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ok im a first-year vaulter trying to make the transition from a 13-150 pole to a 14-155 pole. the problem im getting is that i stall out at every attempt on the 14-155, but then every time i jump with th 13-150, i blow right through it. i think part of the problem is psychological. i think what is happening is that i slow down in my final 1 or 2 steps. is there something i can do to overcome this?

I have just about the same exact problem. However in my case it is due to the fact that I still try to take off from the same place as with a 13' pole, so I am under by abuot 1.5 - 2 feet. You may be interested in checking out how far under you may be, as this can cause the stalling you are talking about.

A nice drill that I am starting to work on is to do pole runs/plants into a sliding box. I happen to like this drill because it allows you to do everything on the ground exactly as you would in a full jump. In my case it will help get me used to planting at the correct distance from the box, and in your case it can help you gain confidence in your run and straighten out your steps.

moving from a 13 150 to a 14 155 is a pretty big jump. the 155 is about equivalent to a 13 165. The other think to take into consideration is how much higher you are holding in the 14'. You shoul dnot have raised your grip much, if at all. Make sure you are holding at the same height on the 14' as your were on the 13'. If you've got a stiffer 13', i'd use that, or a smaller 14', like a 14' 145 or 150. If not, then you're in a tough spot.....