Coaching and Care of Athletes

COACHING AND CARE OF ATHLETES be more difficult to lift the weight of the legs when they are fully extended than when their length is shortened by flexing them at the knees. Following the take-off from the left foot the right leg is kicked, or swung, straight through as the pole rises. The legs come level, and are half flexed at the knees when the pole, which should be kept well in under the left armpit, is about half-way to a vertical position. At this stage there is a small amount of arm-flexion. The knees are never drawn farther in towards the body in this style. When the pole is three-quarters of the way to a vertical position the arm– pull is exerted, mainly by the left arm, so that the vaulter's chest is turned towards the pole. The right leg is fully extended forward and up, while the left leg remains half flexed at the knee. As the chest turns square to the pole the left•leg also is extended. As the body turns face downward the lower legs take the half-flexed position again, the hips are higher than the head, and the hands, with the arms holding a half-flexed position and the pole-shaft against the right deltoid, are below the upper part of the chest. A push-up to full arm extension follows. The left, lower hand releases its hold before the right arm is fully extended in complet– ing the push-up. (See Plate XXXVII, Figs. Io8, I Io, and I I r.) In the other style, which I prefer, the pole is planted with an overhand action on the last, take-off stride of the approach run. I like this method because it is economical, in that the take-off from the foot, the raising of the opposite knee, the shift of the lower hand, and the striking of the pole-point against the stop– board at the end of the slideway occur simultaneously. Thus less continued mental concentration is required than is the case when the planting action occupies three full strides. In this style also th.e run is made at speed with the pole-shaft parallel to the ground, or with the point a little below the horizontal plane. Assuming that the vaulter is right-handed, and will therefore take off from his left foot, then in the pole-carrying position the right arm will be nearly half flexed, with the fork of the right hand pressing down on the pole-shaft. The left forearm lies across the pit of the stomach, parallel to the ground, with the wrist so extended that the fingers are ·up and the heel of the hand is down. Therefore the pole-shaft lies under the fQrk of the right hand, and is supported on the joint of the thumb of the left hand next to the fork (Plate XXXIII, Fig. g6). The vaulter, using an approach run of go to I 20ft., approaches 324