rockup

[masilva]

ok, so im a sophmore in high school, and im tired of being mediocre, i want to be better, great even, and ive been putting in the time. i have a 10 step run, or 5 lefts. even time in plant and rock up, i spin around the pole and land on my back, instead of pulling up and turning to land on my back. this is really preventing me from jumping to new heights. i am 5'9" 150, jumping on a 130, 11' Skypole, any ideas?

[Jay]

First off I think you should be jumping on a higher weighted pole. 20 pounds over is pretty dangerous especially when you start bending, it could break pretty easily. Plus it sounds like you need to focus on the basics of polevaulting so get a pole that is over your weight so you can still pole and get down the technique. Believe me, it helps. I didnt think anything good of it could come but i did it and boom, results were pretty drastic.

Ps: Kirk and others are gunna need more info, How high you are jumping, your mark, pr, etc.

[souleman]

Yep! Read threads by andy94566 and follow the advice I've given him there. You might be holding too high for your ability. In most cases with newer vaulters a lower grip will produce a higher jump. The bottom line is (especially if you're new at this) is that you ARE going to be mediocre at this for sometime. Mentally you have to be a sponge and keep yourself in the "I'm just damn glad to be here" mode. One thing you have to absolutely remember. All of the information about this event that you can squeeze into your brain will not help your body jump any higher. The drills on Butler's video have to be done every day. Total reps need to be in the 100's and 1000's to have any effect. If you want it and are willing to put in the effort to get there it will come. Most importantly you have to have patience to let the event come to you in the steps it will take to get it pretty well down. If you are willing, then you WILL be a good vaulter. Good luck to you.............now go read those threads and do the drills. As Red Green would say, "we're pullin' for ya.....we're all in this together". ............Later.............Mike

[masilva]

thanks guys, both of you. this is my second year(maybe i should put this in intermediate) My goal this year is probably 11'6" or 11'9". I've asked my coach if i can move to a bigger pole, like a 12' 6" 140, but he says i need to do more work on the top of the vault, it's just when i try, my body spins around the pole. My highest jump this year has been 9'6", maybe 10' with a bungee, but my fellow teammate has been coaching me through this, saying that you have to force yourself to do these things right, and get angry so you can do it. i guess i had most of my answers, just really really needed to hear them. thank you

[KirkB]

The longer you keep your grip down, and the stiffer your pole, the better your technique will be. Once your technique's improved ... substantially ... you can move your grip up ... and bend it more.

You should not be "bending the crap" out of your 11-0 pole with your current technique. Keep your grip under 11, but on a stiffer pole. It's only on a stiffer pole that you'll learn to plant, takeoff, and swing properly. Why plant? Becuz if you bend the crap out of your pole, you can plant low (rather than as high as you can reach ... and then some) and get away with it - cuz the pole will bend ... forgiving you for your sin of being under or planting late.

On the contrary, a stiffer pole will not let you get away with sloppy technique.

Also remember that your lack of fly-away at the top is due to flaws in your technique in the BOTTOM HALF of your vault - plant/takeoff/DOWNswing. Don't look for a miracle up top ... with a full-bending pole. Focus on fixing the BOTTOM half, and the top half will come somewhat miraculously! Really ... you'll be surprised at how easy the top half gets if you solve the bottom half issues! Bubka's a good example of this ... he doesn't have much of a "top half" extension at all ... he does almost all the work in his "bottom half".

I better stop now ... I'm a broken record on this point.

Kirk

[masilva]

Kirk, that was the best anyone has put it for me, probably because of your history in vaulting. so if i get my plant down, along with the other things, then the natural motion of the swing up and turn will come, but i due time, which includes large amounts of practice. i couldn't thank you enough, im really grateful, and ill for sure continue to ask questions on any problems I'm having.

and you weren't a broken record, i needed every bit of that.
silva

[indestructo]

Kirk's right on the money. But my concern is that if you implement what he's telling you on the current pole you are jumping on, you WILL absolutely snap it, especially knowing that you are bending the crap out of it. You are 20 lbs over the weight rating on your pole. You MUST get on a 150 or higher pole. Your coach is making you jump illegally and very dangerously. So my recommendation, scratch that....ORDERS are...

#1 GET A BIGGER, LEGAL POLE
#2 Listen to Kirk. No bend, low grip, work on form
#3 If you haven't changed poles, get on a legal pole!
#4 Become addicted to this site(and all of the information on it) and the drills that are described on this site.

I hope that didn't come across too harsh, but I've had a pretty decent injury due to a pole snapping on me (pole was damaged tho). So I don't want to see that happen to anyone. Avoid risking a pole snap!

Good Luck to ya!

[masilva]

ok, ill try to convince my coach, because i do bend the pole on a 6 step, or short pole drills, at the highest i can reach on the pole. Let's see if i can't go to the 13' 150, but still hold under 11' like Kirk said.

[indestructo]

Bingo!

Let your coach know he's welcome to come on this forum and ask around about the best pole to use if he says no. If he won't allow you to change poles, I'm not sure I'd jump for the guy, as much as that stinks to say. He's putting you in danger of injury or worse.

If I was officiating a meet that you were jumping at, I would DQ the pole on the spot. So its important to resolve this before competition gets into full swing.

[KirkB]

... Keep your grip under 11, but on a stiffer pole. It's only on a stiffer pole that you'll learn to plant, takeoff, and swing properly. ... a stiffer pole will not let you get away with sloppy technique. ...

Kirk's right on the money. But my concern is that if you implement what he's telling you on the current pole you are jumping on, you WILL absolutely snap it, especially knowing that you are bending the crap out of it.

That's why I said he needs a stiffer pole. I guess I should have said it needs to be about 20 pounds stiffer.

Kirk

[indestructo]

Yup, there were at least 2 references to a stiffer pole on here, but I don't think the safety aspect of it was emphasized.

Safety first, then everything else!

[masilva]

ok. i just went to meet yesterday, JV, and starting heigth, 9'0. i missed on all three attempts. i focused on my plant, but whenever i swung up, the problem persisted, and i flagged out, as this one coach said. they say the i don't stay tight to the pole whenever i go up, is this just something you have to force yourself to do? my coach said i could possibly get another 1 1/2 feet if i could stay tight to the pole and turn, what are you're opinions on this besides trying to stiff pole it. oh yea, won't holding low on a pole my weight be dangerous because if you have to work alot harder to get into the pit and if you don't, the pole will spit you back out on the runway? just a little information i came across recently....

Matt