Obtaining and maintaining

an uninterrupted

Approach Run to Vault.by John Pirrie September 1999.

Many articles have been written about the technical requirements of specific vaults, all having there merits. For the young gymnast the problems facing them are mainly associated with the 3 to 4 seconds of work preceding the contact with the apparatus. Their thoughts are initially self preservation, how to overcome the problem of getting over this huge obstacle placed in front of them, ensuring that they don't crash into the vault itself. Ensuring the approach run is correct will go some way to eliminating the cause of their anxiety.

If the gymnast cannot run with uninterrupted speed and control, then they will not be capable of successful vaulting.

As part of any successful selection criteria, a 25m sprint from a measured line to line should be timed. To reduce the possibility of slowing down before the end line, a soft mat placed against the wall some distance beyond the end line should be in place. I would consider it more appropriate that after selection a 'sprint coach' be consulted to assist the gymnastics coach in the techniques used for 'the improvement of speed in the young child.'

The vault run approach.

Part 1. Ask any child to run as fast as they can over a 16m distance, without obstacles in their way and you should find that they perform this task without interruption to their stride pattern. You now have a basis from which to assess future stride patterns. As with any skill this needs to be practised over a period of time to establish a consistent pattern of movement and constant speed. (The time needs to be recorded and monitored for improvement on a monthly basis.)

Part 2. Practice the same exercise only this time from a wall, where the gymnast begins with both feet together and against the wall. You will again observe over time a consistency in the leg with which they first step at the start of their run. I have found that asking the gymnast to jump forwards at the start of their run, saves a great deal of time and potential inconsistency. (Hurdle step)

Part 3. Now place the 20m mark on the tape measure at the foot of the wall from where the gymnast is to begin their sprint. Put a soft landing area some 6m long at the 3m point on the tape measure. With the same sprint pattern the gymnast should now be asked to take-off from one leg at some point behind the soft landing area and to land on the soft landing area with feet together. (similar to long jump). Initially the gymnast will attempt to jump as far as they can. Once they are comfortable with the exercise, discourage a 'long jump' in preference to a more controlled and co-ordinated distance of between 2m and 3m. It may be necessary to move the landing area back to the 4m or 5m mark in order to accommodate the different stride pattern and take-off leg for each gymnast. In itself this exercise will create many problems both in the co-ordination of the one foot take-off to two foot landing and the possibility of a change in stride pattern prior to the one foot take-off. (It is imperative that the gymnast takes off from the same leg each time prior to landing on two

feet.) Again over time and by adapting the above principle where necessary, you will observe the preferred take-off leg for each gymnast. Ensure that the gymnast maintains a consistent and uninterrupted stride pattern during the sprint approach prior to take-off. Observe a number of attempts and then record the distance from take-off to landing, which by now should be fairly consistent to within 10/20cm.

You have now achieved an uninterrupted stride pattern, at speed, prior to the landing for take-off from a springboard.

With a small mathematical calculation you can work out the exact start point for each gymnast, avoiding the necessity of moving the springboard and landing area for each gymnast, when we come to part 4.

E.g. (The optimum effect of the springboard can be gained by landing with the toes 20/25cm from its end.) Starting their run from 20m, gymnast No.1 sprints to a point on the runway, taking off from their left leg at the 4m mark on the tape measure. They land on the 1.5m mark on the tape measure.

a. They have travelled 18.5m measured from their heels at the start of their run to their toes upon landing.

b. Add 20cm to the overall distance travelled (to allow for the distance from their toes to the end of the springboard).

c. Place the tape measure at the front end of the springboard.

d. Future approaches should be made from a point where their heels are at the 18.7m mark on the tape measure.

Gymnast No.2 again starting from the 20m mark takes off from the 4.5m mark landing on the 2.3m mark. They have travelled 17.7m and should therefore start all their future attempts from the heels being at the 17.9m mark, measured from the from end of the springboard.

Part 4. As this stage is designed to determine the distance from which the springboard should be placed from the actual vault, it is assumed that the gymnast is already familiar with some kind of straight body rotation forward jumping to handstand.

Using a Yurchenko block around the end of the springboard, place a platform of soft matting up next to the end of the Yurchenko block. (60cm to125cm in height depending on age and ability.) Ensure that the tape measure is placed at the front end of the springboard. Starting their run from the point at which you have worked out for them, the gymnast should perform a handspring vault to land on a flat back. (Make sure that the platform you have put in place is long enough to accommodate the end position of lying down on their back.)

After a period of time and assuming that all the previous factors are now in place, each individual gymnast will establish their own individual and constant point of contact with their hands on the platform. Using magnesium carbonate on their hands, the handprint left on the platform will provide the point from which you can measure to the front of the Springboard, thus establishing the distance that each gymnast will require the springboard to be placed from the centre point of the Vaulting horse proper.

At this stage it may then be appropriate to consider technical articles specific to the vault required.

You have now eliminated the adjustments often made by young performers during their approach run prior to their take-off from the springboard. The speed and stride pattern should be at optimum levels, in consideration of their current physical make-up, at any given time in their development.

At times, we all feel out of sorts and gymnasts are no exception to this rule. Where, in any given training session, they do make long strides prior to take-off, you can ask them to start from a point slightly forward of their 'mark', while short step adjustments can be corrected by asking the gymnast to move slightly back of their 'mark'.

In my opinion, if your gymnast cannot contact the horse at the required optimum speed for performance of the vault, other technical considerations are of limited value. Creating an environment where your gymnast can 'obtain and maintain an uninterrupted approach to the Vault' will maximise their vaulting potential.

ONE READER HAS MADE THE FOLLOWING OBSERVATION WHICH MAY ALSO ASSIST YOU.

Hello John, Have just been viewing your site again and was interested to read your article on the vault run up and how to keep it fast and consistent. Some years ago, I was coaching at International summer camp run by Bruno Claus and was with a Japanese guy called 'mako' sakamoto who used an almost foolproof method for maintaining the fast run up to the vault with perfect precision through the hurdle step onto the springboard. Method: gymnast stands on the springboard with feet together at the point of impact facing the run up. With even walking steps - taking off with the favoured foot from point of run - gymnast walks away from the vault towards point of run and counts steps. At a point which favours gymnasts length of run up AND AN UNEVEN COUNT, 25 -27 - 29 -31 etc. gymnast stops and marks floor. Gymnast then turns towards vault and raises arms and commences to run -MAKING SURE TO STEP FORWARD IN RUN WITH LEG WHICH WAS USED TO STEP FORWARD OFF SPRINGBOARD. Using this method I know from experience that the gymnast will always hit the springboard at the correct point of takeoff and will find they do not need to check steps. Have you heard of this method? G.B.

Developing Vaulting from A to Z.

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