PoleVaultPower.com

Okay, so I pole vaulted over the summer. I used a 13' 145 lb pole holding at 11' 6"ish, maybe a 2 or 3 inches higher. Now, indoor is gonna start soon, and I'm not sure what I pole I should be using and where I should be holding at.

When used the 13' 145 lb pole holding at 11'6"ish, I landed in the middle of the pit, maybe a little closer to the box. If I held any higher, I would land close to the box.

I'm about 130 lbs and I'm 5' 8" and a 1/2.

So where should I hold and on what pole?

Would it be possible to hold around 13' or 14'?

Ok so here's the deal. I am a very respected man. The pole you use to pole vault should be proportional to the angle of take off. I have my athletes take off while on the ground holding the pole with all fingers. This is the first step. We do this many times in the grass before we move to the runway. Then, we let it rip.
The size of the pole can be derived from a simple equation that i use. You were on a 13' 145 pole from how many steps? Assuming this you may be able to hold 13' or 14' it will depend on your ability. Much of this will be trial and error, but you should have an expert coach, like me for example, watch and make sure that you are taking off at the specific angle. Hope this helps

well, it was from I believe 4 lefts. Here's a video of me using the pole...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 67&q=ed+oh

Thanks, the video helps a lot. It looks like the pole could bend a little more and you could get some more blow off the top. You shouldnt move up in pole lengths untill you are at the end of your 13' poles, and have gone up through 160lbs or so. When you hold higher and dont get as deep in the pit, it is becasue the angle of take off it slightly lower, and that is just that much more your body has to travel. When holding higher, make sure to continue the swing, you do swing through the bottom very well tho.

If your trying to get on bigger poles, go from either a 6 or 7 stride. it will give you more speed and energy to move to stiffer and longer poles.

So to answer your question, you should not hold that high, untill you can land safely into the middle of the pit consistantly. and that pole looks fine on the bend, just stay with that one, and continue to move up your grip in small increments.
good luck, and keep us posted.

sooch90 wrote:Okay, so I pole vaulted over the summer. I used a 13' 145 lb pole holding at 11' 6"ish, maybe a 2 or 3 inches higher. Now, indoor is gonna start soon, and I'm not sure what I pole I should be using and where I should be holding at.

When used the 13' 145 lb pole holding at 11'6"ish, I landed in the middle of the pit, maybe a little closer to the box. If I held any higher, I would land close to the box.

I'm about 130 lbs and I'm 5' 8" and a 1/2.

So where should I hold and on what pole?

Would it be possible to hold around 13' or 14'?

What have you been doing in the off season that makes you think you will be able to grip 1'6" to 2'6" higher next year?

sooch90 wrote:I'm about 130 lbs and I'm 5' 8" and a 1/2.

That half inch is key

danimal wrote:Much of this will be trial and error, but you should have an expert coach, like me for example, watch and make sure that you are taking off at the specific angle. Hope this helps

Keep in mind these are high school kids whose take off angle may vary drastically each day for almost none to wayy too much. When finding that perfect pole grip for the hieght of an elite vaulter, take off angle should be calculated by an "expert" coach. However in high school i believe it depends much more upon his/her hand position and take off force rather than angle. Dont get me wrong, take-off angle is very important, but for high school kids i dont think it will take an expert coach to help them find where they should be gripping.

rainbowgirl28 wrote:

sooch90 wrote:Okay, so I pole vaulted over the summer. I used a 13' 145 lb pole holding at 11' 6"ish, maybe a 2 or 3 inches higher. Now, indoor is gonna start soon, and I'm not sure what I pole I should be using and where I should be holding at.

When used the 13' 145 lb pole holding at 11'6"ish, I landed in the middle of the pit, maybe a little closer to the box. If I held any higher, I would land close to the box.

I'm about 130 lbs and I'm 5' 8" and a 1/2.

So where should I hold and on what pole?

Would it be possible to hold around 13' or 14'?

What have you been doing in the off season that makes you think you will be able to grip 1'6" to 2'6" higher next year?

Well in the spring I held at 12' on a 130lb 12' pole.
At the time I did not jump into the pole at all. I basically just stick vaulted. However, during the summer I worked on my plant and my swing. I gripped low so I could focus on the swing and other technical issues.

I initially gripped at 11'6" on a 130 lb pole, but I began blowing through that. So I didn't wanna raise my grip, so I moved up poles untill I got to 145lbs.

I did hold at like 12' once during the summer on like a 130 lb pole and I blew through that.




Also to Newpver, I was wondering if I went down and used like maybe a 130 lb pole or a 140 lb pole, how high would I be able to grip it at?



Also to danimal, lol were you being sarcastic? Or is there something important about that 1/2 inch haha

you could grip higher only becuase you would blow through, and it would never really let you experience a vault from that grip. just stick with the pole your on, and slowly rais your grip.

good luck!

newPVer wrote:you could grip higher only becuase you would blow through, and it would never really let you experience a vault from that grip. just stick with the pole your on, and slowly rais your grip.

good luck!

Well what do you mean I wouldn't experience a vault from that grip?

Also, sorry for double posting, but what is all this "angle" stuff? I thought if your steps are on that's good enough? What do you guys mean by having good angle?

We mean the angle of your take off.

Think of a long jumper... who can either jump straight out with no upward movement, having "low take-off angle".

Or he/she can jump 3 feet in the air while moving outward, having a "high take-off angle".

You are looking for a take-off angle that wont be so low as to make the pole do all the work, but you also dont want it so high as to kill any potential energy you have in your run. the ideal take off angle varies from person to person.

Also the take off angle is literally the angle you jump between 0 degrees (literally not leaving the ground and running into the pole) and 90 degrees (standing still and jumping in the air).