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I just got back from my third meet and only got 7 feet. My PR is 8' 6" and I don't know why I managed to get such a low height.
Luckily, I managed to get some good things out of this meet since I kinda know what my problems were
I have a really hard time getting fully inverted and vertical, remembering to eep my trail leg long and straight with a full swing, trying to touch the top of my pole with my feet at the end of the swing, looking at the pole, and not knowing what to do with my hands during the vault.
CAn anyone help me??!?!?

Keep the hands going up. That will aid in getting the inversion accomplished. On a jump of 7 to 9 feet you won't get completely inverted. There just isn't enough time. Per the mid mark chart, an 8' 6" clearance requires a 10' 2" grip (from the bottom of the pole). That said, if you were to mark your pole there and put it up against the crossbar you would see that the grip is higher than the bar itself. Therefore a total inversion is not required for that jump. Ask someone where your top hand is at at the moment of planting and take off. My guess it's behind your body (or behind your head away from the pit) . It should be right above and a little forward of your forehead. The mental picture here is a 1 X 4 is screwed into your forehead going straight up. You don't want the pole to pass behind the 1 X 4. Also at take of you want to be jumping up. Find out what you are doing pretty well in your overall jump. Use that as a starting point and then work on the 2 technical aspects just prior to that part of the jump. It'll come, just remember you're new and it will take time to get it nailed down. Later................Mike