is, he is not immune to the toll vaulting can take on
the body. However, he has been very fortunate in that respect. He says, “The physical nature of pole vaulting is demanding in many ways. Your body has to be in top physical shape to achieve the goals you have set for yourself. I had plenty of minor injuries throughout college, but I am fortunate to not have had any major problems thus far.” “As with any sport injuries are part of the game,” continues Arnold of his challenges through vaulting. “I had an irritating hamstring problem throughout my junior and senior year of college, which really delayed my training. Also, I have had to overcome many disappointments dealing with meets. For example, I’ve failed to qualify for certain events and my junior year of college I no-heighted at the NCAA Championships. I’ve
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believe in what you are doing and believe in what your coach is having you do. No matter how hard it may be, it will all come together when the time is right.”
So how does Arnold gain the confidence he needs to jump as he does? What techniques does he use? Here is his answer to these questions we were so curious to know the answers to:
“I noticed that when I started to jump well, it was because of the increased volume of jumps I was taking from a full approach in practice. This allows me to be comfortable with my approach and with the jump as a whole. Leading up to the 2013 NCAA Outdoor Championships, my 5.70m jump, and the majority of the street vaults this summer, I was jumping 2-3 times a week
plus meets from my full-approach run. Some days I would take 20+ jumps from my full approach. Another confidence booster is jumping with a bar often. Whether it is from a short run or competition approach, we are always jumping with a bar.” What about jumping with longer and stiffer poles? Arnold tells us, “Speed is a huge Mike Arnold
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part of being a pole vaulter and training in Idaho isn’t the most tropical place to run fast year round. We rely heavily on the weight room to produce speed when the weather isn’t up to par during late fall until we go indoors. Another contributing factor is gymnastics. We are in the gymnastics gym 2 days a week purely working on the technical part of the vault. Our gymnastics workouts include rings, trampoline, lots of high bar, floor, parallel bars, etc.” Thankfully motivation comes easily to Arnold. “Being motivated and geared up for the vault is something that comes naturally to me,” he says. “I love training and always pushing myself to reach my next goal. Whether it’s trying to lift heavier in the weight room or running fast through timers during speed workouts; it’s always a game of how I can beat myself.”
Family support is not lacking for this elite vaulter either. “Well, first off, I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for my parents,” says Arnold. “My parents have always been there for me. My mom has been one of the most influential people in my entire life. She has taught me that nothing comes free and I have to work hard to achieve my dreams. My coaches, sponsors, and therapist are
also huge confidence boosters. My coaches have always been there for me. My current coach, Dave Nielsen, designs all my workouts including weight training, which ultimately increases my confidence. I have also been fortunate to grow up in Carson City, NV and, if you know anything about pole vaulting, the UCS Spirit factory is located there. Lane and Steve have helped me ever since I started vaulting in 2005. I have a lot of hometown pride and that is a boost of confidence since I jump on Spirits.”
Much support can also mean many different expectations for athletes. Arnold says he has been able to sort out the different expectations pretty well though. He tells us, “I am able to separate these expectations pretty easily because of the high expectations I’ve always had for myself. Some people say I put too much pressure on myself, but I know that I demand a certain level of performance and expect to reach it each time I step foot on the track. Whether they’re right or wrong, I still focus on what I know needs to be done and put trust in my coach, therapist, friends, and family for support.”
“After the 2013 season is over,” says Arnold of what is next for him, “I will take a
month break and start the recovery process. It’s good to take a break physically and mentally after every season and reflect on what previously occurred. I use this time to reevaluate my goals with my coach. In order to do this we take a look at what goals were accomplished, establish a plan to reach those goals, and make new goals for the future.” Here is a list Arnold gave us of his short-term and long-term goals: Short term for the upcoming season:
• Stay healthy • Keep training simple and effective. • Be stronger in the weight room and faster on the runway. • Jump 5.80+ indoors • Make a world team Long term goals:
• Olympian and Champion • Jump 6 meters
Olympic
We wish Mike Arnold the best of luck in reaching these goals, and in whatever the future may hold. No doubt he will be gaining more titles and reaching new heights very soon.
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Sprinting: the Foundation of a Great Vault “How’d you start doing that?” I’m guessing I’m not the only vaulter to receive this question. The pole vault is a rare event, which most people have never actually seen. (Surprising, right?!) So when they meet a vaulter, they are likely (and rightly) confused about anyone wanting to do this foreign activity of running full speed with a long stick towards a metal box and flinging a body into the air and (hopefully) landing on a matt.
