After coaching pole vault for a full forty years – I’ve seen an evolution of terminology in the event. In the mid-1990’s, USATF tried to “standardized” how we talked about pole vault, because so many of the terms were “regional”. Here in Ohio, there was a whole “school” of pole vault from Eastern Ohio coaches. They had tremendous success, with state championships and records. But there was an entire “language of vault” that was unique to them, a “code” to break if you were an “outsider” listening in.
Pole vault is still like that. In a “virtual” clinic last year, a coach from Michigan asked me a question. I didn’t understand his terminology and just had to tell him to describe what he was trying to ask. It took a while. There’s plenty of stuff on the “ohiopolevaultsafety.org” webpage that describes what I hope is “standardized” pole vault language, and is certainly “my” language (check out The Physics of Pole Vault ). Here are some terms I understand (now) but don’t use. (I’ll add to this list as terms come up).
Terms
Chord – the “chord line” is the straight line from the box to the top of the pole as the top of the pole passes through 45 degrees relative to the box and the crossbar. The vaulter’s body should be at maximum extension (pressed and dragged) at the chord line – it is when the vaulter’s momentum goes from generally horizontal to generally vertical and when the pole begins to swing to the side.
Active Hands – Term some used to describe the action of the top hand during the swing-up to close-off phase of the vault. It encourages an active “press down” that activates core muscles in the action. Can cause the athlete to “pull” rather than “press” causing premature end to swing-up at horizontal rather than vertical.
Rock back – completing the swing up (but usually to a tuck and shoot position).
Tuck and Shoot – When a vaulter pulls both knees to his chest, aims above the crossbar and “shoots” his legs to inversion (a variation of the French or 80’s American technique).
Steering – Teaching a vaulter to “sense” when they are going to hit the proper takeoff mark during their run, (by visually triangulating the box, the pit, and the takeoff mark) rather than a systematic counting system.
Curl and Press –Term some use to describe the motion of the top hand from above the hip to overhead in the plant action. Encourages elbow rotation causing the “round housing” effect and therefore is inaccurate.
Bucket – to swing up to the horizontal position but be unable to continue to vertical (stuck in the bucket – usually caused by pulling the top hand, or blocking with the bottom arm).
Row – the close off – when the top hand reaches the shin – the problem is a “rowing” action is by definition to the side, while the pole vault swing up action should be as centered as possible to the vaulter’s body
Drop Shoulders – dropping shoulders is inverting to a vertical position (flexing-in, invert). Looks like dropping, when actually it is a result (not a cause) of flexing-in and extending. The shoulders don’t “go down”, the body goes up.
Come to Attention – Hips to the Pole – “Hump” the Pole – all terms for getting as close to the Pole as possible as you line up to extend vertically (hopefully as the Pole unbends to thrust you vertically)
Fly In – Another term for the Drive Phase (the phase from the plant until the swing-up begins). Often used in conjunction with pre-jumping – jumping before the pole tip strikes the back of the box – thus literally “flying into” the plant and pole bend.
Tap – So I have used the term “tap” in connection with the pole vault for decades.
A “tap” was when someone stood beside the runway, and gave the vaulter a push (just below the shoulder blades) as they planted and took off. “Tapping” or “spotting” gave additional energy into the takeoff, and also improved form as the vaulter reacted to the “tap” by driving the chest ahead of the hips. It (obviously) is a practice technique, not legal in competition (though I did have it happen in a Big Ten Competition I was officiating – the vaulter knocked the bar off anyway, and the tapper was removed from the pit area).
While I will still use a “tap” in coaching, especially when a vaulter is trying to get on a stiffer pole, too much tapping is thought to be one of the factors that contributed to a high profile pole vault death in the early 2000’s. The vaulter was tapped so often, he no longer knew when a vault was “safe” or not once he left the ground – or so the theory went.
But, just recently, I’ve heard the term in a different context. Hitting the “tap” as I understand it, is to be in a position in front of the “chord” line at the moment of maximum bend, thus creating the most energy in the swing-up phase. It’s used in this way; “hit the tap” then swing up (or rock back) and shoot. In “my language”, it’s a matter of staying “under the pole”, allowing the pole to drag the hands back and pressing the takeoff leg, until the pole swings to the side, then swing to invert, closing off, flexing in, and extending.
Rip – There is an old term in pole vaulting, “grip and rip”. It’s “old school” dangerous coaching – grab the pole as high as you can and “rip” down the runway. Maybe, something good will happen — maybe not. But I use “rip” in a different context, as a way to correct a blocked lower arm. Some athletes have an ingrained habit of pushing and blocking the lower arm into the pole, stalling the swing-up and preventing them from inverting. It’s not my favorite way to get inversion done, but if the athlete is already “muscling” the pole, then take that and work it to their advantage. I tell them to “rip” the lower arm to the side, pulling the pole “open” so they can continue to swing-up. Plant – Drive – “RIP” – and swing-up is the sequence.
Pendulum Up and Twist 180 – I watched the 2024 Olympic Pole Vault (beginning to end, and most of the qualifying) and I heard a whole lot of Australian terms used by the non-vaulter “color” commentator. The one that got me most was “pendulum up and twist 180”. It described swinging up to invert, pull, turn and extend (the “twist 180” is turning) – but it sounded “cool” – “She’s got a good Pendulum up, then she didn’t quite twist 180 over the bar” (pronounced baarhh).
Push Out the Back – I heard a college coach use that term the other day, and I had to ask what he meant by it. I was thinking about all sorts of odd pole shoving things. But it turned out he meant to start the pole run by running hard, “pushing out of the back of the runway”. I completely agree with him – though I don’t use the term. I say “drive off” and we both mean the same thing. After all, a vaulter’s run is only 20 to 30 meters. There’s no time to “build speed”, it’s time to go!!
Connecting – Some of my good coaching friends use this term. It means to make the parts of the vault (plant-drive-drag-swing-close off-flex-in-pull-turn-extend – in “my” terminology) a fluid action, one flowing into the other. We often teach vaulting in parts, working on plants, working on drive, working on closing off; but vaulters need to do it all in order, sequence, and without hesitation in between. I don’t use the term but I absolutely believe that we should do a lot of work to put all of the “pieces” together. One of my favorite stubby drill is the “full vault” drill. From picking up the pole at the end of the runway to “snaking the bar” at the end, go through every phase of the vault without “going anywhere”. That puts it all in a “flow”.
Ohio Pole Vault Safety 