Pole Vault Safety

by Jan Johnson

Part of the process of learning to pole vault is learning to manage risk. Risk management should be a big part of any pole vault education program. Many of the lessons learned in pole vaulting parallel those in life. Consider for a moment the way basic skills of reading, writing and math have such a large impact on a student’s later achievements. Now consider the way a vaulter’s ability to properly run with and plant the pole also has a huge effect on later success. In both cases, early lessons determine future results.

The five basic elements of risk management are controlling the environment, developing good basic skills, making adjustments for consistency, understanding the basic concepts of pole vaulting, and supervising the athletes.

I. ENVIRONMENT
Control risks by making the pole vault environment as risk-free as possible. Safety requires a daily assessment prior to actual vaulting. Here is a checklist of some of the conditions to be regularly monitored.

1. Are pads and the top cover properly fastened together? In most cases, where they are not attached and buckles or straps are broken, pieces of old bike inner-tubes, clothesline or some other form of rope can be used to keep things together. Are they covered by a common top pad so no cracks or holes exist on the primary landing system?
2. Is the landing system large enough? This issue is very important when considering safety, perhaps best answered by considering how high the potential users of the pad are going to vault. As a rule of thumb, larger is better in vaulting pits. The width and length dimensions should be carefully considered when assessing the safety value of a pole vaulting pad. The new minimum overall dimensions for high school pole vault landing pads are 19'8" (6.0M) wide by 20'2" (6.15M) long, with no less than 16'5" (5.00M) behind the back of the box.

   Note: Many vaulting pads currently in existence are less than the above recommendation. The perimeter of these landing systems should be padded with not less than 2" of dense foam padding as outlined by the current National High School Federation (NHSF) rules. Old high jump or pole vault pad sections may also be used for this purpose.

   The padding of any and all hard surfaces around the perimeter of minimum sized landing systems is very important. The vast majority of catastrophic injuries in pole vaulting in the past 15 years have involved unpadded hard surfaces surrounding landing pads.

3. Are the standards fastened to the ground and/or counter-weighted, so they are stable and will not tip over? Sand bags can be made from old car inner-tubes (free at any tire shop) filled with sand. Another good method to stabilize standards bases is to bolt them to 1⁄2 or 3⁄4 inch plywood so that a couple feet of the plywood fits under the outside edge of the pad.

   Note: The sand sacks or plywood on the bases should not interfere with the base protector padding.

4. Is the pit in proper position? Many times during the course of practice or a meet, the pad may slide back too far. The new NHSF rules allow the pad to be only three inches behind the back of the box. The pads could also become crooked at times. It is also important to cover any hard surfaces in this area with a box collar or some suitable kind of padding. It is important for vaulters and coaches to monitor all pad positioning risks and participate in keeping the pit in proper position.
5. The shape of the padding around the planting box is also important. Two important design features can help minimize risk: (1) the “front buns” should extend at least to the front of the planting box, when the landing system is in proper position, and (2) the inside edges of the front buns that surround the planting box should be slanted up and away from the box to offer protection right to the edge of the box and, at the same time, to allow the pole to bend.
6. Is the box set in the runway properly and are the dimensions correct? Does the box meet National High School Federation rules? Consult the appropriate rule book for this information. The most important criteria to consider are as follows:

   The box should be approximately 8.8 inches deep from the top of the runway down its stop board to its bottom. The box should be approximately 16 inches across the top of the back. The sides (120 degrees) and back (105 degrees), of the box should also be slanted to allow the pole to bend and roll properly.

   Note: Under no circumstances should the box ever have a front edge raised above the top of the runway. Sometimes a pole plug can get caught on the front edge or “lip,” which can be very dangerous. A vaulter who lowers his pole tip too soon and slides it into the front of the box can catch his tip on the lip, which produces a rejection type jump.

7. Are poles in good condition? Are there any deep nicks or scratches that could compromise the integrity of the poles? Are nicks, scratches, max weights and max hand-hold marks visible? Fiberglass poles should be carried in protective tubes or cases. Storage is also important to the life span of poles, as it is best to store them on a rack inside the equipment area out of direct sunlight.
8. Are weather conditions safe for pole vaulting? Rain, sleet, snow and excessive wind can make pole vaulting too dangerous.
9. Head protection is certainly another element of controlling risk. Currently, no specific helmet for pole vaulting exists. However, helmets may be worn, as an added safety measure. Several brands of hockey and skating helmets offer excellent protection to the sides and back of the head area. These helmets are lightweight and offer foam inner-liners and a hard plastic outer-shell with an adjustable chin strap.

   The helmet should be considered a personal piece of equipment which the vaulter supplies himself. It is important to note that even with large landing pads and additional padding of hard surfaces, the planting box area remains a hazardous area for potential injury. Perhaps most important of all, a helmet can never be a substitute for proper equipment or technique.

10. Each season, consult your specific rule book regarding vaulting facilities and equipment; it offers important information regarding equipment specifications and safety.

    Three basic sets of rules exist for pole vaulting in the United States: the NCAA rules (colleges), the USAT&F rules (domestic youth and open competition) and the NHSF rules (high school competition).

