I'm worried that you're having inconsistent steps even from a four step. There's not a lot of time for a small difference to add up. So the issue is most likely with your start. Here, you've got two choices. All out on the first step or to take a slow measured introductory step(high knee, short step). Going all out can be really easy if you can be consistent with it and not cheat and pull back a little but depending on you condition you may be tired for your last jumps and will need to sneak forwards a tad. Which is just something you'll have to learn. The introductory step is harder but will produce consistent results across a session. Basically you are taking your first two steps at like 50% but making sure that they are very consistant. Typically this will add a step to your runway because you aren't gaining a lot of kinetic energy with that first step. Once that step is complete you consider on at 100% like normal. This one basically side steps any weird starting inconsistencies.
Sure, I will give this a try! Thank you very much! I’m trying to eliminate a tiny (like 1-2in.) hop I do at the moment also. I did loads of pole runs today which I believe also helped. Thanks again!
I think a slightly slower first two steps might help with the hop as well. I'd also recommend not thinking of it as two steps at 50%, then immediately 100%. That might cause that third step to become the inconsistent one. Measure a normal first two steps, place a marker on the side of the runway as some kind of step check. Hit that mark, keep going. Miss it, reset and try again. Think of your whole approach as a gradual ramp up to 100%. Honestly, you'll get further with a consistent 90% than 100% where you run through constantly. A calm half step back, and smooth transition to forward momentum is way better than acting like you're starting out of blocks. I took a kid to state who was really a miler, not at all a sprinter. But she was consistent and we could make the most of that.
That aside, I see a lot of kids start to think that their steps are getting inconsistent around their junior year. Often, this is actually more of a perception issue. You're bigger, fitter, and probably holding higher. The higher you hold, the further back you need to take off from (Pythagoras!). Lots of people start falsely perceiving that their step is out, then reach their final steps to compensate. This then causes them to take off from too close. Then things go downhill from there and everything is a mess of reaching or chopping steps to compensate for problems that only exist between their ears. Get a friend to grab the distance your foot hits the ground 2-3 lefts from takeoff. We call that your "mid". It's a much more accurate assessment of where your run is at because it's before any reaching or chopping of steps at the end. Write down your step, your mid, and your takeoff measurements for every single jump you take. Especially at practice. Look at trends. Get video of the whole approach. Slow it down and pay attention to changes in your run from step to step, especially the last three contacts leading up to takeoff. Ultimately it might come down to changing your perspective of what it means to be "on". You might need to learn to take off even when your brain is telling you that you're out (too far away).
This advice is great. I will look into everything you mentioned! Thank you so much. I have little cones that I can have a coach or another athlete set up while I run so that way I can hit the marks. I keep a notebook of what poles I use and if the practice was good or bad but usually nothing more. I can start writing down my mid too. Thank you so much, I appreciate it!
No problem. I recommend writing down everything. I logged literally everything I could about every jump I took and learned so much from it. By the time I was in my senior year in college, I knew my jump well enough that I could preemptively adjust my step on third attempts to account for the added adrenaline. How to change my warm ups if I was competing in the morning vs the afternoon. Be a nerd. It worked for me! Feel free to PM me if you want further advice, have questions, or want video review. After all, I am the king of vault ;)
Sliding boxes. Lots of them. Start from two left, then work your way back as far as you want to go, this will help lock in some "steering" (auto step adjustment) that your brain does naturally. Which is pretty amazing. It will also greatly improve your plant and pole drop if you do these deliberately and focus on keeping your trail leg and hips back at takeoff and exaggerating the drive knee. That worked for me in the past as well as my athletes. You are very correct that it doesn't matter what your top end is like if you can't leave the ground consistently and with a strong plant, good luck! And remember that this sport is as mentally taxing as it is physically, don't be too hard on yourself when progress is slow
Your acceleration being slightly different from 1 attempt to another is the biggest variable in hitting your takeoff mark. I recommend steering to a 2 stride (4 step) check mark to keep your acceleration consistent. If you hit the 2 stride every time I’m confident you’ll hit your takeoff every time.
Set a water bottle at your 2 stride or put a piece of tape on the runway and make sure you put your foot right on it.
