From Complete Book of Jumps by Ed Jacoby, Bob Fraley
The following are training principles we use to develop our annual program. Many of the principles may seem general in nature but are based on studies by Tudor Bompa and concepts developed by Andrzej Krzesinski and Vataly Petrov.
Principle 1: Active Participation
Depending on the age and experience of the athlete, the coach may want to sit down with the pole vaulter to discuss his or her progress. The young, developing vaulter will most likely depend solely on the coach for planning, whereas the experienced vaulter may want to have input into the workout plan. Generally, the more experienced the vaulter, the more input he or she is likely to have. One thing the coach must always consider is that personal problems (e.g., relationships, school, jobs) can have an impact on athletic performance.
Principle 2: Start With a Broad-Based Program
In discussing training principles for pole vaulters at the USA Track and Field Clinic in Fresno, Andrzej Krzesinski (1993), the former national coach in Poland, presented a plan that has been in use in Eastern Europe for many years. The plan uses a broad foundation of physical education activities to develop the motor skills and physical fitness to build specific athletic skills. As the athlete ages and develops all-around skills, he or she gradually moves to more specialized training.
Principle 3: Specialization
Studies by exercise physiologists have shown that the body adapts to the activity it is exposed to the most. Applying this principle to the pole vault, the vaulter needs to develop a series of drills that are designed to simulate specific phases of the vault and continue to rehearse each drill. In our experience, it is best for the vaulter to work on a specific drill for a few repetitions, rest, then come back and repeat the drills.
Principle 4: Individualization
In developing an annual training program, the coach must keep in mind four factors: (1) age of the athlete, (2) physical maturity, (3) mental maturity, and (4) athletic experience. Based on these factors, the coach must develop a program that challenges the athlete but does not push the individual too far. After years of working with athletes, experience has taught us that even though athletes can compete at the same level as their teammates in a meet, some may not be capable of working at the same level in practice.
Principle 5: Progressive Increase
Some important questions facing the coach and athlete are: How fast to progress? How much (or how little) work? How many vaults? How much recovery time? How much weight? How many drills? The progressive load principle answers these questions but with some modifications. Coaches and athletes know that the training load must be increased gradually depending on the vaulter’s physical and mental abilities to handle the increase. But what is the best way to increase the load so that the athlete continues to improve? There are two methods widely used by coaches. One is a steady increase in the volume of work, and the other is a step method.
Studies done in Russia and Germany have had a major impact on planning the annual training program (Bompa, 1990). These studies have shown that the three-step microcycle method is most effective and is now widely used by many coaches and athletes. In this method, coaches are increasing the load for three microcycles and then unloading for one microcycle to allow the body to regenerate.
A study of former Soviet athletes suggested that the volume of training must increase not only from cycle to cycle but from year to year. The study concluded that the volume and intensity should be increased 20% to 40% each year and that time would become a major factor in dealing with the increase in volume (Bompa, 1990).
For today’s pole vaulters, who are competing into their mid-30s, the question is how to meet this increase in volume so that stagnation in performance doesn’t occur. The trend is to set up workouts that may include double sessions several days per week.
Principle 6: Variety
According to Krzesinski (1993), high-level competition and intense technical work stress the central nervous system and reduce performance, making it necessary at times for a vaulter to take time off to “recharge the battery.”
Because the pole vault is so specialized and requires so much intensity just to jump, the coach must develop a variety of drills that simulate the vault. Gymnastic exercises on the high bar, the rope vault, underwater vaulting, and the trampoline are all exercises that simulate some phase of the vault as well as develop coordination, orientation, and technique.
The speed, power, and frequency of the nerve impulses depend on the state of the central nervous system. The force of the muscle contraction and the number of motor units recruited depend on the impulses sent by the central nervous system. Thus, activities designed to reduce the demand on the central nervous system are very important and must be incorporated into the microcycle.
Principle 7: A Technical and Training Model
The coach and athlete must have a technical model that can be studied and based on which they can develop a style of technique and method of training. The style used to carry the pole, the method of lowering the pole, the plant mechanics, the swing, the takeoff, and the turn and extension must be reflected in all drills performed in the daily workouts. The goal is for the athlete to develop a style similar to the model being used.
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