-THE GRIP:

-THE APPROACH:

In the approach run, the motion of the pole is up and down and not front to back. In the drive phase, the pole should be pushed up as the body angle changes. As the body becomes more erect, so does the pole. The relative position of the pole to the body is not changed during this time. The pole should be carried high during the mid-portion of the run, letting it drop in the transition phase.

There should be a check-point six strides out from the plant point to mark the start of the transition phase. The vaulter should not look at this, but have a teammate check it during practice runs. As the pole drops, the front hand becomes the bottom hand. The plant should start on the penultimate stride.

The pole drop and plant must be integrated into a continuous rotational movement of the pole. The body should be tall and the pole carried as high as possible. The shoulders must be kept square and parallel to the bar. The position of the hands do not change, moving in unison while pushing the pole forward and upward.

-THE TAKEOFF:

(Note: This applies to a glassple that will bend) As in the other jumps, the takeoff foot is dorsiflexed with the foot landing slightly in front of the hips on the takeoff stride. As the foot lands, the vaulter should start to rise onto the ball of the takeoff foot and raises knee of the lead leg. The knee need not be driven upward in an aggressive manner. The reason for raising the knee is to help the vaulter get up onto the ball of the other foot. When the vaulter starts to leaves the ground, the trail leg should be pushed hard against the runway as the lead leg is moved forward and upward. The hips must be advancing and leading the body through.

The position of the top hand is critical at takeoff and must be located directly over the foot at takeoff. The shoulders are kept square and parallel to the bar. The body should stay long in full extension. During the swing, the body becomes a chord line of the arc formed by the flexed pole.