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Can someone tell me about the correct strategy for how a coach should react to blow throughs; how do you decide whether to have your vaulter move up a pole or grip higher on the same pole? What are the main points to look for/considerations to make? I understand looking at the degree of the pole bend and how to look for where the vaulter lands in the pit.

I have a 15’+ vaulter who wants to automatically move up a pole when he has a blow through, when to me, it makes more sense to move up his grip. Sometimes my vaulter wants to adjust his technique slightly to take the steam out of his vault. This particular vaulter usually grips about a foot below the top-end of the pole, so there is room to move up a grip or two. I don’t have a confidence in what to insist on so usually defer to what this vaulter wants to do.

Is there a different strategy for a high level of skill vaulter versus a beginner/intermediate?

Has this topic been deal with already in a detailed way? If so, please point me to that discussion. Thanks.

Big bend, moving fast and landing deep= move up a pole

Small bend, moving fast, landing deep = move up a few inches in grip, and if he continues to blow through, then move grip again, and if he still blow through with a bigger bend, move up a pole.

Provided they're not overbending and have good pole speed, I always move grip up first, and if they still blow through with their standards racked at 80, then move up a pole and usually also an inch in grip.

if im blowing through the pole i try to emphasize my jump, thinking about jumping more up then "straight" so to speak. and ill move my grip on the pole down, not up because it makes the pole stiffer.

Luke Pursley wrote:if im blowing through the pole i try to emphasize my jump, thinking about jumping more up then "straight" so to speak. and ill move my grip on the pole down, not up because it makes the pole stiffer.

Please disregard this postand see post immediately before this one. This is how people get hurt.

You might take into account how much a vaulter is pushing off as well. if they jump 15' but only push 8 inches, it might be a good idea to move up a pole as work on correct technique that will result in the correct top end. And vice versa if they jump 15' pushing 30+ inches. Thats a judgement call for the coach, but its something to keep in mind.

Make sure that the "blow through" was done from a proper technical standpoint as well.

Hey that tip came from a great vaulter, not me. Risk of injury is the fun of it. If you emphasize jumping off of the ground it takes stress off of the pole and gives you more up rather that more bend and less up.

It wasn't the jump up part I was referring to. It was the dropping your grip when blowing through part. Not a good idea.

Luke Pursley wrote:Hey that tip came from a great vaulter, not me.

Brad or Brit?

Luke most of the guys on here dont mean to be so mean, its just that the way you were taught is not a safe way of vaulting. I think we would agree that the effort to help is appreciated, but there are some amazing coaches on here and its not a bad idea to learn as much from them by searching for different topics before trying to contribute. I did the same thing you did 2 years back, and eventually i learned not to provide any help unless i know how to present it in a helpful way that is agreed upon in the pole vault community. Even still, if theres hesitation about the correct way in my mind, i try to avoid giving help. But its ok to state the way you do things, and ask if it is the correct way. Then people can give you helpful advice as well. Other than that, try to only give advice if it is a quote from a very knowledgeable resource. But have fun learning on here, its an amazing resource!

Assume that the pole didn't bend. They don't when you do pop-ups from a few steps. Raise your grip a few fists higher than your normal pop-up grip - what happens? You get stood-up or rejected. Lower your grip below your normal pop-up grip - what happens? You go through so fast you can't even finish inverting before you hit the pit.

Raise grip = move slower, land closer to box

Lower grip = move faster, land farther behind box

The same applies to bending poles.

Like a golfer chooses the right club for the conditions, choose the right pole for the conditions. Don't change the jump to fit the pole, choose the pole (and grip) to fit the jump.

Oh i understand completely. But i would like to think that i know alot considering.. Lonestar to answer your question Brit. haha