Athletics of To-Day 1929

The Pole Vault Many vaulters show a tendency to hit the pole with the inside (take-off) leg as they rise into the air. This fault is due to incorrect foot placement at the take-off. When the foot is stamped down for the spring to be made, it should be directly in line with the pole point in the slideway (see Figs. 23 and 25). Assuming the man springs from his right foot, any deviation from the right foot placement immediately in line back from the pole point should be to the left, so that his body will swing to the right across the pole. If he puts his right foot down to the right of the line back from the pole point, the subsequent swing up will carry him in towards the pole, which he will hit with his left thigh or knee. It has been mentioned that the hands grip the pole 36 inches apart during the approach run. But one cannot vault with this grip; otherwise the lower hand will serve merely as a prop and will not contribute to the pull up. The lower hand is brought up the pole until it touches the upper hand in a shift action. In the old time over-hand shift the higher hand used to be brought directly up and over in a semi-circular swing to a full arm extension, but it usually led to a lack of balance in the vault. The under-hand shift is far better. The shift is made on the last stride of the leg from which the spring is not made, i.e., right foot take-off, make the shift on the last stride of the left leg. The rear hand comes directly through to the front, and actually just touches the body, and the pole is pushed up to a full extension of the rear arm as the lower hand slips up the pole shaft to a grip just below that of the upper hand. The lower hand consolidates its grip just as the pole point strikes the end of the slideway, and the •• hands-touching'' position must be maintained until the pole is ultimately pushed away in the final clearance action. The question of position at take-off is of major importance. First the arms. The flexing of the arms, so that the elbows are in a line with the shoulders, gives the cramped position of the novice who is afraid to let himself go. A partial flex, with the elbows level with the uptilted chin, almost certainly ensures good balance in the vault, but does not allow maximum vigour,