ANALYSIS REPORT
Coach's Summary
Focus for Run: Focus on maintaining a tall, upright posture and high knee lift during the final three strides to prevent overstriding. Focus for Vault: Concentrate on a faster 'shift' to ensure the top hand is at full extension before the pole strikes the back of the box.
Standards & Depth
Correct
The athlete's peak height is achieved slightly behind the crossbar, which is the ideal trajectory for a clean clearance. The current standard depth (likely between 24 and 30 inches) is appropriate for the athlete's penetration and pole speed on this attempt.
Maintain the current standards. If the athlete increases grip height or moves to a stiffer pole, re-evaluate to ensure peak height remains behind the bar.
Recommended Drills
- 1Walking shift drills
- 23-step high-bar swings
- 3Sliding box drills for takeoff timing
Phase Performance
The Run-Up
The athlete demonstrates an efficient acceleration profile with a high pole carry. The pole drop is generally rhythmic, but there is a slight dip in the tip about three strides before takeoff, which causes a minor disruption in horizontal velocity. Maintaining a taller posture through the final phase of the run will help in transferring kinetic energy more effectively into the takeoff jump.
Practice pole runs on the track focusing on a 'tall' chest and high knees to ensure a smooth, gradual pole drop without dipping.
The Plant and Takeoff
The athlete initiates the shift well; however, the top hand reaches full vertical extension slightly after the takeoff foot makes contact. This late timing, combined with being 'under' at takeoff, puts immediate stress on the pole chord and can jar the athlete's shoulders. Improving the synchronicity between the penultimate step and the vertical extension of the top hand is necessary to maximize energy storage.
Perform walking shift drills to ensure the top hand moves from hip to chest level exactly two steps before takeoff.
The Swing
The athlete maintains a strong, straight trail leg immediately after leaving the ground, which maximizes the moment of inertia and applies significant torque to the pole. The transition into the rock-back phase is fluid. He utilizes a slight tuck of the drive knee to accelerate his angular velocity, effectively getting the hips level with the shoulders before the pole begins its primary recoil.
Use 3-step high-bar swings to emphasize the 'freeze' at takeoff followed by a powerful, long trail-leg sweep.
Top End and Turn
The athlete displays excellent top-end mechanics, staying close to the pole chord as it unbends to capitalize on the recoil energy. The turn is initiated correctly with the lower body first, leading to a clean 180-degree rotation. The clearance is efficient, with a hollow chest position that allows him to navigate the bar without contact even as the pole is released.
From a short approach, practice clearing lower heights while focusing on a delayed turn to ensure maximum height is reached before rotation.
Step
The athlete appears to be approximately 4-6 inches 'under' at the moment of takeoff, meaning the takeoff toe is closer to the box than the top hand. This is often caused by overstriding in the final two steps to compensate for a late plant. Since overstriding is present with an 'under' mark, moving the step in slightly may help encourage a quicker, shorter rhythm into takeoff.
Use a sliding box to practice the 'short-quick' rhythm of the final two steps without the fear of a jarring plant.
Safety
The vault was performed with high safety standards. The athlete successfully penetrated deep into the landing area, avoiding the box and standard bases. The landing was centralized on the mat, and the athlete landed correctly on their upper back. There were no signs of equipment failure or hazardous technical errors that would put the athlete at risk during this specific attempt.
Continue to monitor the landing depth as you move to stiffer poles to ensure you always clear the front area of the pit.