Athletics of To-Day 1929

The Pole Vault 249 clearing it, the trouble is generally due to his having released the pole too soon, because his leg swing has not been strong enough to carry his body to the proper height. The leg action during the upward swing comprises three successive inverted Vs, or triangles. The first Vis formed when the take-off foot is on the ground and the free leg swinging forward; before the free leg kick has spent its force, the take– off leg starts a kick of its own and passes the free leg, thus forming the second V. This helps the double-action vaulter to hold a ''body-facing-the-bar~~ position as he rises. The free leg now gives its third kick and again passes the take-off leg, thus forming the third V. This applies to the double-action vaulter, who is assumed to have taken off from the left foot. The "scissors~~ action follows and can be made either a separ– ate unit or combined with the third swing kick. If the " scissors~~ action is managed, the tak -off (left) leg will go upwards and to the right and the right leg will follow also upwards and to the right. The right leg makes the follow up kick, as it must be the higher of the two, or the body turn cannot be completed. The final "scissors~~ kick V-leg finish is w 11 shown in Picture No. 3, Plate 37, of . Harlemann, but the "jack-knife," in which the whole body forms an inverted V ov r th bar, offers an alternative. In Picture os. 3 and 4, Plate 36, Sabin W. arr is using a half jack-1 nife finish, but p rhaps the jack-knife action may be explained best by Fig. 26, on page 250. When the vaulter has got his 1 gs across the bar, position AB, the arms are still flexed at the lbows and the hand-hold is firm on the pole. A distinct pause in action follows as the legs are dropped from B t , wh n the body holds the inverted V position A . over the bar. In the next mov ment the vaulter pushes himself up to a full-arm ext nsion which gives him the position DE, shown in th second of the sketches. He then clears his chest from the bar by raising his body and flinging back his arms and gains the p sition FE. The move– ment that follows is well shown in icture No. I, Plate 37, of F. H. Sturdy, one of the Yale pole vaulters.