Coach ,

As all track and field coaches know, effective pole vault drills are crucial for improving a pole vaulter's ability as they enhance various aspects of the performance, from technique to strength and mental preparedness. 

However, it can be difficult to parse through all the pole vault drills available online. 

This is why we’ve taken your pole vaulting drills from two elite track and field coaches with decades of experience between them, and are sharing them with you today. 

Rick Baggett - High Bar Whip Drill

Rick Baggett - High Bar Whip Drill

Rick Baggett is the USATF NW Director of Pole Vault Development. He has coached 87 state high school champions in a 37-year span in both Oregon and Washington. 

Coach Baggett’s ‘Pole Vault Ground Work’ clinic details several drills, one of which is what he calls the high bar whip drill. 

This drill requires any sort of horizontal bar that’s high enough for an athlete to hang from without touching the ground. The drill begins with the athlete pulling back with their waist while gripping the pole like they could during the pole vault, getting a swing going, and then the left leg will whip up to the high bar. 

Ideally, the right knee is going to end up directly under the bar. The important part of this drill is feeling the whipping action of the left leg, which simulates the whip required when the vault is being executed. At the same time, the arms must come in toward the body so that the entire body is closing off.

Rick Baggett - 12 Step Plant Drill

Rick Baggett - 12 Step Plant Drill

Another one of Coach Baggett’s drills is the 12 step plant walking drill.

The goal is this drill is to get the cadence and timing of the jump correct without tiring the athlete out by executing an actual vaulting rep. The athlete will begin by walking forward with their pole in ready position (simulating the approach phase), and the coach will count their first eight steps in a “one, two, three, four” cadence with every other step.

After those first eight steps, three steps occur in rapid succession before the plant occurs at the fourth step.

Dennis Mitchell - Concept Drill

Dennis Mitchell - Concept Drill

Dennis Mitchell was the Head Track and Field Coach at the University of Akron, and his 27th season began in the Fall of 2021. He is a 31-time Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year.

Coach Mitchell’s ‘Breaking Down the Pole Vault’ clinic has what he calls a concept drill, which requires a resistance band that’s wrapped across the athlete’s foot (who is sitting upright on the ground) to the end of the pole, which is behind them. 

This drill requires the athlete to drive back behind them (turn around so that they’re on their stomach), extend the pole, and then finish with their body “hollow” with their toes sticking up. 

The elastic makes it so the athlete really has to extend their arms on the drive back.

Dennis Mitchell - Pool Vaulting Drill

Dennis Mitchell - Pool Vaulting Drill

Coach Mitchell’s pool vaulting drill requires a pool, with the athlete standing in the shallow end and the end of their pole touching one side. From there, the athlete will push off on the pole so that splits their legs around the right arm, extends, turns, and pushes off through. 

The goal here is to try to drill the fundamental vaulting concepts while implementing unique training environments that make training fun and fresh for the athletes. 

Never get out coached,

Community of Coaches Helping Coaches