Beginning Gymnastics: How to Improve the Vault Run
by Izabella Mati
The most crucial part of a vault is the run. You simply cannot have a good vault without a good run. Most coaches and judges won't even provide feedback without seeing the run because it affects so much.
So, improve the run, and you improve the vault.
How do you improve the run?
You can improve your run by running. Beginning gymnasts don't know how to run effectively. So you have to teach them. Turn running into fun. Have a race, run and jump on a bed, run and jump into a pool, whatever you can do to incorporate running TOWARD something, do it. It's not easy to run fast toward a vault. You'll often see gymnasts start to stutter step near the springboard - and that's why.
Work with them to really push their legs. Show them how to use their arms to increase their power.
If I wasn't clear, none of this should take place in a gym. Outside, in a yard, in a park, any place OTHER than the gym.
After you get the run down, work on agility.
This includes running in different ways - knees up, sprint, slow and steady. This also helps in teaching kids how to PUSH down with their feet. Kids just run (slap, slap), but really we need them to push with their entire leg for the whole time their foot is in contact with the ground. Show them how to push with each leg, taking big and bigger steps until you're kind of running like a deer? (Not sure how else to describe that, but we call it 'deer run').
When working agility, you can also work on quick starts to increase power in the run. Some vaulters choose to do a little 'hop' at the beginning of their run, while others prefer a push-off start. Work with your gymnast to figure out what works best for them!
Once you've got a good run, work on jumping onto something at the end of the run. This can begin as a target on the ground and progress to a small mat (soft but not too squishy, so they don't hurt an ankle).
Once your gymnast can run and jump on target (with both feet hitting the target at the same time), you can work on the hurdle.
The hurdle jump comes at the end of the run, and at this level, is used to jump onto the springboard. To hurdle, they need to hop up on one leg while bringing the other knee up. It's very similar to a skipping motion. This creates upward and forward momentum that helps propel the gymnast onto the springboard. When they hurdle, their legs should be out in front of them - which is the ideal position to be hitting the springboard. It also matters where they hit the springboard if it's a traditional springboard with springs under the board. The last third of the board (toward the table) is the sweet spot. That's where your gymnast should be trying to hit. With a trampboard, the entire surface of the mat has almost equal return, but ideally, they would hit in the middle.
You may want to purchase equipment if your child isn't getting enough chances in the gym to get the fundamentals of vaulting. Buying a board of some kind can help kids get comfortable with vaulting.
So, what do you buy? There are basically three options:
traditional springboard with the springs under the board
trampboard with the springs on the sides of the board
air board filled with air (no springs)
I rarely talk about a springboard because of the cost and impracticality, leaving either a trampboard or an air board. Which one you pick has more to do with budget than anything.
An air board would be less than $200, while a trampboard starts above $400 new. Of course, used equipment is always a great option. But, not all trampboards are created equal. Make sure the front (the side farthest from the vault) is low enough (less than 6") to prevent injury.
But, wait, what do they vault onto? Really, they don't even need to vault to get good at vault. I don't recommend practicing a full vault at home. I recommend practicing at home only the RUN and HURDLE of the vault. Leave the actual vault for the gym.
To safely land the hurdle, you need a safe landing zone. The best situation would be two layers of landing mats, each at least 4" thick, but that set up is well over $2,000. So, realistically, that's not an option for most home set-ups. If it is an option, feel free to hire me as a private coach.
A ten-inch foam mattress is less than 10% of the cost of a gym mat because it doesn't come with the fancy vinyl cover - even though they're made from similar foams. Interesting fact, huh?
Although I can't personally recommend any specific piece of equipment (or non-equipment in this case), I can say I've heard from many people who have used this hack to great benefit.
Hope some of this information helps!