PoleVaultPower.com

Bungee @ 12'0"
Pole: 13'1 160 Spirit, 14'1 145 Spirit final jump

Just looking for a little bit of feedback. I do notice the lack of knee drive from the takeoff. It's been like that since I started vaulting. Thanks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pz5BYOyhAI

approach not on the video; but coming from 5 Lefts @ 62ft

I had a kid that jumped alot like you when he was in high school so your vault looks very familiar to me. The dropping of the knee isn't what's killing your swing, although it's not preferred. Watch what happens once you drop your knee. Your hips stop moving up and your trail leg actually passes up your drive knee. Your hips go from full speed to zero when this happens and you have to salvage the swing at the top by simply dropping your shoulders. No energy left to work with after that. The speed of the swing is crucial if you want to jump high.

Work on the knee continuing to move toward the chest and swinging the hips to vertical without letting your trail leg pass your drive knee.

AVC Coach wrote: ... The speed of the swing is crucial if you want to jump high.

AVC Coach wrote: Work on the knee continuing to move toward the chest and swinging the hips to vertical without letting your trail leg pass your drive knee. ...

In my view of this very common problem ... the majority of all Intermediate vaulters (especially) have this flaw ... the swing needs to be separated into the downswing and the upswing ... and it's in the DOWNswing (BEFORE the whip when you pass the chord) that you should focus your improvement efforts. Yes .. you should "keep the knee moving towards the chest" ... but HOW? By improving the downswing! This is so much easier than focussing on improvements in the upswing ... when you've already lost too much momentum!

After watching it over a few more times I can definitely see the difference in speed of my hips during the jump.

I'll focus some more time bringing my drive knee towards my just through the swing this weekend, next time I'll get to jump a little is Saturday.

Thanks for the input guys!

Also strive to get a freer take-off... That can be worked on quite easily in conjunction with the knee drive issue.

Thanks, that was one of the first things I noticed. Haven't had a chance to jump since the video was taken. I have practice tomorrow so I'll get a little work in. I feel like I may be taking a larger than necessary stride when I hit my takeoff as well. I worked a little on my approach this week and focused on that so we'll see if that works a little.

But I definitely noticed the pole loading before I was even off the ground. Thanks guys!

You are definitely taking too big of a last stride... That should be the shortest stride you take in your whole run! Time to get out the stiff pole!