Pool Noodle Drill

By Alan Roark, Vault Coach, Amherst Steele H.S., Amherst, Ohio

This drill has two purposes: 

1.To show vaulters the value of jumping up at the take off

2.To help them move their step out where it should be.

Here’s the equipment:

Two soft orange cones

One pool noodle from Wal-mart   (They sell really high quality pole vault training equipment in the toy dept.) (Look for a good, straight, smooth skin, 2 3/4 in diameter noodle) ($1.44)

The pool noodle is made of extruded polyethylene foam that can be cut and drilled just like wood.  Use a knife and trim the length of the noodle to fit your runway and trim the ends of the noodle to fit the top of cones.

It will set up like this.

Start out using a short, light pole that your vaulter is totally confident jumping on.  Set the noodle on the cones about 2 ft. in front of where they take off and have them practice jumping over the noodle while planting the pole.  Do this until they get used to jumping over the noodle.  They get used to it pretty fast.  (If you set the noodle closer that 2 ft. to begin with, they will take off about a foot too far out and go for a wild ride)

To get them to jump up at take off, move the noodle closer and closer to their take off point.  (This is their current take off point)  When the noodle is 12 in. in front of their take off point, they will be jumping much better during take off. 

Next, to get them to get their step out where it should be, just move the noodle back farther and farther an inch at a time until the noodle is 12 in. in front of their ideal take off point.  (Ideal take off point is where the top hand is even with their toe when the pole is touching the back of the box.)

This is a progressive adjustment.  Don’t go for the whole thing in one move.

After they get used to jumping with the noodle in place they can jump the noodle using their regular pole that they use in competition.

                                                

                                                       Alex: 153# on a 1470 from 63 ft. 11’6” take-off

I got this idea from a University of Tennessee vaulter.  They used athletic tape across the cones, but I find that the kids are afraid of dragging the cones if they hit the tape.  They don’t seem to mind jumping over the noodle because it’s so light.