Usual question but tough for me!

[Pole_vault'n]

You guys have prolly gotten loads of posts just like this, i am a freshman in high school and have just started PV'n this week, eversince XC season i have been reading and watching PV videos in the interest in doing it someday, the first time i ever did it i was already better than alot of the kids because i had a slight understanding of the technique. but i'm having a problem actually getting the technique, i'm not at the top of the pole yet (135lb pole about 12ft high) i am a good torso length away form the top. I think i'm going over too fast to even get any part in except the drive. Is this because i'm not at the top of the pole? if so what let's me know i should go higher? so far all we have been doing is planting and training on twisting the hips and landing facing where we came from. please help me figure out what i am doing wrong. I have acces to a rope in my backyard that i can do drills on, any certain things i can do on it to help me train, right now i am getting NO bend in the pole, i know it's possible to clear heights with no bend BUT can you do it when your not at the top of the pole? i think i just have to work my way up it, am i right?

if you read all that thankyou for being pateint and i look forwards to your comments.

[achtungpv]

Don't try to bend the pole. As your technique gets better, the pole will start to bend.

Since you're not bending the pole, if you are hitting the bar on the way up with the standards all the way back, raise your grip 1" at a time until you can clear the bar. When adjusting your standards, I'd never bring them closer than 20", preferably no closer than 24".

[vault3rb0y]

Plus it might be hard to avoid if you coach is making you do it, but at this point you shouldnt be too concerned with turning and ending while facing the way you came. Instead focus on getting your feet and legs aimed as high as you can, as im sure you have already seen in a lot of pole vault videos. The turn will come automatically if you do this right. Welcome to vaulting and good luck!! If you have any specific technique problem you can use the search feature on here and find almost anything!

[Pole_vault'n]

Yeah actually we got the standards up today and on my 3rd attempt i cleared 8ft 6' so i'm pretty excited since alot of the other events i do i don't shine in.... is 8'6" good for first time?

[theczar]

the lower you hold the quicker the pole will move and consequently the higher you hold the slower the pole will move (when stiff poleing anyway). So do as stated above, slowly move your grip up until the timing works out.

[highhopes]

Don’t even worry about your turn. I can strait pole 11’ with no turn holding at 12’. Don’t even worry about bending it will come in time as you work your way up the pole and your technique becomes better.

[Pole_vault'n]

OK guys, it happened, i got good coaching and for one day,and i got bend...

ALOT of bend, i meen i didn't even know i was capabale of that, it turned out i was actually holding to close together, right when i held farther apart my left arm got stiffer when i planted and i got ALOT of bend. I can't wait until tomoro at practice i can vault all day. I'm overwhelmed with joy and have a whole new outlook on PV'n. I just signed up for a clinic in Rhode island so thanks for all the adivice guys! btw, i still have crappy pull turn and what not but now since i'm actually planting right, it's like a whole new world has opened up!

[powerplant42]

Make sure you aren't blocking with your bottom arm, which forces the pole to bend. What I mean by blocking is locking out your bottom arm at take-off in order to push the middle of the pole into bending. DO NOT do this. (MANY COACHES PROMOTE THIS: BEWARE!) I used to do this until I found out that it's counterproductive... It stops you on the runway and will jerk you off of the ground. This is dangerous, as you most likely will end up stalling and falling, not rotating the pole into the pit. You very may well not land in the pit at all if you do this, instead in the box, on the base of a standard, etc. You should have very little or no bend in any pole at take-off. (A free take-off/pre-jump) Focus on pushing the pole upward and forward at take-off, to ensure that there is enough energy to get you into the pit. Your top hand should do most of the work, but your bottom arm should be pushing slightly, with the elbow pointing outwards. This gets the pole really moving, and allows you to flex in effectively with your bottom arm soon after follow-through. The pole's speed past take-off is extremely important to the vault's outcome!

If your pole size, grip height, approach, plant, take-off, and follow-through are correct, your pole should bend. However, no correct weight pole should bend as much as a full approach vault, or even at all from a short 4 or 5 step run-up, especially for a beginning vaulter. Don't focus on the pole bend, it will happen if you do everything that you need to do correctly.
Anyways, good luck!