Jen Stuczynski 15-0, attempts AR

[tafnut]

But it really is all about how much speed you carry into the takeoff.

but we're missing the obvious here - you can't 'carry' something you don't have. NOBODY brings ALL their speed to takeoff, but the last step's speed has a VERY HIGH correlation to the speed you generate on the runway, which has a VERY HIGH correlation to one's pure sprint speed. In my 30 years' experience, I've never had a slower runner bring greater speed to the plant than a markedly faster one. One important thing all pole vaulters practice is carrying all available speed to the plant, so it's not like a 13 sec 100 runner is going to 'convert' her speed to a higher takeoff velocity that the 12 sec 100 runner. It just doesn't work like that.

P.S. but there ARE other factors, of course. Even one's LJ ability can be factored in, as can upper body strength. I've had many slower vaulters jump higher than faster runners - not even considering vault technique - just because they came off the runway better and were stronger.

[polevaultpower]

I think she was more of a hurdler than a sprinter. I don't know how many times she ran the open 100. 13.27 may not be a very good indication of what she is capable of right now.

Plus, she was a hard core basketball player before 2005, which is when all those marks are from. I don't know how much speed training she was doing at that point.

[bad hammy]

Note that the 13.27 was pre-05. She may be/probably is faster now.

Also, despite his reluctance to travel, a few props to Rick Suhr. It is obvious he knows something about finding and developing women's vaulters.

[marknhj]

I agree with gh and becca - my 100m speed wasn't that great (11.2secs) but I was very quick over 20-25m and over 3-4 steps in the HJ was very fast. When I played rugby, until the age of 18, it was very rare for me to be caught when I was within 25m of the line. There's a huge difference between being "quick", or "fast", and your 100m pb.

[SQUACKEE]

How fast a vaulter can run 100m is irrelevant. As Steve Smith used to say (hyperbolically), "Only one step matters, and that's the one before the plant, and at that point I'm moving as fast as Steve Williams."

Not at all? What about the kinetic energy?

gh is right.

A 100m time will give you a very rough idea of someone's potential. I have the worst time trying to break 15.0 in the 100. I'm never going to be a 15 foot vaulter.

But it really is all about how much speed you carry into the takeoff.

im sure you know more about vaulting than i do.. i would only beg to argue there is a big differance between a very rough idea and irrelevant.

[tafnut]

I agree with gh and becca - my 100m speed wasn't that great (11.2secs) but I was very quick over 20-25m and over 3-4 steps in the HJ was very fast.

I WILL grant that one's speed between the 20 and 40m marks (i.e. a flying 20) is all that's used in the field events, but still the correlation of one's takeoff speed (in the PV, not HJ) to 'sprint speed' is VERY HIGH.

[SQUACKEE]

I agree with gh and becca - my 100m speed wasn't that great (11.2secs) but I was very quick over 20-25m and over 3-4 steps in the HJ was very fast.

I WILL grant that one's speed between the 20 and 40m marks (i.e. a flying 20) is all that's used in the field events, but still the correlation of one's takeoff speed (in the PV, not HJ) to 'sprint speed' is VERY HIGH.

im not trying to nit pick. im really trying to understand the idea that great speed is not an ADVANTAGE for vaulters.

lets say i bring to a coach a polevaulter wanna be. and i tell the coach this kid is and ex- gymnastic star, fearless and incredibly driven and fit. and the coach is all excited. and then i tell him, " oh and by the way this future vaulter has 10.2 100 speed." does the coach say-

a. "thats of no interest to me because it's irrelevant. i couldnt care less about that 10.2. why are you wasting my time telling me this ."

b." wow- thats great! thats gonna be a big advantage for him!"

c. you fill it in.

[polevaultpower]

I think gh was exaggerating with the word irrelevant.


I think that a flying 15 or 20 is MORE relevant and measuring someone's velocity at takeof is MOST relevant.

[bad hammy]

c. you fill it in.

"Wow, don't let the sprint coach find out!"

[tafnut]

I think gh was exaggerating with the word irrelevant.


I think that a flying 15 or 20 is MORE relevant and measuring someone's velocity at takeof is MOST relevant.

this may be the last stroke this poor horse can take, but . . .

statistically speaking, what do you think will be the correlation between the flying 20 speed and the take-off speed?

A. high
B. medium
C. low
D. none (i.e., irrelevant)

I'm guessing A.

[Daisy]

A. high
B. medium
C. low
D. none (i.e., irrelevant)
I'm guessing A.

Of course the assumption here is that all athletes have equally good technique. But at the international level this should be a good bet.

[SQUACKEE]

c. you fill it in.

"Wow, don't let the sprint coach find out!"

thanx for making me laugh! i was starting to get a game face.

[bad hammy]

c. you fill it in.

"Wow, don't let the sprint coach find out!"

thanx for making me laugh! i was starting to get a game face.

I think us old lame (well, some of us) distance runners are a bit out of our true element here.

[Powell]

Those PR's in the running events sound very slow for a 15 foot (note I've given up) pole valuter? Am I mistaken?

Monika Pyrek ran 100 in 13.00 in the Polish college championships last year (albeit it was into -4.5 headwind) and put the shot to 9.46 at the same meet. She doesn't have all that much speed or strength - and yet she is ranked 2nd in the world.

[Daisy]

Those PR's in the running events sound very slow for a 15 foot (note I've given up) pole valuter? Am I mistaken?

Monika Pyrek ran 100 in 13.00 in the Polish college championships last year (albeit it was into -4.5 headwind) and put the shot to 9.46 at the same meet. She doesn't have all that much speed or strength - and yet she is ranked 2nd in the world.

Great info Powell. So I'm willing to concede here that speed is does not appear to be critical for success in the pole vault.