Pole Vault

Pole vaulting is an athletic competition that sees a competitor use a long pole to help propel his or her body over a bar. Pole vault poles are flexible and usually made of fiberglass or carbon fiber. The history of pole vault is quite rich, as the games were present during the ancient Greek Olympics. There are also indications throughout history that pole vault games were kept by the Cretans and Celts. The origins of pole vaulting probably come from the practice of using poles to cross natural obstacles in swampy canal areas. Modern pole vault competitions reemerged in the middle of the 19th century in Germany during which pole vault competitions were added to gymnastics. The pole vaulting track and field sport hit the United States at the end of the 1800's.

How are pole vault poles made? Although pole vaulters use sophisticated material now, in centuries past poles were made from material like bamboo or aluminum. The landing area has been traditionally a heap of sand where athletes could land on their feet. As technology improved, soon mats were used and then solid pieces of foam. The proper landing for pole vaulting competition is on the back or shoulders. Landing on the feet can be dangerous due to the risk of spraining or even breaking an ankle.

Vaulting Technique

Excelling at pole vaulting, and reaching high distances, is related not only to physical strength but also to psychological and environmental factors, such as confidence and mental preparation and wind speed and temperature. Pole vaulting poles should be chosen with adequate length and stiffness, such that it will match the ability of the competitor. A pole that is either too elastic or too stiff will directly affect the performance. Coaching the pole vault reveals several important phases: the approach, which should be done in a way that achieves maximum speed and correct positioning, the plant and take off, in which the pole-vaulter seeks to transform the kinetic energy into potential stored energy using the pole's elasticity, and the swing and row, which causes a pendulum motion and can be held longer to attain greater heights. Other important parts jump maneuvers include the extension, the turn and the fly away.

In training, learning how to pole vault involves taking part in pole vault drills, which train the body for athletic qualities and teach vaulting form. There are also pole vault videos you can buy or view for free which explain the technique in visual terms. Pole vault drills videos show the entire process from the work out stage to the pole vault itself. Other resources for aspiring vaulters include the Pole Vault World website, pole vault camps around the country and online stores that sell shoes designed for track and field athletes. Finally, if you're that bored, or disillusioned by your low performance, you can view pole vault gone wrong events on a variety of blooper video sites. These moments captured on tape reveal that no one is perfect and even the best are bound to make mistakes in the magnificent sport of pole vaulting.