how do you count steps

[Thats.What.She.Said]

The 1,2 and 3 steps I assume you mean my final three steps, yes? yeah, I have those. but I don't count them. I know where my last three steps start, no matter where on the runway I start from. I don't have to stutter step because i don't count. Without having a set number of steps that I think I need, I don't have to fit more in or whatever. I dunno, I think it makes alot more sense if you could see it or hear my coach explain it, this would make a lot more sense.

umm no, i dont always count my steps, this is usually that the beginnging of winter or summer because idk i'm just not thinking about it, but i still have set places to go from for each step because even if i'm not counting my steps i still need to have a place tro run from, it creates this crazy thing called consistancey so that what happens in the vault isnt as changed each time because of my run. If you are taking "87 steps" then there is definitly some stutter stepping going on, either that or your run is way too long and there is no way you could possibley still have speed by the time you get to the takeoff. you dont need to be counting steps in order to have a set spot to run from.

[PoleVaultinPsychic]

I mean 1 left, 2 lefts, 3 lefts...

I'm pretty sure I know what you're describing... but it still doesn't make sense. First, how would not counting have anything to do with stutter stepping? That's only a function of your stride length/starting spot. But whatever... Please try to describe what it is you're doing. Is it not just running to the mark you mentioned however from wherever then planting? That's still not a good thing to do.

Whys that a bad thing to do?
Okay so when our new coach told us not to count steps his words were "just jump from anywhere, counting makes you look like a tool and it doesn't really help ya. its annoying habit and you dont want it. just jump" and I can't even begin to describe everything he told us that day but it all made sense. And his thing is- is that what makes us good is that we can vault from anywhere on that runway and not worry about how many lefts we have. Then if we screw up we can't blame it on our steps because thats not it. Its the run its the runner. Sure maybe I stutter step but not because I don't have enough steps or whatever its because I'm psyching myself out. Thats the only reason I would do that. Our main focus is vaulting. Just do it. I hear that so much. If I mess up then I know what to improve upon.
As far as consistancy goes why do you have to have a set place? My team members and I can have consistancy and not have to have set places. All that does is make you expect that everytime you hit those spots you'll be good. But theres more to it than that and you have to ready to accept the unexpected.

Maybe I'm not explaining this adequately but all I know is I don't count my steps and I'm the number one vaulter on my team- so obviously not counting isn't screwing me over and I must have some sort of consistancy. I dunno. whatever.

[IAmTheWalrus]

It sounds to me like your coach is coaching you to be confident and to just run and jump. I do understand the good in this approach. I have had GOOD COACHES suggest that picking up a soft pole and jogging in from an arbitrary spot is a good way to build confidence and worry a little less about your step. (context: I was having trouble jumping if I didn't think my step was perfect). It can be a good warm up or drill, especially of you are taking off outside, however if you are constantly taking off under or inside, you are just learning to GUIDE yourself into that same spot, and will become one of those "I take off from 10' no matter where I start" type of vaulters.

When it comes to real pole vaulting such as full runs or meets, you need to have a set run up so that you can allow yourself to run at top speed and with no alteration of stride. This allows trust in technique and allows consistency based on your run, NOT where you think you are on the runway. I imagine PP could pole vault blindfolded if he wanted, could you?

[Thats.What.She.Said]

I mean 1 left, 2 lefts, 3 lefts...

I'm pretty sure I know what you're describing... but it still doesn't make sense. First, how would not counting have anything to do with stutter stepping? That's only a function of your stride length/starting spot. But whatever... Please try to describe what it is you're doing. Is it not just running to the mark you mentioned however from wherever then planting? That's still not a good thing to do.

Whys that a bad thing to do?
Okay so when our new coach told us not to count steps his words were "just jump from anywhere, counting makes you look like a tool and it doesn't really help ya. its annoying habit and you dont want it. just jump" and I can't even begin to describe everything he told us that day but it all made sense. And his thing is- is that what makes us good is that we can vault from anywhere on that runway and not worry about how many lefts we have. Then if we screw up we can't blame it on our steps because thats not it. Its the run its the runner. Sure maybe I stutter step but not because I don't have enough steps or whatever its because I'm psyching myself out. Thats the only reason I would do that. Our main focus is vaulting. Just do it. I hear that so much. If I mess up then I know what to improve upon.
As far as consistancy goes why do you have to have a set place? My team members and I can have consistancy and not have to have set places. All that does is make you expect that everytime you hit those spots you'll be good. But theres more to it than that and you have to ready to accept the unexpected.

Maybe I'm not explaining this adequately but all I know is I don't count my steps and I'm the number one vaulter on my team- so obviously not counting isn't screwing me over and I must have some sort of consistancy. I dunno. whatever.

well i would like to start off with, just because you go the heighest doesnt mean that you are that best, and just because you are "the number one" doesnt mean that you arent being screwed over.
yes and being a good runner is being consistant, if you arent running the same way, then right there before you even get off the ground you are messed up.
how does counting make me look like a tool? its not like a scream my steps for all to hear, its just so that i can time my plant so its in my head
hmm i want to talk to your coach about this one now and here what all this is that you are having trouble saying the same way

[powerplant42]

This allows trust in technique and allows consistency based on your run, NOT where you think you are on the runway. I imagine PP could pole vault blindfolded if he wanted, could you?

