The Hidden Power of the Swing
Of all the phases in the pole vault, the swing is perhaps the most technically demanding—and the most misunderstood.
While the takeoff gets the spotlight and the bar clearance earns the glory, it’s the swing that bridges the two. And yet, many athletes and even coaches fail to recognize how crucial it is to maximizing energy transfer and setting up a powerful inversion.
The swing takes place in just a split second, but within that moment lies a whirlwind of biomechanical complexity. It requires precise timing, whole-body coordination, and a counterintuitive trust in technique over instinct.
The vaulter must stay long and elastic, delaying the natural urge to tuck or collapse. The movement appears simple—just a leg kick while hanging from the pole—but underneath that simplicity is a dynamic stretch reflex, a high-speed rotation, and a setup for what comes next.
What makes the swing so tricky is how invisible its mistakes can be. A stalled inversion, a failure to finish the turn, or a vault that ends in a bailout often have their roots in a poor or mistimed swing.
Unfortunately, because the motion happens so fast and the errors so subtle, the swing rarely gets the credit—or the blame—it deserves.
To master the swing is to unlock the true potential of the vault. This chapter breaks down what the swing really is, how it works, and why it’s not just a transition—but a launchpad.
What is the Swing?
The swing in pole vaulting is the powerful, active rotation of the body around the pole after takeoff. It drives the hips upward above the shoulders to set up the final phase of inversion. Far from a passive motion, the swing is an elastic, full-body movement powered by preloaded muscles and precise coordination.
Swing Quality
Swing quality is primarily determined by two factors:
Posture and alignment at takeoff—especially the full extension of the takeoff leg and the separation between the top hand and trail leg.
Elastic response of the body—driven by the stretch reflex, particularly through the core and trail leg, which preload during takeoff to generate a powerful swing.
The more extended and relaxed the vaulter remains at takeoff, the greater the stretch and subsequent recoil. A fast, tight swing helps accelerate the hips upward and shortens the time needed to transition into the next phase.
Initiating the Swing
The swing begins at takeoff with the torso driving forward while the hips remain slightly behind the shoulders. This delayed hip movement stretches the trail leg and core, creating elastic tension and space for a powerful swing. Staying behind the chord line—the imaginary line from the top hand to the pole tip—allows the vaulter to preload the body and time the swing with the pole’s recoil. The swing should initiate at full body extension, using this stored energy to whip the trail leg forward with speed and precision.
Extension and Body Position
The top arm and takeoff leg should remain fully extended throughout the early swing. This alignment maintains the radius of rotation and preserves angular momentum, allowing the vaulter to generate maximum swing speed.
A common mistake is collapsing the trail leg too early, often accompanied by pulling down with the top arm. This action shortens the body, reduces the stretch reflex in the core and trail leg, and disrupts the swing’s timing and efficiency. Maintaining full extension through the takeoff and early swing ensures the vaulter stays long, elastic, and in position to fully engage the pole’s recoil.
The Bottom Arm
The bottom arm plays a subtle but critical role in the swing phase. Its main function is to help maintain chest posture and apply upward pressure—not to push forward or stiff-arm the pole.
A common error is blocking with the bottom arm—locking it out or resisting the pole’s bend. This prevents the torso from advancing past the hands, stalls the swing, and stops the hips from rising. Instead, the bottom arm should allow controlled yielding in the sagittal plane, permitting the vaulter’s chest to drive forward while maintaining upward lift. This balance between guidance and give is key to initiating a smooth, powerful swing.
Finishing the Swing
As the swing reaches full extension, the vaulter transitions into inversion by rotating the body upward along the pole. This begins when the torso passes vertical and the legs rise, with the thighs drawing in toward the pole.
Rather than trying to pull the hips up, the vaulter should apply a well-timed push with the bottom arm and engage the core to lift the hips and let the shoulders drop. This coordinated action not only drives inversion but also helps keep the pole bent longer, extending the lift phase and allowing the vaulter’s center of mass to continue rising.
A continuous, efficient swing maximizes energy return from the pole and reduces the need for excessive tucking or muscling through the final phase.
Rotating into Vertical
Inversion begins as a natural continuation of the swing. As the torso passes vertical and the legs rise, the vaulter’s body rotates along the pole. Rather than pulling with the arms, the focus should remain on staying long, allowing the core and hip drive—combined with the continued upward movement of the pole—to bring the vaulter into an inverted position.
The bottom arm may bend slightly to allow the shoulders to drop and the body to move closer to the pole, but this happens as a result of efficient mechanics—not from a conscious pulling action. Maintaining pressure through the top arm and staying extended preserves energy return and leads into a smooth, fluid inversion.
Key Swing Cues
Stay long and elastic: Keep the trail leg and top arm extended to maximize rotational force and maintain pole bend. Avoid early collapse or tucking.
Lead with the chest: Let the torso drive forward at takeoff while the hips trail slightly to preload the swing.
Hips rise from pressure, not pulling: Use core engagement and a well-timed bottom-arm push to lift the hips—don’t try to muscle them up with the arms.
Time the swing with full extension: Initiate the swing only after reaching maximum stretch between the takeoff foot and top hand (the chord line).
Rotate into vertical, don’t force inversion: Let the body naturally rotate upward as a continuation of the swing. Avoid disrupting flow with excessive arm movement.
Recommended Drills
High Bar Swing Drills – Improve coordination and rhythm.
Stiff-Pole Swings on the Pit – Reinforce extension and full-body swing.
Bubka Drills – Reinforce hip rise and vertical rotation through continuous swing mechanics.
Final Thoughts
The swing phase is technically rich, often overlooked, and brutally unforgiving. When executed well, it transforms horizontal velocity into vertical lift. When misunderstood, it wastes energy, kills height, and increases the risk of injury.
In short, the swing is where speed becomes height. It bridges the energy of the run and takeoff with the mechanics of clearance. A great swing isn’t just fast—it’s precise, relaxed, and perfectly timed. Like all great things in pole vault, it begins with extension and finishes with intent.
Sources:
McGinnis, P. M. (1987). Mechanics of the Pole Vault.
CoachesInsider (2023). Pole Vaulting Technical Strategy.
Petrov Model, IAAF Coaching Education Materials.
"Effect of the pole–human body interaction on pole vaulting" – Journal of Biomechanics.