Drills, drills, drills!!

It's all about the split second right before and after this photo!! I can't take 1,000 vaults but I can do 1,000 take offs with drills.

If a drill cannot be recognized in the vault then it is useless.  Last year between Reno and national indoors in Albuquerque I started back on my sprint and plant drills with an ovdersized pole.  At nationals Gary Hunter made several comments about how he had never seen my plant look so good.  I looked at the video and he was right.  It was the drills!!  NOTE - most people think my plant is up too late but that is actually by design.  I can't jump off the ground well if my hand is up when it hits the box so I thrust it up AS I jump up.  I still hit the box with a very solid body but it looks late.  My jump is dependent upon my jump up and arm thrust timing because that's where I find the snap to my swing.  One off season I spent four months trying to have my arm totally locked at the plant and I completely lost effectiveness at jumping up.  That said, these drills apply.

Since my groin is dinged I'll start off doing the major sprint drills over about 40m, usually 10 lefts X 3 reps.  Carioca/side shuffle, high knees, goosesteps, high knee step out, power skip, and butt kicks.  Once I feel a little better I'll move to ankle weights.  I do this for rhythmical quickness.  Just like soft sand running, you have to start slow in order to find a rhythm that works and then you can add on.  When I feel well I will do the sprint drills with ankle weights and a 16' 9"/210 pole.  I will walk back doing drop plant drills.  At first I walk the entire plant.  Then I will walk two lefts and then jog the plant steps, then run all four strides looking for rhythm.  I'll drop the ankle weights and put on a sled and run the 40m for high rhythmical speed.  This alternation of ankle weights and no sled with pole, to no pole or ankle weights but sled, I have found to be a great combination for building rhythm and speed.  When I'm getting close to big meet time I'll do all of these drills with the sled also.  The first thing I notice with the plants on a sled is how much I slow down to plant the pole.  So the sled is a drastic reminder to move forward on every step.

Take it or leave it but when you have done 1,000+ huge pole plants with various resistance, your real pole feels like a toy and you have total control.  That's it for tonight.  Have a great evening and thanks for being here.  Bubba

Scorpions - "Rock Me Like a Hurricaine" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxdmw4tJJ1Y&ob=av2e