This article by Spencer Chang is an outstanding resource and concisely summarizes the knowledge I acquired while training 11 years for the vault. Having been coached by 3 different coaches in my collegiate career at the University of Georgia I was exposed to different technique concepts and training methods in the vault. In reading this article it seemed to me that Chang (without laying eyes on my prior coaches) discarded my past coaches differences in technical models and maintained the technical fiber consistently found in all 3 coaches. These technical similarities are as follows:
- The upmost importance of a consistent, balanced, powerful, up-right (high center of mass) take-off
- Increased frequency (turn over) in the last steps before take-off
- Focus on moving the pole to vertical
- Avoiding loading the pole prematurely (Chang calls it not getting picked) I have heard this referred to as not letting your hips get sucked in
Finally, I remember the turning point for me in the vault is when a (older) teammate told me to fiercely accelerate in the last 4 steps with increasing frequency. He told me this during a warm up at a meet in Atlanta (Georgia Tech). I immediately PR'd that day. This personal experience is Chang's written word brought to life.
-John Egan
Tecniques: February 2010
Move the Pole and Catch the Ride
By Spencer Chang, M.D.
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