Excersises to Increase Pole Vaulting Ability

The pole vault is one of those sports that uses the entire body. Many people do not fully realize the entire muscle groups that a pole vaulter uses to actually make one successful vault. There are the legs for the sprint, the lungs and stamina for the full out run, the shoulders and arms for the bend and the life, the stomach for the touch, again shoulders and legs for the spin, and finally the laterals, the triceps, the glutes, and shoulders for the flyover. This is a full body use in all of about 18 seconds. It has been a crux for coaches to device a plan of what exercises to use for this sport.

The first and foremost thing that the vaulters need to focus on is their running and sprinting. The speed they run at the box and transfer to the pole, and the power they run is key to the entire vault. The best exercises for this is full sprinting. The exercises is called running the long walking the short. Walk at a pace just a little above your normal walking speed, and as soon as the track begins to straighten out, run at full speed till the track begins to turn again. This will hurt, and you very well might not be able to make the whole distance. Walk the turn again, and then run full out for the other straight away. Do this for 4 revolutions of the track. That is 1 mile on most standard tracks, and it will build the legs better than any other exercises out there. After doing this, don't do anything else with them, and if they are ok after this exercises, they didn't sprint hard enough (http://www.athleticscoaching.ca/UserFiles/File/Sport%20Science/Theory%20&%20Methodology/Jumping%20Events/Pole%20Vault/Kzresinski%20PV%20Conditioning.pdf)

The next thing you need to do is strengthen their jump, especially their jumping leg. Many people get into the weight room, but pushing weights is a different world than pushing yourself. it uses a different set of muscles, and it uses a different set of strength. The best exercises for this is to start at the end of one of the long sides of a track, mark a half way point. Grasp your pole like you would be running and continuously jump with your jumping leg till you get to that half way point. The continue walking with the pole, still raised as if your were sprinting down the runway. Do this 4 times.Each time you came back tot he place you started you have completed one. Not only does this build your jump and your jumping leg, it also builds your arms because you're holding the pole the whole time. (http://www.athleticscoaching.ca/UserFiles/File/Sport%20Science/Theory%20&%20Methodology/Jumping%20Events/Pole%20Vault/Kzresinski%20PV%20Conditioning.pdf)

You also need to build your shoulders. After your legs, the shoulders are the most important part. Again, most people want to go into the gym for this exercise, this is not needed. The best shoulder exercises that are out there for the pole vault relies on you and a wall. Stand facing a wall. Place your hands about 1 foot away from the wall, and kick your feet up onto the wall so that you are doing a hand stand. Now, lower yourself down till your head touches the ground. Now push your self up. Do as many as you can. Ask a spotter to pull up on your ankles to get you up. The goal would be to do 3 sets of 15 of these, but you'll need to work on them. (http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Pole-Vaulting-m48141.aspx)

With these exercises and a regiment of constant practice, at least an hour a day, a vaulter's body will grow to be lean and efficient. Once this happens, the technique will come and the height of the bar will raise and raise.