Bigger poles!

This is a forum to discuss pole vault technique as it relates to intermediate level pole vaulting.
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Mecham
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Unread postby Mecham » Tue Dec 19, 2006 2:45 am

Hey guys I hate to break it to you, but the way you guys are going back and forth is like two people arguing about cheerleading being a sport or not (use to be lots of hot debate at my high school ;) )

I agree with you VTech on bravery, if we werent brave, we would have not started this event in the first place. So of course that is a key component in the vault. I believe that Altius is trying to say that we should worry more about what we are doing in our vault rather than worry about moving up poles. Go easy on him, we all have our opinion.
Just you wait...

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Tim McMichael
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Unread postby Tim McMichael » Tue Dec 19, 2006 1:30 pm

One of the things I tell my vaulters is that nobody jumps high on big poles. They jump high on the right poles. I jumped on the smallest poles by far in any big meet I went to, but they were the right poles for my smaller stature. Kory Tarpening’s poles, for instance, would be monsters to me, but they were just right for his ability. I have never in my life jumped successfully on what I considered a big pole. It may have been bigger than anything I had planted before, but at the moment I pulled it out of the bag, it was the right pole.

I believe that confidence follows technical proficiency, not the other way around. If you know how to really hammer a takeoff, there is no need to be afraid of the next pole up. With proper technique, the vault is completely safe. Good run and takeoff mechanics ensure that nothing bad can happen. A less than perfect plant will result in not being able to swing on the pole. Penetration remains largely unaffected. You always land behind the box.

When this becomes second nature, the size of the pole becomes largely irrelevant (provided you are choosing poles of a reasonable size for your ability). All concentration becomes focused on the requirements of the jump. There is no fear, only excitement and anticipation in preparation for the next attempt. This state of mind cannot be accomplished without rigorous training in the fundamentals of sound technique. Once the fundamentals are established, confidence comes naturally.

When the pole I need to make the next bar stands me up and does not allow me to complete the jump, I take it personally. My only thought is that I am going to time it up on my next attempt and hammer the crap out of it. This is different from what I interpret “nutting upâ€Â

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Unread postby VTechVaulter » Tue Dec 19, 2006 2:24 pm

right i guess confidence is a better word than bravery. theres a girl i know who really worked hard to improve her run, and now shes using bigger poles from 6 lefts than she did last year from 8, but having those poles in her hands scares her a bit and she has trouble taking off. if she would just be confident in herself they would be the RIGHT poles.

well put tim
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Unread postby gtc » Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:29 pm

Well that sums it up.

Perhaps the answer is to develop a new sport called "Nuttin up" in which the participants turn up - are handed a 20 year old 17' / 200 - required to grip at the top, run in and take off. If they run through they are tarred and feathered and run out of the stadium but if they get off the ground they are given the title of "Legend"! The one who can grip highest and land without breaking anything is the winner and is given the title "The Nutter". Naturally the National Champion is "The Supreme Nutter".

Just dont call it "Pole vaulting" because every injury in OUR sport is another nail in the coffin of a great activity, which is already riding the edge in many school disctricts in the USA.


Alan, I was sitting here at my desk giving a physical science exam and I just spit up my coffee on my desk laughing and my kids all just looked at me in horror :eek: That is one of the funnies posts I have read on this board of course I probably have a strange sense of humor.
If you have to "nut up" You probably didn't have any to begin with or you really don't know what you are doing! If the next bigger pole is 10 or 15 lbs bigger you probably ought to move your run up and jump on the smaller one until somebody buy's you the right pole! Not having the right pole is the poorest excuse in the world for doing something Stupid!
"Nut Up" give me a break

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ashcraftpv
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Unread postby ashcraftpv » Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:31 pm

locked....

sorry guys, but this is bordering on becoming a pissing contest, so i'm going to stop it here.
PoleVaultPlanet is coming.....


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