Basics - Penetration

1. After takeoff, we must store energy into the pole by holding our knee drive and hip press for 1-2 seconds. Our conceptual goal is to drive directly through the pole (up at a 45-degree angle) to the back of the pit. This stores energy into the pole as well as stores energy into our body in the "inverted-C" which we retrieve by the leg swing up into the rock back.
   The pole is pressed overhead with both arms - top arm directly overhead and bottom arm up at a 45-degree angle.
   During penetration, the arms may extend back somewhat - because of the tremendous speed and hip-press forward, storing energy into the pole - it is imperative to keep both arms fully extended.
   The end result here is the equivalent of a rubber band being stretched - ready to snap back in the rock back phase.
2. Common errors here include the collapse of one or both arms. The problem with doing this is two-fold:
   1st - It kills pole-speed - effectively absorbing the forward momentum of the pole in the collapse of the arms, which, in turn, causes the vaulter to stall and land in the box (ouch).
   2nd - While inexperienced vaulters may do this thinking that they are able to rock back farther - what they are actually doing is "jumping themselves upside down" instead of using the pole and the "double-pendulum" action to penetrate into the pole and swing into the rock-back. The end result costs them 3-4 poles (meaning if they do it right they can move up 3 or 4 poles in size/weight) and does not affect an effective transfer of energy from the vaulter to the pole.