Winning an Athlete's Laurels 



IV. — Pole vault and potato races 

 By Albert B. Wegener 



A technical instructor and director of athletics of twenty-seven years' experience 



THE pole vault is the most spectacular 

 and at the same time the most 

 exacting of athletic events, requiring 

 strength, speed, and skill. A left-footed 

 jumper should grasp the pole with the 

 ordinary left-hand grasp and the right hand 

 reverse grasp, hands 30 in. apart. For 

 the usual vaulter the right hand grasps 

 the pole according to the following instruc- 

 tions: When the bar is placed 9 ft. high, 

 the right hand is at 9 ft. on the pole; for 

 each foot that the bar is raised the right 

 hand is lowered 4 in. Carry the pole 

 on the right side with the point directly 

 forward and raised a little. Run squarely 

 to the front, avoiding a twist. 



The take-off or jumping spot should be 

 directly under the right hand when the 

 pole is planted ready for the spring and 

 the striding marks placed accurately at 

 about 40 and 80 ft. from the stands. 

 These marks must be placed so as to help 

 produce accurate running, as described 

 in the high jump. During the run, look at 

 these marks. Start to run at about 100 ft. 



Taking the Jump 



Plant the pole lightly by thrusting the 

 end into the hole just before the left foot 

 strikes the take-off. At the same time 

 throw the arms forward up and slide the 

 left hand up close to the right. The arms 

 at this point should be almost straight, the 

 hands above the left foot or a few inches 

 in front of that spot. Any other spot for 

 the take-off will strain the chest or back 

 muscles, and if the arms are too straight or 

 too much bent you cannot rise well. The 

 left foot should be placed upon the take- 

 off a couple of inches to the right of a line 

 drawn directly back of the point of the 

 pole. The hole for planting the point of 

 the pole should be 6 in. toward the runway 

 from a point just under the bar. 



In the rise, swing the body forward at 

 arm's length to the right of the pole, facing 

 directly forward. When half-way up to 

 the bar flex the thighs and legs so that they 

 are above the head and the bar. Now 



straighten out, turn to the left, pull up and 

 push up strongly with the arms. This 

 brings the hips above the bar and facing it 

 in an arched position with thighs flexed. 

 Now push over the bar and release the 

 grasp, with the left hand first, allowing the 

 pole to drop back. Alight facing the bar 

 or with an additional turn to the left. 



Training Hints 



For several weeks before attempting to 

 vault, practice the following developing 

 exercises: On the horizontal bar, chin 

 several times; then do the same and circle 

 backward over the bar. Circle forward 

 over bar. Hang and raise feet to the bar. 

 Free backward circle. Pull up and shoot 

 over a cross-bar placed 2 ft. in front of 

 and as high as the bar. Practice walking 

 on the hands. Do the hand balance 

 against the wall, then bend and straighten 

 the arms. Practice the rope vault. Prac- 

 tice sprinting and jogging. 



When starting to use the pole do not try 

 to vault over a cross-bar for a few weeks, 

 or until the movement is thoroughly 

 learned. Preliminary practice with the 

 pole should be, planting the pole and using 

 the grasp at about 8 ft. high. Plant the 

 pole and swing forward. Plant, swing, and 

 rise. Plant, swing, rise, and pull up, etc. 

 Introduce the bar only when able to do 

 about 8 ft. without it. Do not vault more 

 than ten times a day. Give much attention 

 to massage. If sore and stiff, rest and 

 massage. 



Other Styles of Vaulting 



For those who have not the time to 

 devote to learning the exacting shift-hand 

 style, and especially for boys, the no-shift 

 style is recommended. In this the hands 

 are held about 2 ft. apart and neither of 

 them is moved from that position until 

 after the rise, swing, pull up, and shoot over 

 are made. It is impossible to go high with 

 this, but it is much easier and safer than 

 the other style. The Vault for Distance 

 is an event seldom, if evfr, now used in 



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