The Jitters!?

[jtrouty3]

Hey everyone,
I've been polevaulting for 2 years. I've competed in the state competition twice and placed 5th last year. I took off the winter season to gain my winter fat and I'm eagerley anticipating my next season. My highest jump was 14'. For some odd reason, every time I think about pole vaulting I get this reallllly bad feeling that I'm gonna hurt myself because last year I had a couple of very close calls. I am feeling very weary about the coming season. Does anybody have any tips to shrug off the jitters? Did this happen to anyone else before?

Thanks

[vault3rb0y]

Im having the same problem right now, due to some performances the past weeks. The best thing to do is realize you are going to take things slow and controlled, and that its actually really hard to hurt yourself if you know what you are doing, as i assume you do, having jumped 14'. Think about what it is that you are truly worried about, and write it down. Decide whether its rational based on past performances. Were these close calls flukes because you werent thinking? Most likely. Focus on the good jumps, and try to think positive. You are more likely to get hurt if you dont have confidence in yourself, because you will hesitate. Everyone gets the jitters at some point for certain reasons, and its all pyschological. As soon as you start vaulting on a soft pole you will realize how irrational, however normal, that thinking is. Something that might help you, that helped me, is some of the info on this site. Its got a lot of info on sports psychology and stress management, pretty cool stuff! But yea man, we all get the jitters, and once you start vaulting it will all go away, you will be fine!! remember that you control the pole, it doesnt control you. Everything that happens, you have control of.

[jtrouty3]

thanks man, your advice helps alot, you should be a psycologist

[theczar]

I just stop thinking alltogether. It seems to solve every problem....

[vault3rb0y]

LOL ive definitely realized theres two kinds of good vaulters psychologically. Those who dont analyze as much, and therefore dont have any real worries when they vault, because they dont think about everything bad that might happen when they vault. Then there are those that analyze a ton, but analyze how to get better....not how bad they did. Both types of people think positive, and i think thats pretty much necessary to jump high!! and the more you jump high, the more positive you will be thinking. Its just hard to get that initial positive feeling. Personally, im pretty nervous for the state meet this weekend, but thats actually good. Theres a difference between nerves and anxiety... When you come into a meet you shouldnt feel like you just want to die and never vault, thats anxiety. But at the same time, you should feel some adrenaline rushes when you think about what you are going to do- and possibly might do something you've never done before, ie. PR. Thats being nervous, and the way one of my friends puts it, "I never want to be NOT nervous coming into a meet". Nerves make you concentrate, focus on your performance, and make the success you feel afterwords unmeasurably better! I might be rambling, but im about to leave for the state meet, so some of this is probably pre-meet nerves talking . Anyways, dont be afraid of your nerves, embrace them!! Then realize that at the end of the day you are going to start the process of training for that next meet all over again, whether you PR or no hieght. Good luck!

[vault3rb0y]

thanks man, your advice helps alot, you should be a psycologist

LOL well id like to get into some sports psychology and take some classes on it at some point, it really interests me.

[SinCity]

jtrouty- Some good tips for when your a little nervous are to do some really short runs (2,4,6 step)and work on plant, takeoff and pole speed landing in the middle of the mat. Then as you get more confidence and are moving the pole the vericle well, raise your grip fist by fist and as your approach gets more aggressive, your plant gets earlier and your pole speed increases so will your confidence.

[PV4Free]

jtrouty3,

What school do you go to? I was at the PIAA Championships last year and i thought knew every D11 vaulter there, at least the AAA guys.

BTW i go to East Stroudsburg South, hopefully i'll see you at some invites this spring!

[captainfalcon43]

If you need something to think about, then think about running well and sticking the takeoff.