I travel tomorrow so I thought I would post this tonight. I talked to Essx founder/owner, Bruce Caldwell at the River Vault and he told me he had a new pole design that was double carbon, thinner and lighter and he thinks I should switch to that. He says the 4.45s (14' 7") are on a 4.60 (15' 1") sail and would be perfect for my jump. The more I think about this the more I think I want two poles BELOW my present series so that I can ONLY use 4.45s next year in every meet. Love the 4.30s but I'm not going 14'+ on the big one but that's where I transfer to the 4.45s. TOO critical of a place in my series to make that transfer.
I will look Thursday but I think my smallest is a 17.9 that Kris had in stock. So I'm guessing we want a 18.1-2 and a 18.2-4? It WAS Bruce's suggestion and he was pretty insistent that I should do it, so I will. Bubba
PS - I'll need them topped at 4.05m and 4.10m respectively so they don’t hit the bar at 12' or 12' 6". Next year will be a huge year and I am already physically light years ahead of where I have been. I start jumping four weeks from tomorrow so time to get poles ready. Thanks again!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Mental Patience
I've always felt like "core training" was for people in the gym who didn't really want to work out. I have always felt my core is strong because of all I can do as far as trunk control on bars etc. But yesterday Sakina told me that my lower back fatigues and I loose my hip posture and that's how I get in dangerous situations. So I have really been trying to focus on every move to make sure I have my hips in the right place and my trunk tightened before, during and after all exercises. It's funny because I can feel it "shut off". Then I get it back and my range of motion and strength through it is much better.
SO, mental patience is the name of the game for me and I can already tell my body is picking it up. The way Sakina, with her masters in physical therapy describes it, yes I have upgraded my whole body except for the hinge/support points. Fortunately she says it becomes pretty automatic after about four weeks and this is week two with four weeks left to jump.
Speaking of the "core training" I see going on in the gym, I also notice that everyone has a water bottle yet I'm three hours in the hot sun and never thirsty. I also read that the average new gym person has to overcome 2,400 calories just in pre-workout, during workout and post workout drinks and snacks. The bad news is they then feel like they can eat more because they worked out. More power to them!! I bring this up because I train my butt off and still have to watch my weight and I don't do any of that stuff. Life's not fair, I know. ;-)
LOVING the training. Very nice to be back on six days a week training with all components in play except for vaulting. In a year I should be in the best shape of my life. If not, I only have myself to blame. Have a great day! Bubba
PS - Just finished reading, "Just Don't Fall" by Josh Sundquist. He lost his leg to cancer at 10, went through a year of chemo, and then decided he must be a ski racer in the Paralympics in order to earn a USA uniform. He makes it but what a ride! Highly recommend this book!!
SO, mental patience is the name of the game for me and I can already tell my body is picking it up. The way Sakina, with her masters in physical therapy describes it, yes I have upgraded my whole body except for the hinge/support points. Fortunately she says it becomes pretty automatic after about four weeks and this is week two with four weeks left to jump.
Speaking of the "core training" I see going on in the gym, I also notice that everyone has a water bottle yet I'm three hours in the hot sun and never thirsty. I also read that the average new gym person has to overcome 2,400 calories just in pre-workout, during workout and post workout drinks and snacks. The bad news is they then feel like they can eat more because they worked out. More power to them!! I bring this up because I train my butt off and still have to watch my weight and I don't do any of that stuff. Life's not fair, I know. ;-)
LOVING the training. Very nice to be back on six days a week training with all components in play except for vaulting. In a year I should be in the best shape of my life. If not, I only have myself to blame. Have a great day! Bubba
PS - Just finished reading, "Just Don't Fall" by Josh Sundquist. He lost his leg to cancer at 10, went through a year of chemo, and then decided he must be a ski racer in the Paralympics in order to earn a USA uniform. He makes it but what a ride! Highly recommend this book!!
Monday, July 5, 2010
More Stuff
When my topic is "Stuff" it usually means I have a few little topics without much really to say. First, I'm getting ready to post on www.polevaultpower.com that the National Senior Games Track & Field part will be June 17-24 at the University of Houston. They have three or four ways to vault but only one with a really good wind and it's on the track straight so no chance of that. It's highly possible that they can have three pits going, ALL with either head or crosswinds. Everyone has to jump in it but you may have some people pass it up since worlds are three weeks later. Well Sacramento is not a great place to jump either so Houston will be a good warm up.
