Coaches Too high on FHS vault

[PalmTree]

For some reason this is the first time I've ever had a kid with this problem. Last year she could barely get over the vault, and now she's absolutely blossomed on everything, which is great!! She's a tiny little thing but she runs like a beast and literally front layouts over the vault. She comes on way too high to get a good block-she's far past vertical by the time her hands hit. Is it as simple as telling her to put her hands down earlier? I've raised the vault to FAR OVER her head. Any advice??

 

[AmandaLynn]

How far away is the springboard?

 

[PalmTree]

Maybe a foot and a half away from the vault.

 

[AmandaLynn]

Hmmm... Is she a tiny little one? For my little bitties, I tend to put the board right around a foot from the table. I have noticed that if the board is too far, they tend to "float" too long between the board and the table, thus coming on at, or past vertical. If I move the board in, it forces them to turnover a bit quicker.

I would emphasize the quick turnover(both verbally and through drills. I like donkey kicks to handstand with a hop most recently for this on the tumbletrak), along with moving the board In and the table up.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

+1 to AmandaLynn's response.

In, what I believe a similar situation I have used "Strong Arms" to a good outcome. I enjoy the FHS vault outcomes when they have "strong arms." "Strong Arms" is my phrase reminding the vaulter to have toes in front strong/tight body on board and strong/tight arms in front of them when arriving on the board. Strong arms is also my verbal que for them to get the stretched shape and lift their arms to their ears before shrugging or blocking. The athlete quickly stretches their arms to their ears, while their eyes look between their hands (not over hands). Having the hands more in front and not at ears on board contact has worked for most of our team gymnasts. "Strong arms" for me includes the swift lift of the arms. I can then teach the arm movement to be acompanied with the hip/heel lift. In breaking down my teaching of the phrase our vaulters have better controled the timing of the vault table hit and block. The above teaching of timing accompanied with the correct shape (when contacting the table) has provided excellent results.

Vault coaches need to be "good to go" with their trigonomety. A lower pre-flight angle will give a higher probability of a high repulsion angle (relative to the vault table). Vault is a high event not a long event. I generally ask for a 30' pre-flight and enjoy the consequence (60' repulsion).

The above is a long response. The short answer - shorter board distance and "strong arms" to stretch (forward and not up) and time the block.

It is a good thing to have an vaulter with an aggressive run! Enjoy that athlete. Best, SBG -

 

[PalmTree]

Thanks for the advice! Would either of you mind looking at a video of her vault and telling me what you see?

 

[AmandaLynn]

I am not as experienced as some of our resident experts, but I will take a peek and see if anything jumps out at me, if you would like.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

for starters, does she slow down as she hits the board (listen to her last few steps)?
next, if she is coming in with speed, make sure she is not arcing in her hurdle (jumping up high in hurdle). A high hurdle will lose speed / power and transfer energy upward instead of forward.
Lastly, what is the body position during the hurdle and on the board, along with arm swing during the hurdle and board contact.
Hope that helps.