HOW HIGH....

[hallvaulter]

yes, i agree that you should work on technique before moving to bigger poles, but there is a point in time when you need a bigger pole, speed, generates a lot of power, a fast vaulter will be able to fly over the sail piece of a small pole, but if he uses a longer pole it will slow his vault down. look at jordan scott, tall kid with long levers, he jumps on 16' poles, and i think he is like 6'3'' ish, but he jumped 17'1.5'', just my thoughts

[achtungpv]

I think Barto is correct. For a beginner, 8'-9' would be very good. It's a different ballgame when an experienced vaulter drops down to a 10' pole to see what they can clear.

For example, I've seen a 17' vaulter clear 15' on a 13' pole. No one who jumps on 13' poles as their normal length is going to clear anything near that.

[souleman]

This is where DJ's mid mark chart comes in to play. According to the chart with a 12 foot pole, figuring your maximum top hand placement will be 4 inches from the top of the pole or a hand hold of 11'8", you should be able to clear 11'. If you are jumping 8' right now with that pole, a couple of things to look at would be where your mid mark is ( it should be at 33' from the box backboard) and your take off mark shouldn't be any closer than 6'8" from the backboard.Your hand hold should be at 9'10". Bubba has his vaulters play a game called "face your demons". It's totally based on DJ's six stride mark and corresponding grip chart. He explains it on his website at www.bubbapv.com . When I get back to vaulting I am going to "play the game" to get my mechanics of run up and plant down. As to your original question? Stay with that pole till you can hold at 11'8", jump 11', and you're taking off no closer than 8'8" from the backboard. Later.......... Mike

[lonestar]

This is where DJ's mid mark chart comes in to play. According to the chart with a 12 foot pole, figuring your maximum top hand placement will be 4 inches from the top of the pole or a hand hold of 11'8", you should be able to clear 11'. If you are jumping 8' right now with that pole, a couple of things to look at would be where your mid mark is ( it should be at 33' from the box backboard) and your take off mark shouldn't be any closer than 6'8" from the backboard.Your hand hold should be at 9'10". Bubba has his vaulters play a game called "face your demons". It's totally based on DJ's six stride mark and corresponding grip chart. He explains it on his website at www.bubbapv.com . When I get back to vaulting I am going to "play the game" to get my mechanics of run up and plant down. As to your original question? Stay with that pole till you can hold at 11'8", jump 11', and you're taking off no closer than 8'8" from the backboard. Later.......... Mike

Good advice. The only negotiable part of using the chart is the takeoff point (and I'm sure DJ will disagree with me here). Those takeoff points are accurate if you're 6'0 tall for a plumb takeoff, but if you're shorter, you'll be under since your reach height is less and the pole angle is less steep. What we do is check our step to find the accurate plumb takeoff point, and adjust the mid to correspond to the difference. For example, if my athlete is gripping 9'10, should have a mid of 33', and should be taking off at 6'8 according to the chart, let's say that when she checks her step, she really should be at 7'0 (4" further than what the chart says b/c she's short). We simply adjust the mid and starting points so that she hits 33'4 and 7'0 instead of 33'0 and 6'8 - the stride length will be the same as the distance between the mid and takeoff point have not changed, but she'll takeoff on or free instead of under.

[dj]

kris

i agree.. the takeoff distance on the chart are "averages"..

shorter vaulters will be further out.. taller further in..

do exactly what kris said to get it correct...

later

dj

ps.. the mid and grip are the two most important items of data on the chart.. the grip to height jumped is very accurate also but a "seasoned' vaulter can beat the "push off' from a grip and height below there PR.. but at their PR the numbers still will be close...

thanks for using the chart.. i think it will help "progressive' improvement with less trial and error..

[lonestar]

kris

i agree.. the takeoff distance on the chart are "averages"..

shorter vaulters will be further out.. taller further in..

do exactly what kris said to get it correct...

later

dj

ps.. the mid and grip are the two most important items of data on the chart.. the grip to height jumped is very accurate also but a "seasoned' vaulter can beat the "push off' from a grip and height below there PR.. but at their PR the numbers still will be close...

thanks for using the chart.. i think it will help "progressive' improvement with less trial and error..

Awesome! Good to know we're on the same page!

Kris

[Mecham]

I think Barto is correct. For a beginner, 8'-9' would be very good. It's a different ballgame when an experienced vaulter drops down to a 10' pole to see what they can clear.

For example, I've seen a 17' vaulter clear 15' on a 13' pole. No one who jumps on 13' poles as their normal length is going to clear anything near that.

Cough, cough, i would have to disagree... he he

[souleman]

DJ and Lonestar I just have to say,Wonderful! I was wondering about that. I've read over the chart a ton of times, and being the kind of guy who will "dig a hole" if someone points at a shovel and some dirt and says, "dig a hole". So for me, the clarification on the "average" just turned on a 100watt light bulb above my head. Thanks............Mike