Anti
Gravity Pole Vault Club - Workout Notes and Thoughts
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Key to pole vault success is the
run and middle body strength. Include the following when away from the
runway for practice.
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High Knee Runs. Run 40 yard sprints
emphasizing high knees and kick. Stay on toes throughout. Kick may nearly
carry heels into hitting your tail end. This should be a floating type of
run. Back should stay straight and upright. Do not lean forward.
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Situps, situps, situps and more
situps. Then leg raises, leg raises and leg raises. If you have access to a
pull up bar work on leg lifts, either bent knee or, better yet, straight
leg. Set a goal for a number of situps every day, such as 100, and do them
every day.
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Living in North Florida we are
lucky to have the beaches. When you are at the beach do some high knee
driving water sprints. Get in waist deep water and run powerfully forward
driving the knee up to power through the water.
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In doing weight lifting remember
to include arm pullovers. For these lay on your back with a
barbell or curling bar behind your head. Pull the bar to a position
above your head and lower slowly to the floor. This helps vaulters to
strengthen the swing, rock back and pull. |
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Do handstands. When you get good
with handstands do handstand walks. When you get good at handstand walks do
handstand pushups. Handstand pushups are easier against a wall at first but
if you keep trying you’ll be doing freestanding handstand pushups before
you know it.
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Vaulting uses most of the muscles
of your body. Gymnastic exercises help body control. Devise your own
exercises and vary them. Have fun and remember to focus on whatever your
goal is. If an exercise session in the summer is for fun, have fun. If it is
to develop particular skill or strength, focus on that. Vaulting high is fun
and is a direct result of hard dedicated work.
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Coach Wilson’s college coach,
Jimmy Flynn at the University of Delaware often said “Practice does not
make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.” How true that is! Always
focus on what you are doing and do it to your best ability. The rewards will
be greater. This is true in all aspects of life, academics, work, fun,
vaulting, etc. Becoming the best vaulter you can be will reward you in life
with more than vaulting success. It will reward you with discipline and
success in all areas of life.
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