Lifting continues to feel good. Today I added straight leg deadlifts as well as bench step ups to reinforce that back/hip issue that causes the nerve pain. Sakina will check my form on Ashley's exercises this morning and then I'm set.
I had mentioned before that this feels like getting ready for football training camp. Train, train, train but come in totally healthy to begin vaulting. I start jump four weeks from Thursday and 10 of those will be total rest because of the cruise. Of course I'll do some stretching and a few other exercises but I won't "train" while on the cruise. At this point I am starting to feel like I will really be ready.
The only adjustment I possibly see is that I may jump from two and four steps in August and not just two. Texas Senior Games are at the end of October and I at least need to be to eight steps by then. My PR from eight steps in 13' 1/4" (3.97m). I'm not in a hurry to jump high as much as I am to jump well and improve my technical efficiency by going up the pole better. That takes lots of jumps at heights just out of your reach so the rule will be to get hip height twice and then move up.
I noticed both yesterday and today that my abs and "core" have gotten so strong that I can get vertical with straight arms on P-Bars from a seated "L" position without using my arms to press forward. When you first learn this it feels like ALL arms and now I can just do it with my abs/core. Never had that before. Even on my rollbacks from the high P-Bars today I tried to completely abandon my arms and was still able to raise to vertical from a dead hang with no pre-swing. NICE!!
Yesterday my garage stereo died so I had to use my MP3 and headphones - HASSLE. Today I set up the little stereo that Nancy had in her office at school and connected both sets of speakers instead of the one I did have. PERFECT!!
Have a great day off and thanks for being here! Bubba
Lifting continues to feel good. Today I added straight leg deadlifts as well as bench step ups to reinforce that back/hip issue that causes the nerve pain. Sakina will check my form on Ashley's exercises this morning and then I'm set.
I had mentioned before that this feels like getting ready for football training camp. Train, train, train but come in totally healthy to begin vaulting. I start jump four weeks from Thursday and 10 of those will be total rest because of the cruise. Of course I'll do some stretching and a few other exercises but I won't "train" while on the cruise. At this point I am starting to feel like I will really be ready.
The only adjustment I possibly see is that I may jump from two and four steps in August and not just two. Texas Senior Games are at the end of October and I at least need to be to eight steps by then. My PR from eight steps in 13' 1/4" (3.97m). I'm not in a hurry to jump high as much as I am to jump well and improve my technical efficiency by going up the pole better. That takes lots of jumps at heights just out of your reach so the rule will be to get hip height twice and then move up.
I noticed both yesterday and today that my abs and "core" have gotten so strong that I can get vertical with straight arms on P-Bars from a seated "L" position without using my arms to press forward. When you first learn this it feels like ALL arms and now I can just do it with my abs/core. Never had that before. Even on my rollbacks from the high P-Bars today I tried to completely abandon my arms and was still able to raise to vertical from a dead hang with no pre-swing. NICE!!
Yesterday my garage stereo died so I had to use my MP3 and headphones - HASSLE. Today I set up the little stereo that Nancy had in her office at school and connected both sets of speakers instead of the one I did have. PERFECT!!
Have a great day off and thanks for being here! Bubba
Sunday, July 4, 2010
No Watching Meets
I was thinking yesterday and again this morning during my training that I am sick of watching meets that I am supposed to jump in. I warmed up at Reno and then stopped as a precaution, watched World Masters Indoors in Canada and then went to the San Marcos River Vault. Sorry but I'm done with this unless I'm there coaching. That's why I didn't go to the Quintana Beach Vault - a missed day of training while I feel like crap that I can't jump.
Very good and complete training day today. I'm pushing all of my lifts up and added in the final bar exercise I've been holding off on. On my secondary lifts I either have 18 reps or 12 reps depending on the day of the week. I used to do 1X18 or 1X12 but now I do 12,6, or 10,8 or 8,6,4, etc. I want to lift as much as possible with perfect form. I was also able to run my 10 50m hill/sleds at a very high level with no issues.
I wanted to do some big pole plant drills this morning but could not find the 1675 Altius. Tough pole to lose as big as it is so I'm sure I have hidden it from myself. I'll do a more thorough inspection on Tuesday.
