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Ok. so, I've hear different things about this, and seen videos. A lot of good guys that i've watched seem to block with the bottom arm. The girls that i've seen don't. I don't know if it has to do with a strength difference or anything like that. Does blocking really inhibit getting to vertical or not. I tend to block sometimes, and I've been told different things by different people. Some say it's fine as long as you push up others say it's not. Doesn't blocking lead to better penetration, which is a good thing? Also any drills to stop blocking, or to help me block but then "row," would be appreciated.

well blocking to a point is bad.... you have to block a little bit but that is just to get into the pit but if you keep the left arm blocking too long the pole will unbend before you get a chance to get inverted

well, I think that alot of jumpers appear to be blocking, but in fact they're not. The pole is just bending enough so that it allowed their bottom arm to be straight or almost straight.

Blocking prevents you from swinging.

Your penetration is determined by your run, takeoff and plant. Nothing you do in the air contributes to penetration...however, you can do many things in the air to decrease your penetration into the pit.

Blocking also slows rotation, causes the pole to unbend early, and inhibits the existence of any kind of swing. Yet people still swear that a big bottom arm puts you on big poles.....

Blocking is definitely NOT GOOD. Here is a response I put in a previous thread:

The answer is be passive-aggresive with your bottom arm. Don't lock it out and don't let it collapse to your face. Easier said then done of course. Here's a video of the man himself, Bubka, at take-off.

http://users.adelphia.net/~superpipe/Po ... ka_601.mov

Take note in the video how Bubka allows his body to move forward just after take-off. His head is almost right next to his bottom hand ( his bottom arm bends outward and not directly to his face ). This gives him the best possible "C" position for a fast powerful swing. If you block, you will never get a great "C" position, and inturn, never get a fast powerful swing.

I'm not sure of a great drill to train this, but simply working "stay down" drills. Vaulting without swinging through until you get the feeling of how much to let the bottom arm bend outwards without letting it collapse too much.

Straight poling can take away that bottom arm mentality.... Teach someone to straight pole effectively and they will not block

On Takeoff the arms are supposed to be moving up. The hands slow down with the pole, the shoulders keep moving with the hips. Thus, hands overhead and behind, chest and body forward and up. Thus stretch reflex then the swing to handstand keeping the pole as far away from the body as possible.

Rick Baggett
WSTC LLC

"On Takeoff the arms are supposed to be moving up. The hands slow down with the pole, the shoulders keep moving with the hips. Thus, hands overhead and behind, chest and body forward and up. Thus stretch reflex then the swing to handstand keeping the pole as far away from the body as possible."

Rick Baggett

Spot on OCrafty one!! Its all in the videos if you know what to look for.

Blocking in all ways is BAD

Bad Bad Bad......NO Blocking. You can push but NO BLOCKING!!!!!!