Women Vault table settings

[Sminty]

How does the table height affects a FHS vault? I used to naively think that the setting was just based on the vaulter's height, but that doesn't seem to be the only factor. I ask because DD seems to think it's a major accomplishment when she's able to vault on a higher setting, but I don't understand why it would make a difference.

 

[raenndrops]

How does the table height affects a FHS vault? I used to naively think that the setting was just based on the vaulter's height, but that doesn't seem to be the only factor. I ask because DD seems to think it's a major accomplishment when she's able to vault on a higher setting, but I don't understand why it would make a difference.

Height affects the angles... if the vault is too low, the gymnast may come in past vertical or not get as good a block off the table. For the FHS, if they have too much power, they could overshoot a low vault table too. I have seen one girl barely get her hands on the back of the vault table in a meet warm up... her coach moved the vault up 3 settings (15 cm) and the girl vaulted MUCH better. In the coach's defense, before anybody says that was a bad coach or something... the coach was filling in for a coach that quit the day before the meet and she was actually a coach from another gym. They were warming up vault and the girl didn't tell the coach that she vaults on a higher setting than the other girls (they were all close to the same size) until AFTER the first warm up.

It can also make it difficult to get twists in. My YG currently vaults on "3" aka 115cm. She can't do her 1/2 on-1/2 off at that height. She has a lot of power and could easily move up to a "4" or 120cm. It would probably also help her angles on her 1/2 on - repulsion off.