I'm going to see Sakina tomorrow to get some clarification on my exercises vs. soreness vs. lingering slight nerve pain. I need this to be totally gone soon and I think I'm really close to that. More importantly I don't want it coming back. I understand how it did so I will avoid that as well as strengthen the areas they suggest.
Today is my sister, Sue's, birthday. For the past 10 days we were the same age. That was a big deal when we were little kids. We don't see each other that often as she lives about four hours from here. It's not that she's four hours away; it's that she is an hour and a half away from the main freeway (I-45) that I go by on my way to something else.
Have a happy and safe July 4th. Thank you again for your support. Nancy tells me that I always say that to you guys but I do because I mean it. Thank you!! Bubba
Very good and complete training day today. I'm pushing all of my lifts up and added in the final bar exercise I've been holding off on. On my secondary lifts I either have 18 reps or 12 reps depending on the day of the week. I used to do 1X18 or 1X12 but now I do 12,6, or 10,8 or 8,6,4, etc. I want to lift as much as possible with perfect form. I was also able to run my 10 50m hill/sleds at a very high level with no issues.
I wanted to do some big pole plant drills this morning but could not find the 1675 Altius. Tough pole to lose as big as it is so I'm sure I have hidden it from myself. I'll do a more thorough inspection on Tuesday.
I'm going to see Sakina tomorrow to get some clarification on my exercises vs. soreness vs. lingering slight nerve pain. I need this to be totally gone soon and I think I'm really close to that. More importantly I don't want it coming back. I understand how it did so I will avoid that as well as strengthen the areas they suggest.
Today is my sister, Sue's, birthday. For the past 10 days we were the same age. That was a big deal when we were little kids. We don't see each other that often as she lives about four hours from here. It's not that she's four hours away; it's that she is an hour and a half away from the main freeway (I-45) that I go by on my way to something else.
Have a happy and safe July 4th. Thank you again for your support. Nancy tells me that I always say that to you guys but I do because I mean it. Thank you!! Bubba
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Reality
I saw that for Nationals that my friend Charlie Brown (yes, that's his real name) just turned 55 and has a mark this year of 4.30m (14' 1 1/4"). In January Gary Hunter will turn 55 and I believe next year that Bill Halverson also turns 55. So right there are three guys at 14' (4.27m) or higher this year that will be 55 before Worlds. You also have me, Kirk Bentz, Ralph Haynie and Murray Mead all over between 13' 5 1/4" (4.10m) to 4.13m (13' 6 1/2") so any of us can get to 14'. So there will be seven guys at or above 14' next year. The shock is that right now the American Record is 4.13m (13' 6 1/2") yet we should all be over that next year and that is just the Americans. The reality is that it may very well take a 14' jump to get a medal next year at Worlds. I'm fine with that. Sacramento is a hot and dusty with swirly winds so it's unlikely to PR there. That said I need to jump high at average places all next year.
Saying you are aiming to jump a height and making it are very different things. I know that by DJ's chart, with my efficiency, if I can consistently grip 13' 9" (4.20m) I will vault 14' 6" (4.42m), so that's the goal. If that happens then I should be able to call up a 4.30m (14' 1 1/4") jump when needed.
Last year I gripped 13' 3" (4.05m) from only 12 steps and the pole was too small. I have no problem moving my grip up but I want to progress to that with my technique in tact rather then just jacking it up and then trying to figure out the timing there. I'll begin by pushing my grip early, even from my two step I will see how high I can grip and what pole I can get on. This should position me perfectly for the 14' 7" (4.45m) poles with the 15' 1" (4.60m) sailpieces by 10 or 12 steps, while I expect to compete from 14.
Sure, this is far away but the planning is now and always being adjusted. Have a great day and thank you for you support and interest! Bubba
Saying you are aiming to jump a height and making it are very different things. I know that by DJ's chart, with my efficiency, if I can consistently grip 13' 9" (4.20m) I will vault 14' 6" (4.42m), so that's the goal. If that happens then I should be able to call up a 4.30m (14' 1 1/4") jump when needed.
Last year I gripped 13' 3" (4.05m) from only 12 steps and the pole was too small. I have no problem moving my grip up but I want to progress to that with my technique in tact rather then just jacking it up and then trying to figure out the timing there. I'll begin by pushing my grip early, even from my two step I will see how high I can grip and what pole I can get on. This should position me perfectly for the 14' 7" (4.45m) poles with the 15' 1" (4.60m) sailpieces by 10 or 12 steps, while I expect to compete from 14.
