broken poles

[qtpie57]

have you guys ever broken a pole? i've never had it happen to me but i'm scared to death that it will happen. Especially after seeing the neovalt video and the cut that the guy got and how he hit the little girl. my coach wanted me to get on a tiny pole that we have (a 10', 85 pound) and break it cuz it would be a good experience for me, but i was too scared. What are your experiences with broken poles?

[vaultguru6]

first off, your coach is an idiot. Breaking a pole that is at or above your weight because it has a nick in it is one thing, breaking a pole b/c it is waaaaay too small for you is another. In the first instance, so long as your take off is sound, you will almost always make pit. in the second instatnce it's a big gamble that you're probably not going to win. You'll sink so much that you won't penetrate. Could be a very good way to end up drinking food through a straw for the rest of your life.

second, if you jump correct and have a good take off, you're not gonna hurt yourself if you break a pole that is big enough for you. Now the guy in the neovault video probably got the cut b/c he's on such a big pole. When the energy stored in a 5 meter pole all releases at once, the vibrations are so great they can rip your skin. Also flying pieces of pole can hit you and break the skin. However, thats usually only a risk you have to take when you get to the level where you can be on some really big sticks. But the serious, life threatening sceneario of landing on your head in the box will be avoided (once again provided the vaulters take off is decent).

[qtpie57]

nah hez not an idiot hez a really smart guy, its just that he knows im really scared of it so he wanted me to break one, its not that small for me, i went on it last month without breaking it, he just thinks i could

[skycock]

nah hez not an idiot hez a really smart guy, its just that he knows im really scared of it so he wanted me to break one, its not that small for me, i went on it last month without breaking it, he just thinks i could

umm...yeah. he's an idiot. there is not a "smart" coach out there who would ever recommend anything of this sort to one of their athletes. ive broken a few poles in my day and it is not a very pleasant surprise-but i was not badly ingured. if you get on a small pole and it snaps-you will probably end up in the box and it will not just be the trainer who is called to tend too you. so-grow a pair or find a new sport~my opinion of course.

[mcminkz05]

i just dont see how itd make sense. your afraid of breaking the pole, so hes tellign you to break one on pourpose, and most likely hurt yourself? yeaaah, thats really gonna make you drop the fear. if you do break a pole while your jumping, itl be totally unexpected, and youll be on your back in the pit before you even know what happened, rather than KNOWING youll be breaking it, (a dumb idea in the fist place) which then youll be scared....so theres really no time to be afraid, so jus dunt even worry about it, itl be over b4 you know it if you break one. And if you hurt yourself, well whatever, you take that risk when you decide to vault in the first place.. remember : NO FEAR!

[qtpie57]

well i asked him if it wuz scary to break one and i was about to jump on the small one so he said are you crazy why are you going on the small pole and i said i wanna see if i can still get on it, and then he was like well you know what maybe you should do it just to break it for the experience i dunno if he really meant it or not though

[KYLE ELLIS]

if you wanna know what it feels like to break a pole just let go with your top hand halfway through your swing.

[PVJunkie]

if you wanna know what it feels like to break a pole just let go with your top hand halfway through your swing.

DO NOT DO THIS............It hurts WAY more than breaking a pole. When a pole breaks all the pieces fly away from you (except maybe one that gives you a whack in the back). If you just let go you knee/chest/face is toast. It is nothing like actually breaking a pole. Neither is any fun but i would rather break than let go.

Broken more than my fair share in 22yrs..........30+ broken poles (got the tops to prove the first 20 or so).

[KYLE ELLIS]

Just joking wasnt serious I let go the other night cause the pre-bend was off so it twisted in my hand. I slipped off floated towards the bar and landed on the mat. Kinda fun. I have slipped off before and had a welp across my back when I was about 13 yrs old, scared to jump for about a month. I figured I would throw my dub comment in

[vaultguru6]

Last year we didn't have a single meet here in Eugene that wasn't in the rain. But of course we jumped in every one anyway. The rain makes you tough. However my first meet in the rain i didn't do such a good job of keeping the pole dry. The grip tape got all wet and I came down the runway on a second attempt at 16', hit a good plant and went to rock back. As soon as my body hit a 45 degree angle, with maximum pressure on my top hand, it slipped right off the pole. I did a one and a half sommersault and landed on the angled part of the pit with the back of my head down about a foot and a half away from the box. Pretty scary. But it pissed me off so much that i went up a pole, to a dry pole, and blew it up on my third attempt.

[vaultdad]

NEVER BREAK A POLE ON PURPOSE UNLESS YOU PLAN ON DOING IT BY RUNNING OVER IT WITH A CAR or a test bench!

There are a number of other methods readily available to do bodily damage to yourself that are less painful, and won't look nearly so stupid to your peers.

As an example, a wood arrow shot from a regular bow flies just fine. But the same arrow shot from a compound bow shatters instantly and usually pierces your grip hand in a number of places (all painful).

It's not fear that makes a good vaulter, it's confidence and knowledge of yourself and your sport, and knowing where the limitations are for your self and your equipment.

Remember, if you think somethings not smart just say it to your self out loud. If it still doesn't sound too smart you may have your answer.

[Robert schmitt]

AH... yeah don't try to break a pole. I have no idea why it would be benificial except to teach you or scare you into some bad habits.

I've broken one pole in my life when my take off was worse than it is now (hard to believe but possible). It wasn't a big deal for me, just landed in the middle of the mat with half the pole in my hand not really knowing what happened. Didn't hurt at all.