Advanced Techniques - The Rock Back

1. The rock back is accomplished through a combination of rowing with the shoulders and powerful trail leg swing. Then as the vaulter rocks back, the pole uncoils and the two forces meet in the middle and shoot the vaulter up over the bar.
   As we stated in the Advanced Techniques - Penetration page, proper execution of the rock back aids greatly in penetration. Specifically here, we address the vaulter becoming inverted.
2. The rowing of the shoulders causes a counter-clockwise motion when viewed from the left side of the runway (standing at the far end of the runway looking at the box).
3. The trail leg swing causes a clockwise motion when viewed from the same position.
4. These two forces act on the vaulters body to help the vaulter rock back relative to the pole while continuing to store energy into the pole (and increase penetration by maintaining pole speed).
5. As the pole compresses (during the row motion) it will begin to redirect the vaulters horizontal motion into vertical motion. This provides a stable point for the vaulter to "hinge" on and redirect their forward leg swing up into the rocked back position. It will also start the acceleration of the vaulter vertically.
6. Vertical acceleration is increased as the vaulter continues to rock back relative to the pole, coming back on top of the bend and away from the bar. It is at this point that the vaulter is pulling up their body in a power-clean type motion to transition from the rock-back into the pull & turn - continuing to accelerate vertically to maximize height.