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Okay, so I'm a 15 yr vaulter...5'3", about 96-98lb...I have a 11' 110 pole [Skypole ez-plant] My best vault is 6', BUT I've vaulted that 6 times, 3 of which in the past 2 weeks.

I'm trying to figure out how to bend the pole, because I've bent it a LITTLE lately, sometimes, but not much and not often.
I am also trying to figure out how to pull up on the pole, because that would get me up a little higher. I get my legs up, and then nothing.
:S

Just keep working on your overall technique, the bending will happen when you are coming into the box with more aggression and a nice tall plant and takeoff.

Where's your grip? If you're bending it a little right now, maybe give it another 1/2 or 3/4 of a foot before it starts to bend quite a bit. That said, don't force your grip up until you're good enough to do it.

Also, are you getting fully inverted yet? If not, instead of worrying about pulling up on the pole, work on your swing. You will need to be inverted to execute a pull-turn, other wise you will most likely end up doing bad things with your arms like bending them and pulling down during the take off and/or swing.

You need to be fully inverted, legs to the pole and shoulders all the way down. If you're not, you need to work on your swing. If you can't seem to get a powerful straight-leg swing off, chances are; either you need to develop more strength in that area or your takeoff position is bad(or both).

Also, don't worry about bending the pole too much, it will come once you do all the right things.

Birdi, Please don't take this the wrong way and I'm not telling you this to be mean spirited in any way. I've seen your video and bending a pole is the last thing you need to worry about. Frankly, until you start jumping around 10' a pole bend will not (if even then) be much of a factor in your vaulting. As Becca said, that will come. It is not something we actively "do" in the vault. It just happens. I really do like your passion for this event but you're like a kid with a model airplane kit and it's pieces all over the table who wants the model put together NOW without having to do all that's necessary to glue all the little pieces together. Get back to gluing those pieces together and work on the important things in the vault. Good luck and keep at it. Later................Mike

Birdi, Please don't take this the wrong way and I'm not telling you this to be mean spirited in any way

Haha, none taken.
I realized that.

I'm holding at about 8-ish...I think. I havent had a chance to check, though I shall very soon!
[I need to figure out where I hold in case we forget my pole again , to those who have read other messages]

Thanks!
Yeah...I realized that after thinking about it a bit...then couldn't figure out how to delete the post xD

It's just kind of annoying, because I'm stuck at 6'.

According to DJ's chart, that's about right. Roughly an 8' 6" hand grip should yield about a 6 foot clearance. That is of course if your run is right, your 6 step mid is about 29 feet, and your take off point is around 5' 8" out. You're not getting much benefit out of a 6 left approach. I'd like to see a 3 to four left approach,(basically starting at the mid mark on the chart) nice bouncy run, good springy take off and swing with a turn over the bar so you're facing the runway EVERY TIME. How high to put the bungee or bar? About 5 feet for starters will do.4 feet if you can't do it right at 5. I'd like to see you do about a hundred of them too so that going over sitting on the pole with your butt brushing the crossbar would feel so weird to you there is no way you would feel comfortable jumping that way again. Good luck kiddo!..............Mike

I believe I've also suggested bringing your step count in to 4... I guess you haven't done that?

I don't think you've suggested it...and no, I haven't done that.
Nope.
What would that do?
[Just wondering]

birdi_gurlie wrote: ... I'm holding at about 8-ish...I think. I havent had a chance to check, though I shall very soon!
[I need to figure out where I hold in case we forget my pole again , to those who have read other messages]

Birdi, this little gem from Andy might help you to NEVER forget your grip height again. He posted it in the "5'6" - 6'6"; 2nd year vaulting" thread ... in the Video Review forum ... not too long ago ...

Andy_C wrote:P.S. For your little issue with the other pole, Use the "standing grip" trick I explained. Again, place your pole vertically, stand right next to it and grip as high as you can on it with flat feet - this is your standing grip. From here put one hand on top of the other further along your pole and count how many hands it takes for you to get to your grip. Remember this number and you can find your grip on any pole you pick up without needing a measuring tape. It's a standardized way of measuring your grip based on your height, reach and width of your hand. These factors should not experience drastic changes so it's quite accurate. Also, teens who are growing will automatically adjust for their grip since their height and reach are included factors. Hope that helps!

In addition to your standing grip, it will also help if you know EXACTLY how wide each "fist width" is. So count 10 fists down from the top of the pole, then measure that distance. Divide by 10, and that's your EXACT fist width!

Then, instead of saying that you grip "8-ish", you can say that you grip 8-1 EXACTLY! (You just need to know to the nearest inch).

Kirk

Ironically...that was what I was going to do.
See, that's another of my posts
But I'll definitely do that!

By shortening your run to 3 or 4, you will be more under control and waste less energy (in a 'tired' sense, not in a physics sense). You hit top speed in about 4 anyway, right? You do not need a 6 step approach run. I can't believe I haven't mentioned this to you before (but I looked back through our messages and it SEEMS that I haven't). However, I did say to 'go back to basics' (except that's all you should have been working on before), doing 1 steps and 2 steps in the sand.

Where's the video?

I've been swamped with schoolwork.
I MIGHT be able to get it tomorrow...MIGHT.