Effect of gender, carrying and planting the pole on approach step parameters in young pole vaulters

In pole vaulting, take-off speed is considered as a major determinant of performance. Pole carriage could affect the speed acquired during the approach and at the take-off. This study investigated different types of runs performed randomly by young male and female expert athletes: maximal sprint, maximal pole carriage run, maximal run-up with simulated pole plant and competition situation. Speed profile was determined with a radar gun and spatiotemporal parameters were recorded for the last 20 m of the approach with the Optojump Next system. For both genders, mechanical variables were compared using two-way ANOVAs with repeated measurements. Pole carriage represents the main cause of speed decrease for both men (−5.8%) and women (−6.2%). A step rate decrease during pole carriage was pointed out with an increase of contact time for both men and women. Significant speed decrease was observed for women at the take-off compared to pole plant simulation (−4.3%), while not for men. Those results provide a new insight for pole vault training allowing to update training process with specific exercises leading to reduce speed loss at take-off.

Clearing the bar

A clarification on the letter “The missing mass”, concerning the pole vault in question 8 of the decathlon puzzle “Sporting chance”.

Do Warmups Predict Pole Vault Competition Performance?

The aim of this research was to determine the relationship between pole vault warmup and competition performance in a sample of 16 collegiate vaulters over 60 observations. Pole vault athletes are given time to warm up in the same area that the competition will take place. This prompted investigation into whether better warmup performance could indicate better familiarity with the performance environment, and whether this could translate to the competition. The number of warmup vaults taken was also considered. Participants were observed during multiple warmup periods and data was collected on warmup performance. The findings indicate a significant correlation between instances in which participants displayed their best warmup scores and their best competition performances, likewise with their worst. Also, participants who took more warmup vaults performed significantly better on average. Athletes and coaches should consider implementing warmup practices that emphasize familiarizing oneself with their performance environment. KEYWORDS: Pole Vault; Track and Field; Warmups; Warmup Performance; Competition Performance; Performance Environment; Nested Task; Task Constraints

Injuries in Collegiate Track and Field Jumping: A 2-Year Prospective Surveillance Study

Background: Athletes participating in track and field jumping events (long jump, triple jump, high jump, and pole vault) are exposed to ground-reaction forces on the takeoff leg that are several times their body weight. This can cause injuries specific to such activities. Purpose: To determine the incidence of injuries in collegiate jumpers using the guidelines set forth by a 2014 consensus statement on injury surveillance during track and field events. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: A total of 51 jumpers between April 2016 and March 2017 and 54 jumpers between April 2017 and March 2018 participated in this study. All athletes were from a single college in Japan. Baseline information on athletes participating in the long jump, triple jump, high jump, and pole vault was collected at study enrollment. Practice and competition exposures were reported by the team trainer. Injury incidence was calculated as the number of injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs). Results: A total of 147 injuries were reported among 16,998 exposures (8.65 injuries per 1000 AEs). The most common injury locations were the posterior thigh and lateral ankle (17.0%), followed by the posterior foot or toe (12.9%); the most frequent type of injury was strain/muscle rupture/tear (21.1%). The most common injury for long jumpers was ankle sprain (23.3%); for high jumpers, flexor hallucis longus tendinosis (15.8%); and for pole vaulters, hamstring strain (13.2%). Conclusion: The overall characteristics are different for each event; therefore, injuries for each event need to be investigated.

Performance Improvement of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composite Sports Equipment

This study is to explore the changes in the performance of sports equipment under the action of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites. This paper studies the effects of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites in pole vault, bicycle, and tennis. The research results show that the performance of sports equipment based on carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite materials has been greatly improved, with outstanding effects in terms of thermal properties, interface properties, mechanical properties, and fatigue resistance. Carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite material damage expansion is divided into five stages: matrix cracking, interfacial degumming, delamination, fiber fracture, fracture. Therefore, carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite materials are comprehensive for the improvement of sports equipment, which has greatly promoted the further development of sports. Carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite materials can be promoted in other fields, thereby obtaining greater progress with help of high technology. The study of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites in this paper has a positive effect on subsequent research.

Comparison of European and American Athletes in Jumping Events in Terms of Competition Season Variables: Different Continents, Different Education of Coaching

It is predicted that athletes can achieve high efficiency levels when training contents are applied within the scope of annual plans prepared on a scientific basis. Annual plans consist of preparation, competition and interim periods. Topics such as determining target competition where the peak performance will be revealed during competition period are examined under periodization title of training science. This study was carried out to determine the variables of the competition seasons of American and European athletes in jumping events and to identify the similarities and differences between the variables. The study group consisted of elite American and European athletes, who had ranked in the top 100 in the world charts of the 2018 season. The differences between athletes were determined by Mann Whitney U-Test. In terms of the number of competition season days, number of days between competitions and final performance value of season, statistically significant differences were found between the athletes in favor of the American male long jumpers and male triple jumpers (p < 0.05). Significant differences were determined between the European and American high jumpers in terms of number of days between competitions in both genders (p < 0.05). In the pole vault event, the total number of competitions participated by both male and female European athletes were higher than total number of competitions participated by American athletes (p < 0.05). As a result, it was thought that the differences determined between the groups such as the number of days between competitions may be due to the differences in the perception of periodization and different coaching educations embraced by continents.