Coaching and Care of Athletes

COACHING AND CARE OF ATHLETES clearance. The upper arm is kept close to the body, while the opposite forearm remains in line with the pole-shaft. The body then turns face downward (Plate XXXVI, Fig. 106), and as the arms are extended in the push-up the take-off leg is extended, and the other is dropped back (Plate XXXVII, Fig. Io8), or both legs may be dropped back, as in Plate XXXVII, Fig. I09. At extreme heights, however, there is likely to be emergency leg action for balance purposes, as is shown in Plate XXXVII, Fig. I Io, of Sefton and Plate XXXVII, Fig. I I I, of Brown. There are two permitted methods of making the push-up. The easier way is to push hard, but evenly, with both arms (Plate XXXVI, Fig. I07), but the more efficacious style, used by most champions, calls for the first thrust to come from the left arm, turning the body partly to the left. The left hand then releases the pole, while the right arm is still partly flexed (Plate XXXVII, Fig. Io8). The right arm then completes the push– up in a full arm extension, and the body is turned back into its former position at right angles to the bar (Plate XXXVII, Figs. I IO and I I I). The left hand is lifted over the bar, and the right hand flicks the pole away (Plate XXXIII, Fig. 94), both hands being thrown above the head. The body falls fully relaxed to the sand-pit. The new style, which I have promised to describe, is designed to enable athletes to clear such remarkable heights as that to which the world's pole vault record has now risen, calling for some revision of our ideas upon technique. The success of the new style depends mainly upon a natural reaction form, plus the ability of the athlete to 'ride' the pole on his journey up to the crossbar. Frankly, I consider it impossible, and in this opinion I have the agreement of Boyd Comstock, for a man, no matter how speedy his approach run may be, or how great his strength, to vault such a height as I5 ft. usil!g a pendulum swing and a full– arm hang. The limit in that style is probably I4 ft. Bill Miller got his extra Ii ins. and Olympic title with rather the same sort of fly-away as Charles Hoff used when he vaulted to within a fraction of I4 ft. for an earlier world's record. The new style calls for a light, fast approach run and an over– hand plant, such as Comstock is demonstrating in Plate XXXIV, Fig. 99· There is no vigorous foot-stamp; the take-off is light- 330