When I first started, that’s how I felt. As soon as my coach handed me a pole, I told him,
“No, I can’t do this. I’ll spear
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By: Samantha Slaubaugh
myself.” All vaulters know this is very difficult (though I suppose not impossible). My coach laughed at me and assured me I would be safe. (Possibly a lofty promise.)My next question to my coach was, “Why did you choose me to learn this?”
His answer: “Because I saw you run that timed-40 meter dash. You’re fast.” And trust me, he was right. My speed was (and is) my saving grace. Seven years ago, I had little natural athletic ability. After years of training, my natural athleticism has hardly increased at all. I can run straight, plant a pole, and swing my legs to flip my body
upside down, but don’t ask me to do anything requiring a ball, a basket/goal, or any type of technical skill. It has taken me years to improve slowly and painstakingly in the technical aspects of the pole vault. All the while, most of my success was due to my speed. However, until my first year in college, I never realized how important it was to have proper speed technique. Though I was fast, I had no upward angle at takeoff. Every coach (yes, even from my opponent’s schools) for four years of high school told me that I just run straight through takeoff. (I have issues running and jumping at the
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help you if you cannot run effectively and correctly on the runway.
The pole vault is an event that builds upon itself. The runway is the foundation of the vault. If sprint technique on the runway is good, then there is a chance for a good takeoff, which leads to a good swing, which leads to a good invert, then a good quarter turn, and then a final push-off (and a new PR!). If everything went as planned that is. However, even
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if nothing in the other parts of the vault goes as well as you hope, if there is solid sprinting happening on the runway, there will be more success. You will only jump as high as you run fast (and correctly so).
• • • • • •
Some ideas for practice include:
If you have a strong foundation, the building can reach much higher.
Sprinting is the foundation of pole vaulting. So, spend time with sprint coaches, study proper running form, and practice!
Standing sprint drills Walking sprint drills Actual sprinting Sprinting on a hill Sprinting with resistance Sprinting on the runway
*Practice all of these drills first without a pole or a stubby pole and then with either a stubby pole or actual pole.*
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Let the Off/ Preseason Begin By: Buba Sparks
For many vaulters not in a set program this can be a confusing time. What should I do? How much should I do? What should I focus on, etc.? My answer is that the specifics depend on you. The only thing everyone needs is to revisit their technique and restart an effective running and lifting program. I am going to plagiarize myself and my website on a few things that I think might help you get rolling. PLEASE – this is homework – take the time to thoroughly review this information to help give you your own championship ideas. Let us start with the basics - Do You Love to Pole Vault? This started out as a rant against kids who said they were serious but continually skipped practice. Unfortunately I can only help the ones who show up, and then only if they apply themselves on every single rep of every component. THERE IS NO ENTITELMENT! Jumping 15’ or 17’ last year, last week or yesterday is no assurance that you ever will again. Progress comes when you consistently apply the techniques that have proven successful for you. Enjoy www.bubbapv.com/Pages/DoYouLovetoPV.htm
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The least talented athlete I have coached was Pete Kovacs. Even though he was tall, he was SLOW! How slow? In a race against a pregnant woman, he would come in third. We timed his sprints with a sundial. He was slower than paint drying and grass growing, etc. That said Pete went on to won the Hungarian National Championships in the pouring rain because he worked his butt off and understood that the mind is a muscle that must be exercised and challenged. Here is his “Manifesto” about training: www.bubbapv.com/Training%20Manifesto.doc
What do I do in my offseason? Here is what we did one breakthrough year for several vaulters. Yes, it is insane but it also worked. I did the same program myself. Are you curious or serious? Only serious need apply! www.bubbapv.com/Pages/runoff.htm
Do you need to learn to get vertical? Thousands of sit-ups will do little to help you. Getting vertical with the most power in the shortest time frame takes a very specific type of lower ab strength and quickness. How important is this? In 1994 Bubka’s coach,
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How do I ever learn to stop flagging out? Actually, a onejump fix is to drive your left leg up the pole (right-handed vaulter). If you do that then you must be vertical. Here is another great way to learn how to operate on the runway side of the pole. www.bubbapv.com/Pages/ drill.htm
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Finally, no matter what you do, you feel the need to work on your speed. Here is a great 14-week program for you. I have done this program so many times, with many varieties, because it works. The founder of USATF PV, Bob Fraley used to say that once you learn how to vault that 70% of your improvement comes from how fast and strong you can get.
www.bubbapv.com/Pages/ speed.htm
I am sure you will not be surprised that this has only scratched the surface of things I have tried and done. My job here is to give you some ideas to go along with your own so you can create that special program for yourself. Enjoy! Bubba
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