Summer Workouts

So I started summer vaulting with Coach Guy out in Desert Vista. The man is a genius! This last week we've only been doing short vaults. Tuesday we were out on the track with the vaults, but the Desert Vista track is getting resurfaced, so we moved the pit under the bleachers (that's what the picture is of haha). We only have like a 40-foot runway, so I'm kinda being forced into the short run stuff. I hate short run work, but in all honesty, it's what I need to do. Tuesday was just the basics as some of the kids in the camp have never vaulted before. Thursday we split it up a bit, and I worked on getting my left leg back on the take off in order to bring more power into the swing. It really is helping, and I'm glad that Coach Guy has a lot of patience when working with me because I'm sure he knows how little I like short drills. I'm really hoping that this camp gets my technique farther along than I am currently.

Other than vaulting, I've been to the gym everyday this week, alternating upper body and lower body workouts each day and sub-setting each work out with core exercises. I've all ready dropped about six pounds according to the scale at LA Fitness (but who knows how accurate that is). I had about a thirty minute run yesterday and did sprints two others days of the week. With this, I hope to get stronger, build more agility and stamina, and complement my vault work.

Outdoor Conference 2010

"May I never miss a sunset or a rainbow because I am looking down." -- Sara June Parker

Pole:

Height: 13'6
Weight: 155 lbs.
Step: 7 step

Things to Work On:

1. Left arm out.
2. Don't bend the top arm.
3. Run all the way through the vault (don't gallop).
4. Hollow out over the crossbar.
5. Get off the top of the pole.

Comments:

I was not pleased with this conference. I had bad technique throughout the meet and was very inconsistent. I missed the first vault of each height which is something I never do in meets. After looking over the meet though, I feel a little bit better about it. After looking over video of myself, I found that I stayed at a consitent height like I have the entire year, and my technique got better throughout the meet. I feel better about it now, but I will be using this meet as a learning experience. I talked it over with Knut, and he told me that I am only a freshman and have a lot of time to get better. He is right, and I need to not be as hard on myself as I am. I took 7th overall which isn't bad, but I will be better for next season. I would have placed higher had I not missed so many heights at the lower ones. I am ready to use this to motivate me throughout the summer to train hard. Right now, I have time on my side. As a freshman, there is still time to work on technique.

C-USA Conference in Orlando, Florida

So I haven't been all that active on here, but I figured I would add this lovely little interview to the blog as an update. We're here in Orlando, Florida waiting to vault this Saturday at 6 pm! Can't wait for the lights to go on and the competition to start! For now, it's off to bed to rest up. Thanks for viewing, and enjoy!

April 19, 2010

"When life gives you lemons, make grape juice. Then, sit back and let the world wonder how you did it." -- Anonymous

Pole:

Height: 13', 13', 13'6
Weight: 150 lbs., 160 lbs., 160 lbs.
Step: 7 step

Things to Work On:

1. Left arm out at the plant.
2. Let my chest go through at the vault.
3. Keep lower body back.
4. Keep run consistent (no galloping).
5. Jump up and into the pole.

Comments:

This was a good practice after going through such a rough meet this last weekend. While I wasn't going for height, coach got me up on my big pole (the one that I got a concussion on). I will admit, I was scared to get up on that pole at first, but once I did it, I was much much more confident with the vault. Good things are gonna happen at the next meet. I'm not going to settle with these heights I have been getting. It's time for a new record!

Meet Updates

So I'm not as far behind as I was last time I did this, but it's still the easiest way to update...

Meet Location: Ole Miss Invitational
Height Attained: 3.35 meters

Pole:

Height: 13'
Weight: 150 (fake 150)
Step: 7 step

Comments:

Not pleased with the height or the form in this meet. It was rough, but I plan on using this as a learning experience.

Meet Location: Memphis Tigers Invitational
Height Attained: 3.32 meters

Pole:

Height: 13', 13'6
Weight: 150 lbs., 160 lbs.
Step: 7 step

Comments:

Something needs to change... this was the most misses I've had in a meet ever. I'm going to start hitting body weight exercises and walking drills really hard in these coming weeks. I also think I need to take less warm up jumps. I may be wearing myself out in the warm up and not saving enough energy for the higher jumps.

April 5, 2010

"In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear for failure." -- Bill Cosby

Pole:

Height: 13'

Weight: 150 lbs (Fake 150)

Step: 7 step

Things to Work On:

1. Learn how to collapse left arm when going inverted.

2. Jump into the vault.

3. Don't slow down on the runway (get faster!!!).

4. Left arm out before the plant.

5. Get behind the pole when inverted.

Comments:

I feel like I'm doing better. Something on the top of the vault clicked this last weekend, and now I'm working on duplicating it in practice so that I can do it again at the meet this coming weekend. I have a better grasp now of what it is that I am supposed to be doing. It's just a matter of getting my body to do what my mind is seeing.

April 3, 2010

Joey Haines Invitational

Meet Location: SEMO
Height Attained: 3.50 meters

Pole:

Height: 13'
Weight: 150 lbs.
Step: 7 step

Things to Work On:

1. Remember to bring pole to meet.
2. Jump into the vault.
3. Get more vertical off the top of the pole.
4. Pull myself off the top of the pole rather than falling out.
5. Turn all the way over the crossbar.

Comments:

Had a really great meet today and am very excited about the results. I made a new outdoor PR today of 3.50 meters! I think that's pretty good coming off of a concussion haha. My technique was pretty strong today. I had left my main pole back at the UoM, and therefore had to work with an even smaller pole. Somehow, it worked out in my favor; coach thinks that I can get 12 foot on that pole, so we might continue to vault on this one. I felt more technically sound on this pole, so I'm not afraid to try it out.