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I have 2 different people telling me different things. One says I should stay behind the pole as long as I can, and the other says as soon as I plant I should move my arms and swing to vertical. Who is right? And if possible, Why?

well dependign on what each means.

I look at those two statements and I think this.


One stay behind the pole;

well stay behind the top end of the pole, the middle of the pole or the bottom end of the pole. Hmm that seems like a very vaque statement to me. Who knows what your coach is telling you there.


Second move your hands;

This keeps you behind the pole during the entire vault. And applies backwards pressure back towards the runway and not wanted unless you use a tuck and shoot model of loading the pole with a big bottom arm.


Well if I was you I would be very confused as well. Both of these statements are very generic and pointless.


My opinion has been stated; Stay along the pole cord during the enitre vault. If the pole stays straght keep as close to the pole during the entire vault. If it bends stay as close to the imaginary pole cord during the entire vault.

For more information read the novel I wrote in some of the other posts.


As far as moving your hands or not moving your hands. I would say no but than again what model does your coach use. If you don't even know that and he or she can't tell you. Find a new coach. Or have him or her sit down and explain what they want to accomplish in coaching you.

There needs to be more dialogue between coaches and athletes in terms of what model they are using and why.

Your friends should be saying:

"Stay behind the pole while you swing up and move the pole to vertical."

I'm sorta confused by what you mean when you say to stay close to the pole chord. Wouldn't that mean you'd have to swing right off the ground or have virtually no bottom arm and therefore get yanked by the pole?? And which is better technique, staying behind the top, middle, or bottom of the pole?

This becomes the challenge in vaulting.


how do you personal think the pole bends? Do you need to force it to bend or will it bend based on its design.


If you feel the second like I do and your holding high enough for your ability level on the right pole it will bend and you will not eat the pole as you put it.

Yet the invisible pole cord will still be there (the invisible straight line from your top hand to the tip in the box) therefore you will be as close to this invisible pole cord and hte pole will rotate.


If you get to far behind this invisible pole cord (in the direction of the runway) your hands will either slide down the pole OUCH or you will be reject.

Now if you beleive or your coach beleives in the big bottom arm and locking it out. Then you can throw my advice out the window and you want to stay behind the pole and move your hands.


Once again figure out what your coach beleives in and why then you can get help. Otherwise your only going to be confused.

Well I do not believe he believes in the big bottom arm just because he has never told me to do that before. He also keeps saying that you want to try and get inverted as soon as possible after planting, and I dont think you could do that with a big bottom arm (maybe you could, I dont know?). But I don't see how you could accomplish this without moving your arms to your body. I think I will ask him some Qs the next time i see him.