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Okay, so me and this other girl just started vaulting this year. Her pr is 7 ft. Mine is 7'6 and I know I can get 8. So tell me why is she learning to bend the pole? See, today at practice I moved my hand grip up a little and I'm just doing little pop ups to at least 7 ft! She's getting maybe to 6. So the coaches are telling me to kick and I'm double footing or legging or something so I move my handgrip down. After I go up and do a pop up my coach is like 'better'. Have I not been doing this for at least a month? So after that she's up there and they're lifting her up to bend the pole or something and I'm like no big deal. So other people go, she goes and then they're teaching her to do back flips and crap. By that time I'm just sitting in the grass thinking whatever, they can teach her whatever.
My problem:
Why is it after she gets front page for making first place (6'6 and I had just run a 4x1) suddenly she's the best pole vaulter alive? It's not like she has better form then me, they said we're sliding around the pole the same ways. And I'm getting higher heights then her anyway. Then when they're trying to teach her she's like 'this is too much! blah blah blah' at least I listen and do what they tell me to do and not complain.
I don't know, maybe this was just stupid and I'm jsut jealous but I can't find one reason that they'd start teaching her how to bend the pole before me.

and you know, the coach drove up beside me and said 'remember everything i told you now...' i just look at him like what are you talking about, all you showed how to do stuff was little miss i have add and i have a big butt to show to the world.
whatever, I cried. I'll just show them I can get over 8 ft without bending the pole.

Stuff happens babe, you'll see stuff like this happen alot. You just gotta get over it and do better next time.

Don't obsess about bending the pole. It will happen. Start from a short run, and a low grip, and gradually move the grip up and the run back. You will start bending the pole.

yeah, the pole bends when other thigns are done right, so work allot on your plant!!! And try not to worry about other vaulters, your jumping against the BAR, not a teamate, think of it that way.

height is not such a big deal when you are learning to bend.. it's the plant that leads to that.. you are probably more athletic than she is.. so you can clear a higher height with less effort. But she may have a better plant then you, which would lead her to learnring to bend first.. ask your coach what she thinks and work on your run and plant.. GOOD LUCK!

I can relate to this frustration. This year my best friend and I first jumped 12' for new PR's, meet records in our classifications and the state lead. We're both in the same vault club (Pole Vault City! ).
My school coach and my club coach have different theories as to how the vault should work so there was some tension. And since I was also getting coaching tips from my club coach during the meet, my school coach quit.

This kind of thing stinks, but you can deal with it. Everyone gets their chance in time. I also think a lot of things like this happen for a reason. My advice is to deal with it the best you can, just don't let it affect your vault. Good luck with it all!

Lori

i nutted myself and PR'd and all i got was a stinkin' ".....and last saturday Chau put his life and future generation on the line for this third place medal."

superchau88 wrote:i nutted myself and PR'd and all i got was a stinkin' ".....and last saturday Chau put his life and future generation on the line for this third place medal."

WHOA...that is LAME...who the hell would say that??

my coach

hey, we have a girl that got 8 feet the last meet, and she doesnt bend the pole.

i agree with mcminkz on not bending till the form is correct. even if that girl was learning to bend the pole before her form was correct, it will be a lot harder for her to get rid of bad habits once they are a part of a normal routine. and don't be jealous of other people, they have their days and u'll get urs. i'd rather fix up little form problems and then hopefully the bend will come naturally.

where are you holding on it? and where is she? the higher to the top you hold it the better the bend will be. and how close your hands are. and your weigh compared to the pole size. many things influence it. bend isn't essential though..... until about 2 weeks ago i could get 10'9" with little to no bend........ what really help me (i assume) was the jump. and i have no form. what i'm saying is.... if you've got the raw talent for it.... it'll kick in. form is overrated . my fat friend who uses a 13'6" pole only holds it half way up but manages to get 8'6" from strength (and not much at that) alone.

don't sweat it...