PoleVaultPower.com

I don't know if it's because my swing isn't powerful enough or my pole isn't giving me enough energy return, but I noticed (in the video below) on the first jump that my legs just fall away while the pole is unbending.

Any critique as to what I'm doing and should do? Thanks

http://video.tinypic.com/player.php?v=34qogm9

hard angle, i cant tell, do you have a vid of when the camera is near the standards?

nah sorry.

LHS,

looks to me like you are getting yourself into a position where you're ready to jump about a foot higher if you make some adjustments. first off, you need to finish the swing. feel like your hips and butt are above your head. then, you really need to keep moving your top hand until it is in your hip. right now there is some space there. thirdly, you need to 'finish' the jump. drag your top arm through your hips in a pulling motion and try to punch yourself in the chin. right now you are not getting the pulling motion, and your top arm never really bends and pulls. before your turn, you need to pull through your hips, and try to stay tight with your top hand. if you're on a big enough stick at this point, you will feel like someone is pulling your hips up to the ceiling, and you're just guiding your body. hope this helps.

J Coov

jcoover,
Those are good, vivid descriptions of what to think about during the vault. I often flag out though it feels like I have gotten my hips higher than my head. I have only occasionally gotten that feeling of my hips being pulled to the ceiling, and couldn't really pin down what brought it about. I think that moving the top hand until it is in the hip is where I usually fail.

Thanks for the good post!

you are pulling too early, before you are fully inverted. On top of this, there is no trail leg. What you need to think about doing is getting more knee drive, since it almost looks like a double-legged swing, and swing that trail leg mcuh faster. Not earlier, faster. Also keep your hands above your head, not out in front. Once you are as far inverted as your swing is letting you be, only then should you straighten out your body and pull. Keep your feet aimed to the ceiling again by just making sure you are tight to the pole and fully inverted.

In easier to remember terms, swing faster and dont stop swinging until physics MAKES you stop swinging. It will feel like you are doing a backflip if you are far enough back. As for STAYING back, make sure you are letting your hands come above your head because you are blocking out with your hands a little right now too. That means the pole is in front of your body when it should be in line with your body. Hope that makes some sense!

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll have to wait til Saturday to see how I can work things out.

Thanks again.

Here's my 2 cents.
Your pole is not moving to even vertical, look where it ends up.
You have a big bend but don't move the pole with your top hand, staying down on the pole, or with your swing.
I would try lowering your grip just a little and really driving either your leg, or chest off the takeoff, punching your left arm up. That will put you in a better position to utilize the energy.

you are going over in one straight piece. you should try to bend at the hip and pike over the bar
http://www.stabhoch.com/

Looks like you need to keep rowing the pole and start working on your pull through so you can start pushing off, keep the pressure down the pole and through most importantly your core to your heals.

More core strength is always better....

Try and imagine a big hula-hoop above you and try and go up the hoop feet first.

Hope that makes sense...

you should try body building. i trained to be a body builder for two years and it tremendously helped me

please disregard the last post about body bulding....