The fundamental principle underlying rigid pole vaulting was the double pendulum. Simply put its goal was to make the vaulter's body into a pendulum rotating about the pole while the pole became a 2nd inverted pendulum rotating about the box. Because the pole was rigid it could only move towards vertical in an overhanded rotational motion. As a result vaulters were forced to design their takeoff action around the limitations of the pole's movement. Proficient rigid vaulters sprang directly upward as they left the ground in order to reduce takeoff shock and to generate overhand rotation in the pole. Immediately after leaving the ground the vaulter dropped his lead leg and pushed his chest forward and upwards towards the pole. At this point in the vault the vaulter literally became a pendulum rotating about his closely spaced hands.
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