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Ok, I've made it too this stage, but as i am inverted while riding the unbending pole, my legs start to fall away.

I think i'm flexing my back muscles, or I am not pulling through with my heels, but its so hard to maintain that tight position. This is probably an abdominal activity, and a shoulder shrug motion now, right?

Any tips on keeping tight to the pole and making a nice clean vertical pop?
thanks
liz

p.s. If you want to see some clips of my jump to better diagnose, give me your email and i'll send it to you!!

Oh I forgot to read the rules too

I weigh 143lb, approximately

Poles that i'm on:
Warm up poles:
120lb 12'6''
130lb 12'6''
130lb 13'o''

Full Run poles:
135lb 13 ft
140lb 13 ft
and sometimes 145lb 13ft

I grip from 11'6'' to 12'6'' on these poles

I can bench 100lbs finally

keep your ankles dorsiflexed.....point your heals to the sky

You're gripping pretty high for such soft poles compared to your body weight. I can imagine the time it takes the pole to recoil is a little longer than you can stay inverted, and a "pop" on top probably won't happen.

I would suggest the 11'6" grip on your largest pole (13-140) and concentrate on pulling as soon as your hips get above your head. You can still get inverted on the go, but simply getting inverted and waiting on something to happen will result in the problems you're having now.

Try to work on pulling at the top and not rolling off of the top. Your body should only bend chest toward knees and not back towards heels. Hope that makes sense.

Thank you guys for the replies and the pm's, i will definately email out the videos to you, and i have more vaults tomorrow night wich i will be filming, altius, i'll try to post them on the site like you asked,

I really appreciate the help all!!

liz

The terminology you are using, "ride the uncoiling pole" makes me think your overall concept of vaulting may not be correct. You really never want to "ride" the pole. You want to swing on it and time your swing so that the pole moves to vertical at the exact time you complete your swing above the pole.

There, it is as clear as mud.

usually when you flag off at the top (your feet fall away from the pole) its because you aren't getting fully verticle allowing you to stay tight to the pole before you turn and come off the top. Do bubkas you can find the excercise just about anywhere on this website. start out with rings or if you don't have rings then use a chin up/parralel bar with help untill you can do them on your own. This will build the muscles necessary to extend your feet and hips verticle after the rockback.

Barto wrote:The terminology you are using, "ride the uncoiling pole" makes me think your overall concept of vaulting may not be correct. You really never want to "ride" the pole. You want to swing on it and time your swing so that the pole moves to vertical at the exact time you complete your swing above the pole.

There, it is as clear as mud.

I watch her at practice every day, and she pretty much has to "ride" the poles. They are VERY slow when she vaults......she has started to jump off the ground which has helped tremendously, but she still has to spend time waiting.

I guess the first question would be. Does she lock out the bottom arm?

she has a decent plant.....not all the way out, but she keeps it where she has it throughout the vault....the plant doesn't cause her elbow to bend.

Ok all, i've sent out the emails of clips, anybody want a stab at it please be my guest!!

And for the record, yeah i don't block with my bottom arm, i might be slightly under from time to time, i am finally learning how to jump up and over the pit rather than taking off flat. And i am trying to aggressively row my arms while extending a straight trail leg about 85% of the time i think
Oh and also, I think I have a slight bend in my top arm at the moment of take off, which i do straigten complete right after the initial pole tip contact with the box

izzystikchik wrote: And i am trying to aggressively row my arms

AAAAGGGHHHH!!!!