Sure, this is far away but the planning is now and always being adjusted. Have a great day and thank you for you support and interest! Bubba
Friday, July 2, 2010
Late Storm
I guess I should say early as it POURED for a few hours starting at about 3:30 AM. This is the remnants of Hurricane Alex. Fortunately I had no outside training today but watched it from my lifting in the garage.
Yesterday was four weeks since the forearm injection so I went ahead and bumped up a few more things to see where I was. Surprisingly right now my strength is higher than it was right before I went to Sydney so I will try to keep building on that. I've also built back up my running from that little back/hip thing that caused the nerve pain. That issue is getting better everyday as I continue to do Ashley's exercises. So except for not vaulting, I am stronger and faster than I was for Sydney which was the best I have been as a master. But vaulting shape is a different animal so I can't declare myself in phenomenal shape until I've jumped AND trained for a few months.
A week from today I go to Gettysburg but I may end up having a conflict on that which would make me stay home. Hope not but it is a possibility. Three weeks from Sunday we go to Seattle to catch our cruise to Alaska. The Thursday after we return my real new life of regular vaulting and training begins. CANNOT WAIT!!
Have a great day and be safe out there! Bubba
Yesterday was four weeks since the forearm injection so I went ahead and bumped up a few more things to see where I was. Surprisingly right now my strength is higher than it was right before I went to Sydney so I will try to keep building on that. I've also built back up my running from that little back/hip thing that caused the nerve pain. That issue is getting better everyday as I continue to do Ashley's exercises. So except for not vaulting, I am stronger and faster than I was for Sydney which was the best I have been as a master. But vaulting shape is a different animal so I can't declare myself in phenomenal shape until I've jumped AND trained for a few months.
A week from today I go to Gettysburg but I may end up having a conflict on that which would make me stay home. Hope not but it is a possibility. Three weeks from Sunday we go to Seattle to catch our cruise to Alaska. The Thursday after we return my real new life of regular vaulting and training begins. CANNOT WAIT!!
Have a great day and be safe out there! Bubba
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Small World Again
Good lift this morning. I felt strong but avoided certain exercises that tend to flare my forearm since today is the four week mark since my injection. I figure another two weeks it will be perfect so I'm lifting big where I feel no affects and leaving out the lifts where I can feel it. Not bad reasoning I don't think.
We're in Texas so that means everyone has a truck. I have the Mercedes convertible for the "family car" for me and Nancy but our Honda CRV hit 50,000 miles so that means go get another truck to carry poles and all of Nancy's gardening projects. It takes a beating. We decided to step up a little to a Nissan Murano since this truly is a "utility vehicle" for us. So we go to the same dealership where we got the Honda, at least owned by the same family but next door. They send us over a young guy to see if he can help us. Within one minute he says, "excuse me but aren't you really involved in the pole vault"? Of course I looked at my T-shirt and it had nothing to do with vaulting but I said yes. He said he was a sprinter at The Woodlands High School several years ago and that I coached his best friend, a 15' 6" jumper. An hour later we drove away in the new vehicle and renewed a friendship. I remembered him after he connected the dots, but what a small world.
Have a great day and safe 4th! Bubba
PS - found out that 24 Hour Fitness IS open on the 4th so that means no doubles this weekend.
We're in Texas so that means everyone has a truck. I have the Mercedes convertible for the "family car" for me and Nancy but our Honda CRV hit 50,000 miles so that means go get another truck to carry poles and all of Nancy's gardening projects. It takes a beating. We decided to step up a little to a Nissan Murano since this truly is a "utility vehicle" for us. So we go to the same dealership where we got the Honda, at least owned by the same family but next door. They send us over a young guy to see if he can help us. Within one minute he says, "excuse me but aren't you really involved in the pole vault"? Of course I looked at my T-shirt and it had nothing to do with vaulting but I said yes. He said he was a sprinter at The Woodlands High School several years ago and that I coached his best friend, a 15' 6" jumper. An hour later we drove away in the new vehicle and renewed a friendship. I remembered him after he connected the dots, but what a small world.
Have a great day and safe 4th! Bubba
PS - found out that 24 Hour Fitness IS open on the 4th so that means no doubles this weekend.
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