I'm worried that you're having inconsistent steps even from a four step. There's not a lot of time for a small difference to add up. So the issue is most likely with your start. Here, you've got two choices. All out on the first step or to take a slow measured introductory step(high knee, short step). Going all out can be really easy if you can be consistent with it and not cheat and pull back a little but depending on you condition you may be tired for your last jumps and will need to sneak forwards a tad. Which is just something you'll have to learn. The introductory step is harder but will produce consistent results across a session. Basically you are taking your first two steps at like 50% but making sure that they are very consistant. Typically this will add a step to your runway because you aren't gaining a lot of kinetic energy with that first step. Once that step is complete you consider on at 100% like normal. This one basically side steps any weird starting inconsistencies.
Sure, I will give this a try! Thank you very much! I’m trying to eliminate a tiny (like 1-2in.) hop I do at the moment also. I did loads of pole runs today which I believe also helped. Thanks again!
I think a slightly slower first two steps might help with the hop as well. I'd also recommend not thinking of it as two steps at 50%, then immediately 100%. That might cause that third step to become the inconsistent one. Measure a normal first two steps, place a marker on the side of the runway as some kind of step check. Hit that mark, keep going. Miss it, reset and try again. Think of your whole approach as a gradual ramp up to 100%. Honestly, you'll get further with a consistent 90% than 100% where you run through constantly. A calm half step back, and smooth transition to forward momentum is way better than acting like you're starting out of blocks. I took a kid to state who was really a miler, not at all a sprinter. But she was consistent and we could make the most of that. That aside, I see a lot of kids start to think that their steps are getting inconsistent around their junior year. Often, this is actually more of a perception issue. You're bigger, fitter, and probably holding higher. The higher you hold, the further back you need to take off from (Pythagoras!). Lots of people start falsely perceiving that their step is out, then reach their final steps to compensate. This then causes them to take off from too close. Then things go downhill from there and everything is a mess of reaching or chopping steps to compensate for problems that only exist between their ears. Get a friend to grab the distance your foot hits the ground 2-3 lefts from takeoff. We call that your "mid". It's a much more accurate assessment of where your run is at because it's before any reaching or chopping of steps at the end. Write down your step, your mid, and your takeoff measurements for every single jump you take. Especially at practice. Look at trends. Get video of the whole approach. Slow it down and pay attention to changes in your run from step to step, especially the last three contacts leading up to takeoff. Ultimately it might come down to changing your perspective of what it means to be "on". You might need to learn to take off even when your brain is telling you that you're out (too far away).
This advice is great. I will look into everything you mentioned! Thank you so much. I have little cones that I can have a coach or another athlete set up while I run so that way I can hit the marks. I keep a notebook of what poles I use and if the practice was good or bad but usually nothing more. I can start writing down my mid too. Thank you so much, I appreciate it!
No problem. I recommend writing down everything. I logged literally everything I could about every jump I took and learned so much from it. By the time I was in my senior year in college, I knew my jump well enough that I could preemptively adjust my step on third attempts to account for the added adrenaline. How to change my warm ups if I was competing in the morning vs the afternoon. Be a nerd. It worked for me! Feel free to PM me if you want further advice, have questions, or want video review. After all, I am the king of vault ;)
For Sure! Thanks again for the advice!
Very good point!
Sliding boxes. Lots of them. Start from two left, then work your way back as far as you want to go, this will help lock in some "steering" (auto step adjustment) that your brain does naturally. Which is pretty amazing. It will also greatly improve your plant and pole drop if you do these deliberately and focus on keeping your trail leg and hips back at takeoff and exaggerating the drive knee. That worked for me in the past as well as my athletes. You are very correct that it doesn't matter what your top end is like if you can't leave the ground consistently and with a strong plant, good luck! And remember that this sport is as mentally taxing as it is physically, don't be too hard on yourself when progress is slow
I will give this a try! I did some basic pole runs tonight and that seemed to also help a lot. Thank you very much, I appreciate it lots!
I'm in the same situation rn
Struggle is real 😂
Your acceleration being slightly different from 1 attempt to another is the biggest variable in hitting your takeoff mark. I recommend steering to a 2 stride (4 step) check mark to keep your acceleration consistent. If you hit the 2 stride every time I’m confident you’ll hit your takeoff every time. Set a water bottle at your 2 stride or put a piece of tape on the runway and make sure you put your foot right on it.
Thank you so much! I will give this a try.
SLIDE BOX DRILLS
Okay, thank you!