II. ACQUIRING GOOD BASIC SKILLS
Besides the environment, another important area to consider in pole vaulting safety is the teaching of basic skills. The following learning processes are collectively called the “Standing Grip Progression,” which is an effective way to determine the appropriate grip heights and approach distances for the beginning and intermediate vaulter while they learn basic skills. For athletes to improve and—just as important—to see improvement happen, pole vaulting should be taught as a simple progression of skills in the following order:

1. Athletes should learn by first doing “jump-over” drills. To select the proper grip for this first portion of the progression, they should place the butt-plug end of the pole between their feet and reach as high up the pole as possible with both hands, like they are reaching up to grasp a climbing rope. In this position, if they are right-handed, they should place their right hand above their left hand. This position is their beginning or “standing grip.” Once the standing grip has been determined, they should place their bottom hand approximately six to twelve inches below the top hand for all the beginning drills progression. Once the standing grip has been determined, it is time to work on “jump-overs.”

   Jump-overs are not actual vaults; instead, they are little mini-jumps, where the vaulter carries the pole in the overhead position with the tip in front of his or her body approximately 12" off the ground. The vaulter takes one or two walking steps forward and practices jumping to the correct side of the pole and from the correct foot. Hands should be high over the head and without the butt plug touching the ground, as they jump over it.

   Note: For right-handed jumpers, they should jump off the left foot driving the right knee to the right side of the pole. For left-handed jumpers, they jump from the right foot, driving the left knee to the left side of the pole.

2. Athletes should practice vaulting into a long jump pit, carrying the pole over their heads and gripping the pole approximately one foot above their standing grip with their top hand. These vaults should follow a run of about three lefts.

   Note: The practice of counting lefts or take-off feet is encouraged to help vaulters so they know when to begin shifting the hands up to an efficient take-off position. It also acts as a method to control the length and accuracy of the approach run.

   The emphasis should be on taking off on the correct foot and going on the correct side of the pole. For right-handed vaulters, this means driving the right knee to the right side of the pole. Note that vaulters will almost immediately begin to raise their grips to higher positions on the pole. Ultimately, they will be able to grip approximately two to three feet above their standing grips from three lefts.

3. Next, the vaulters should jump from three lefts onto a pole vault pad, making no attempt to swing-up or turn over. They should carry the pole in the overhead position described above with a beginning grip of one foot above standing grip and progressing in the same practice session to a grip between two and three feet higher.
4. Next, vaulters can progress to a run of three lefts, carrying the pole in normal position with the top hand in the hip area. The emphasis should be on shifting the pole on the second left (assuming the vaulter is right-handed).

   Vaulters should concentrate on correct pole planting, whereby they begin shifting the pole to the overhead position on the second left to have enough time to complete the hand movement to the overhead position.

5. Again vaulting from an approach of three lefts, the vaulters should emphasize staying right side up just after take-off and swinging a straight trail leg to an “L” for the landing on their feet on the pad.
6. Once more vaulting from an approach of three lefts with the appropriate hand-hold, plant and swing, the vaulters should emphasize appropriate technique with new emphasis on shooting the feet up over the top hand and turning over to face the runway while landing on their feet in middle of the pad.
7. Now, the athletes should practice running with the pole. They should focus on horizontal pole carrying with the top hand next to the hip. The hand should have a relaxed grip with the pole tip directly in front of the body. The pole should be held steady while the vaulter is running with erect posture.
8. Next, the vaulters should practice running and shifting hands in the proper planting motion on a pre-determined left or right take-off foot. For most beginners, the length of this run would be five or six lefts.
9. As the vaulters master the skills of the progression, they should advance to longer approach runs and higher hand-holds. These vaults should be accomplished with no pole bend.
10. Normally, vaulters are ready to begin bending the pole when they are capable of holding a top hand grip three feet above their standing grip from a run of five lefts.

III. BASIC ADJUSTMENTS FOR CONSISTENCY
The relationships between technique, grip height, approach run and pole stiffness are essential to understanding pole vaulting. Please note the following ‘rules of thumb,’ and incorporate them into a program. Keep in mind that the relationships between these items are the basis for improving technique and maintaining safety. These adjustments are continual, as they occur on a jump-by-jump basis. Athletes should…

IV. UNDERSTANDING BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE POLE VAULTING DISCIPLINE
Advice for vaulters...The keys to practicing safety and to acquiring basic skills are understanding the task of pole vaulting, its risks and its mechanics. If novice vaulters absorb the following concepts, they are off to a good start. As vaulters develop, they will find that these concepts become natural instincts and that new ways of looking at themselves and their performances will develop. The new perspective of the athletes should help many athletes advance to the next level.

Here are the concepts I deem as important:

V. SUPERVISION
Advice to adult supervisors... For those who participate wisely, pole vaulting is fun and rewarding. Unlike coaches, pole vaulting supervisors need not be experts in mechanics, but they should be accomplished in relationship—likable and competent facilitators of plans and organizers of people.

Vaulters do not need motivation; they will be the first to arrive at practice and the last to leave.

The lessons of pole vaulting are similar to those of life: they reflect the relationships between meaningful preparation, conceptualization, work and rest, satisfaction and luck, the law of averages, educated guesses and conquering fears, confronting problems and making adjustments. The pole vault supervisor needs to understand these interactions to provide a fun and risk-free environment.

Jan Johnson is the Chair for the Pole Vault Safety Committee of USA Track & Field. Johnson, the 1972 Olympic bronze medalist at the pole vault, is also the founder of Skyjumpers Vault Camps and Vault School, as well as a prominent coach. This is the twelfth article that Mr. Johnson has written in American Track & Field or American Athletics.