Going up and stopping in the air?

[KentVango]

I posted something below about what the difference of how wide you hold....Now I am on a 15 ft 160 pole and I am only hold at maybe 12 ft so I am not getting a bend......my coach has me moving up the pole a hand grip everyday so I can get high enough to bend the pole...Now what I want to know is if what they were talking about a CLOSED GRIP drill....will help me with moving up the pole meaning should I try it and the regular drill or stay without he regular drill because it won't help me..... when I move up the pole I am getting in the air like I am stiff poling but am stopping in the air....If anyone had a suggesting please reply


thank

[zack]

If you are straight poling and stopping/stalling in the air then you are holding too high for your ability right now. The narrow grip drill will help you with learning to swing up better because the narrower your grip is the easier it is to swing to a certain point.

[TeddyVault]

What do you mean by stopping in the air? Are you not landing in the pads, meaning your whole body is stopping and the pole momentum is stopping. Or, do you mean you are coming to a stop in relation to the pole, ie. you are landing in the pits but you are not able to get to an inverted position?
It sounds like you are just getting started vaulting. That is a big pole to start with, got anything shorter that you can vault on legally? (Weight wise?) Also, you probably should not be thinking of bending the pole until you get some basics down pretty good, especially if a fifteen 160 is all you have to jump on.
By the way it sounds you are trying to hold too high. Don't worry so much about bending the pole right now as getting into the pits. Drop your handgrip a fist or two and get into the pits. Then, work on getting into the pits and getting upside down on the pole. (When you are safely in the pits EVERY TIME, then you can work getting your body up along the pole and landing on your back in the mats.) Then, when you are good at that, it will be time to think of bigger things.
The closed grip can help with a tall plant, and is sometimes easier to learn with than a wide grip drill. However, you should do both and see which works better for you, and if you only do closed grip then regular vaulting may be a difficult transition.
Good luck,
Vault On

[KentVango]

This is my second year vaulting and i have already worked on getting inverted but I am ready for the next level but having a hard time....a 15 160 pole is really all i have to work with due tot he lack of funds at my school.......so I do whay I can with what I got.......So you are saying to go back down....what should I do to go on to higher hights...My pr is 10 6 and I am not happy with it when all these coaches are telling me I should be going 14 or 15 ft.....so what do you think I should do being I am sure you know alot about this subject....

thank