Move up a pole or focus on technique?!

[STC_VAULT1]

I have a hard question but lets see if I can word it right. The 2 guy vaulters on our team ( 12'0 and 12'6) have been talking..arguing for the past few days about this issue. The 12'6 vaulter (Nick) is telling the 12'0 vaulter (Brian) that his pole is sloppy and in order to get higher he needs to get on a bigger stiffer pole. Brian thinks his pole is fine, it's his exact weight 140 and it's a 14 ft pole. Brian thinks he needs to work on his technique. He thinks his problem is that he doesnt collapse his bottem arm soon enough, he keeps his bottom arm locked through most of his vault. Brian thinks that getting on a bigger pole might propel him up but he would have more trouble getting into the pit. He thinks that instead of moving up a pole he should focus on getting vertical and collapsing his bottom arm. So is it better to move up a pole when all you can do is focus on your technique as long as the pole has a safe bend or move up to a bigger stiffer pole? How do you learn to collapse your bottom arm sooner? Someone please help b/c i'm sick of hearign them argue about it.

[altius]

Tell them both to buy a copy of Beginner to Bubka and then they will have some basis for their debate. At the moment they are both peeing into the wind.

[STC_VAULT1]

I wish we had more time to look into it... their sectionals is in a week.

[patybobady]

He could try both and see what works best. I'll see them at Sectionals (I'm Fenton's coach) so I'll ask them and the coach what they did, but I'd say work on technique (but make sure it is the proper techinque as the collapsing the bottom arm too soon is fuzzy and odd) on the smaller pole but try to move up a pole and work on the technique when he gets in and comfortable with the pole (like with anything) ...Good luck with that.

[ladyvolspvcoach]

[/quote]I have a hard question but lets see if I can word it right. The 2 guy vaulters on our team ( 12'0 and 12'6) have been talking..arguing for the past few days about this issue. The 12'6 vaulter (Nick) is telling the 12'0 vaulter (Brian) that his pole is sloppy and in order to get higher he needs to get on a bigger stiffer pole. Brian thinks his pole is fine, it's his exact weight 140 and it's a 14 ft pole. Brian thinks he needs to work on his technique. He thinks his problem is that he doesnt collapse his bottem arm soon enough, he keeps his bottom arm locked through most of his vault. Brian thinks that getting on a bigger pole might propel him up but he would have more trouble getting into the pit. He thinks that instead of moving up a pole he should focus on getting vertical and collapsing his bottom arm. So is it better to move up a pole when all you can do is focus on your technique as long as the pole has a safe bend or move up to a bigger stiffer pole? How do you learn to collapse your bottom arm sooner
This argument is about improper fundamentals!! I agree with Altius!!!!!!! Both are off their marks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!