So what did M55 vault champ Bubba Sparks do when he got home from Sydney? Kick back with some brewskis? Party like it’s 1999? Nah, he started training for 2010. And he launched a new blog to chronicle his progress. See it here. He writes: “The hardest thing to overcome but the easiest thing to do is to take a break
after a big meet. Can’t do it!! That’s too much ground to lose and then gain
back.” His new blog should be a go-to place for vaulters of all levels. Good onya, Bubba. Best of luck in your quest for more hardware and higher jumps.
6 Responses
Congrats to Caren Ware, silver metalist in the W45-49 Pentathlon; Liz Johnson, bronze metalist in the W50-54 Pole Vault; Phil Raschker, Multi-Gold metalist legend; and all who participated from the USofA!!
…and goooo Bubba!
Bubba, I enjoyed your blog reports from Sydney and you are so right about not laying off after a big meet or the end of the season. It’s amazing how much you lose with just a short
layoff.
Also, in a lighter vein, a southern friend just explained to me that “Bubba” translates into english as “the smart Brother”. How’s that I asked?
He said that who would have guessed that Jimmy Carter’s brother Bubba would have ended up being the Smart one!
Everybody is different, but in my opinion, taking a time off after every season can be a good thing. A rest period helps to heal the minor injuries and general soft tissue damage that accumulates over the course of a long season (Jan. – Sep.). It can also be a good thing mentally, personally, and professionally.
I have trained with OG & WC athletes in their 20’s & 30’s and they all took time off after their seasons ended. If ahteletes in their prime can benefit from rest, then something tells me that masters can also benefit. I know for a fact that my aging body actually requires rest.
Science has shown that the body can only repair muscle cells a finite number of times, so it would seem that those of us who want to RUN, JUMP, and THROW until we DIE, can benefit from scheduled rest periods.
I’ve coached elite athletes for years and what I can tell you is that to pole vault is very fun. That’s why we don’t take time off. I dream about it even on days when I’ve done it. Can’t wait to get back out to feel that some more. LOL!! Bubba
Nice one, there are actually some great ideas on this post some of my readers just might find this useful, I must send a link, thank you.
Leave a Reply