Learn the pole vault run-up: carry the pole properly, lower it over the last steps and practise the plant while walking — only with a coach, mat and sand pit.
The pole vault run-up consists of three things: you carry the pole upright and stable, you accelerate, and you lower the pole tip in a controlled way over the last steps. On the third-to-last step the plant begins, with the pole tip already lowered to eye level before it [1].
The honest answer to how hard this is: the run-up is the part where most things go wrong, because you have to sprint and guide an implement at the same time. Good vaulters run in at 8 to 10 metres per second, that is around 29 to 36 km/h [1]. At that speed there is no time to correct mistakes. The foundation is therefore laid while walking [1].
This guide covers only carrying, lowering and plant imitation, so no jumps on a bending pole. You learn pole vault with a coach, on a prepared facility and with a suitable mat or sand pit. This applies to every step here.
The pole has a pre-bend. The outward-curved side is the hard side (flex side), into which you later jump the pole. The other side is the soft side [1]. Roll the pole on the ground, explore both sides and pick it up so that the soft side faces you, because it turns by 180 degrees during the plant [1].
Milestone (practice standard): you identify the soft side and pick up the pole without help.
Take the pole with both hands and bring the pole tip up. The upper body stays upright, the pole tip is tilted slightly to the opposite side of the dominant carrying hand. The dominant carrying hand is slightly behind the hip bone, the lower hand in front of the upper body at chest height, the elbow tucked in [1]. The hand can grip closed or with an open grip if the wrists are less mobile [1].
Milestone: stand stably for 30 seconds without the tip wobbling.
Walk with the pole upright: knee lift almost to 90 degrees, the heel goes straight back, the ankle is dorsiflexed, the foot rolls through [1]. This simulates the sprint position and prepares the take-off. The rolling foot strike prevents later mistakes such as taking off on the toes [1]. HLV describes the same posture: trunk upright, pole firm, foot strike under the centre of mass [2].
Milestone: 20 metres without a posture mistake.
Hold the pole tip at eye level and walk like that. The drill prepares lowering in the run-up, the upper body stays stable [1]. During the plant the upper carrying hand moves from the hip to about chest height and the pole turns [1].
Milestone: 10 runs with a stable posture.
The plant is carried out over the last three steps: with the third-to-last step you begin, on the second-to-last you bring the pole above the head, and before the last step the arms are up [1]. HLV practises the same from high-knee walking with 3, 4 and 6 steps; the variants with a bounding jump from the high-knee run belong in training only under supervision [2].
Milestone: 8 out of 10 imitations in rhythm, the arms are up on time.
Pole vault is one of the safety-critical events. You learn it only with a coach, on a prepared facility and with a suitable landing. For the sand pit: clear the runway and take-off zone of sand, re-prepare the sand after every jump, build a plant box [1].
Injuries are rare, but they happen. In an observational study at a national indoor event with 1,012 athletes and 6,751 attempts, only 8 landing injuries occurred (0.12 %). All affected the legs and only less experienced vaulters; with optimal landing there were none [8]. In another study of 62 national-level vaulters, 77.4 % reported at least one injury in the previous 12 months; higher speed between 10 and 5 metres before the box and greater stride adjustment were associated with more injuries, although the data are retrospective and not causal [7].
This guide explains and motivates; it does not replace supervised training or a coach.
Do the plant while walking. Even world-class vaulters repeatedly practise elementary carrying and plant movements while walking, because that way the movement can be slowed down, optimised and automated [1]. The pole tip is tilted slightly to the side opposite the dominant hand [1]. This builds muscle memory without speed or risk.
The upper body stays upright, the dominant hand is slightly behind the hip bone, the lower hand in front of the body at chest height, the elbow tucked in [1]. HLV describes it similarly: upper hand at hip height, elbow close to the body, lower hand at chest height [2].
At the end of basic training HLV mentions about 8 steps [3]. How long it is for you depends on speed and pole. Competition runways are at least 40 metres long [4]. Change the length only with your coach.
Good female and male vaulters run in at 8 to 10 metres per second [1]. That is 29 to 36 km/h. Men are faster on average than women, but the techniques are similar [5].
It is technically demanding. The landing injury rate was low at 0.12 % in an observational study with 6,751 attempts, but it affected only less experienced vaulters [8]. So: only with a coach, a mat or sand pit and an orderly progression.
Carrying and walking you can practise with a practice pole, but the plant and take-off only with a coach on an inspected facility. Alone on a sports field without a mat is not advisable.
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