Why? The Science of Athletics

SKILL AND PHYSICAL CLEVERNESS trunk upon the thighs, comes into action and enables the vaulter to raise his legs as he rises towards the bar (Fig. D), and also~;:to keep the body in suspense as the arms raise it over the bar. The rectus abdominis has the co-opera– tion of the quadriceps extensors of the thighs in carrying out its:work. In Fig. E the vaulter is seen a little more than half way up to bar-level, and now the pectoralis major and minor muscles on the chest are contributing their quota of work to help him continue the upwards swing of the body. The turning movement of the body has also commenced, this movement being initiated and carried on by the serratus n:iagnus and the latissimus dorsi on the side of the body which is adjacent to the pole. In Figs. D and E, however, something else is happening, for the athlete is pulling hard down towards his left hip and is particularly emphasizing that pull with his left arm. This action, which shoots the feet high above the bar, brings into play the trapezius muscles above the shoulders and raises the body until the arms are fully flexed, so that the biceps of the upper arms make their contribution to the total effort. Between Figs . E and F the turning movement is completed, the vaulter reaching a face downwards position with arms still flexed so that he can convert the pull into a powerful downward push, emphasized more with the right arm than the left. This will bring him to the position shown in Fig. F, the triceps muscles having come into action to push as soon as the biceps went out of action upon the completion of the pull. It will be seen that the feet have now reached their high point and the vaulter's back is slightly hollowed, so that he must have made good use of the quadratus lumborum and the erector spinae muscles on the back. The final extension of the arms, in completing the push, coincides with the dropping of the legs (Fig. G), so that the rectus abdominis and the quadriceps extensors again come 1nto action. Then; in Fig. H, the athlete is seen clearing his, chest away from the bar by flinging his . I I