I absolutely could do it in the sand... I could PROBABLY do it on the runway from a short run, 3 lefts or in...

I'll use the example of Keiron Modra, one of altius' vaulters a while back.

He jumped ~14'7". He was legally blind. Do you think he 'ran from anywhere'? He had to stop, because one day he missed the box and got a little bit jarred... I guess altius just said that that was enough for him.

Psych, your coach's method is almost ludacris, unless it's something like wally described. How many elite vaulters execute their approach like you? (Hint: It starts with a 'z' . Could there be a reason for this, I wonder? "Just jump from anywhere" doesn't sound like something Petrov, Parnov, altius, etc. would ever say... does it?)

How do you know that you hit your last steps correctly? Do you look down at the runway as you plant?

If those last three steps matter, why doesn't the rest of the run matter? This gets back to chapter 6 in BTB2... 'myths'. "It doesn't matter how you run, as long as you run fast."

When reflecting on your mistakes, wouldn't it be better to know that your run was off than just wondering what happened?

[PoleVaultinPsychic]

Okay, you know. I really don't know how to explain what it is that I do so that its easy to understand just by reading it. I will address one last thing though. Yes, consistant spots, I use them in like a meet but we're told to be able to jump from anywhere any other time; doing this gives us a good idea of where to jump from in a meet. And once we find a good spot we tend to stay there in practice. And if as far as the coach goes, I know I'm not doing his methods justice in explaining it. Basically I know what I do works for me and maybe it's off the wall, but I don't care, it works and I'm not going to change it because I'm supposedly inconsistant. So Peace out. I'm done trying to explain this since obviously its going no where.

[Split]

Okay, you know. I really don't know how to explain what it is that I do so that its easy to understand just by reading it. I will address one last thing though. Yes, consistant spots, I use them in like a meet but we're told to be able to jump from anywhere any other time; doing this gives us a good idea of where to jump from in a meet. And once we find a good spot we tend to stay there in practice. And if as far as the coach goes, I know I'm not doing his methods justice in explaining it. Basically I know what I do works for me and maybe it's off the wall, but I don't care, it works and I'm not going to change it because I'm supposedly inconsistant. So Peace out. I'm done trying to explain this since obviously its going no where.

No need to get offended man. No one technique works, and they were offering their own opinion on your situation.

[zmev]

I'm kind of surprised how many people on this thread don't count their steps, or wish they didn't. I was always taught to count my steps, counting every left. I find that it helps me keep the rythm and acceleration of my run consistant. Plus it also helps me keep my pole carry free. I know where I am and when to start the drop so that it will fall freely into the box. There is something to be said about not counting though, for example if it messes you up, then go back to the basics and just run. However I think that counting is very helpful in the vault.

[Andy_C]

It seems to me that counting lefts is an American thing. Though I'm American, my coach here in Australia is Eastern-European and I was taught to count by steps. In the end, I really don't think it matters so much just as long as how you're counting works for you. I really don't agree with not counting or with starting off at different places on the runway but if it works for somebody and most importantly, they can do it *safely*, there really isn't anything I can say against it.

As far as building confidence goes, there is a secondary pole progression method that my coach and I use which I think does wonders for somebody's runway confidence:

Sometimes I actually do a 22 or 24 step (11 or 12 lefts) run-up. The grip is very low, equivalent to my 6-step stiff pole grip. We set up 2 markers, one near the end of the runway to mark the start and one marker to indicate the 6-step process. I start off with 16 or 18 consistent and steady steps (about 50% effort) with a very high pole carry. This is also good for practicing good running and pole carry technique. The second (6-step) marker is there so that I know where I should be and what I should be doing at that point. From 6 steps; accelerate, drop and plant. The markers were carefully measured to maintain consistency and also for safety. This was also done stiff-pole.

Being able to stare down a full runway and actually vault (even though it wasn't very high) really helped me confidence-wise. I was able to apply a lot of basic things I learned and as a beginner, 8 steps really doesn't look so daunting anymore. It's important to do this with a low grip so you're not going to hurt yourself if you're not used to massive run-ups. You can progress though, in a similar manner to "normal" progression. Grip up, take the 6-step marker back to an 8-step marker, pulling your acceleration phase back further and giving you more speed for the jump. You'll also have to pull back the start marker accordingly as well. Personally, I feel that this method of progression takes a lot of expertise on the coach's part and I was lucky that my coach has a substantial amount of international experience as an athlete. Though this method of progression can be beneficial to a small number of people, I (and my coach as well) prefer the other "shorter" method since it is more user friendly. This second style of progression is more dangerous to do if not done properly (ie. too high a grip and poor measurements) since now you've got yourself a massive run-up to deal with and more things can go wrong. But there definitely are benefits to it. I do like the initial, low-grip, non-progressing part though. I think it's fun, safe and a good way for a vaulter to improve their confidence and ability to judge distances.

We would practice this every now and then but most of my progression has happened the old fashioned way. I can see how this exercise draws great parallel to the one Walrus described in terms of building confidence. But what I did get from this exercise is that Consistency = Confidence. Do it well, do it often and do it the same way each time.

I'm wondering if anybody else does this exercise or is it just me?

-Andrew