PoleVaultPower.com

http://www.treemo.com/users/snow26/channel/item/73855/

Baltimore County 1a/2a divisional meet 5/3/07
I tied the divison record and my teamate put a foot on it.

Age: 16
Junior HS - MD
Pole : 13' UCS Spirit 130lbs.
Bar 9-6 to 11-0 grip 12' - 12'6''
the box is a little deeper or shallower whichever give more bend
Standards at 32-maximum- the extra bend sent me 10 farther then usual
PR - 10'6'' meet
PR - 11'6'' bungie

I am hitting it on the way up every time

sorry about the angle- stupid freshman

I’m kinda new to pole vaulting only my second year so don’t take what I say as the exact thing to fix because I’m no expert. It looks like you have the same problem that I do so I think your not finishing your vault. You should try to get a little more inverted and get nice and tight to the pole then you will be on top of the bend so you will be able to do a pull push and jump above your hand grip. If your getting super deep in the pit consistently try moving to a stiffer pole of the same length.

Your pole is way too soft, so no matter how much you try to invert or pull, your body will never encounter enough resistance to get you on top of the pole. Maybe if you went slower, but that's not a fix, lol!

what Zodd said. you need a bigger pole. your run is pretty quick, and if you hit it with your bottom arm at take off, you;ll be able to go much higher. and by hitting it at take off, your left arm comes in toward's your face, it should stay out in front of you as much as possible during the first part of your jump. but just a bigger stick, move the standards up a little, and you'll get it...

after your season ends.. you should try to learn to pole vault with out a bend. that is the best way to learn to push above your grip. then start just barely bending a pole, and work your way from there.

you def. have some good speed, but you need a bit more control. the last steps are slow relative your the good speed your bring in the middle. try starting off nice and slow with good high knees, and accelerate through the box!!

def. lots of potential there

thanks guys but there are some problems

What should I use?

the pole i use is a 13' 130 and the next thing i have is a 14' 150 (old and stiff) then a year old 13' 155 skypole, which are softer.

The box here is a little different deeper i think and i get way more bend here than anywhere else. Should i still move up a pole?

I have only been bending the pole really for 2.5 to 3 months so, i've been straight poleing for 2 years, and i could get 10-6 doing that. which is about 6 in over my grip. So what vTech siad is what ive been doing for the past year.

snow26 wrote:thanks guys but there are some problems

What should I use?

the pole i use is a 13' 130 and the next thing i have is a 14' 150 (old and stiff) then a year old 13' 155 skypole, which are softer.

The 13' 155...

snow26 wrote:The box here is a little different deeper i think and i get way more bend here than anywhere else. Should i still move up a pole?

Yes, if possible borrow a pole in between that 130 and 155, or get your coach to buy you one! Nag them until they relent! But in all honesty, judging by your speed and plant, I don't think you should have a problem moving up to that heavier pole. Just go off your normal run (this is important!) and move your hand grip up a fist (also remember to move your step back a fist)... Keep everything the same. You might also want to rest a bit to be fresh when you try it and take only one or two full vaults with that softer pole before moving up...

snow26 wrote:I have only been bending the pole really for 2.5 to 3 months so, i've been straight poleing for 2 years, and i could get 10-6 doing that. which is about 6 in over my grip. So what vTech siad is what ive been doing for the past year.

If that's the case, even if you bend the 13" 155 just a little you should have a good enough of a run and plant (at least you did in your early jumps; the last ones... not so much) to bring it to vertical.

If i were you, if you have no other run, move your grip down 3 inches and move your run up 1 step. That should give you the right amount of speed, and the downgripping will allow you a chance to clear over your hand grip. That pole is too soft, but its a good one for training. Other than that, from the video you are pulling before you are far back enough. You need to come as far back as you can before you try to pull, otherwise its a gauranteed flag out. Also, im not sure how your step was 4 feet out, that kind of sudden change is ridiculous, try to make sure your step is where it should be, and it should never change more than a 6"-1' at a time.

Improve just a couple of things and the stiffer pole will work. You ar blowing through the current pole even though you are collapsing your left arm.

It looks like you could have your take off foot a little bit further out. It should be just under your top hand. You also need to get you plant out about 1 step earlier and get your top hand all the way up. You are currently running under the plant and are being pulled off the ground. This forces you to collapse your left arm. Once you get your plant out and up you will be able to jump off the ground and push the pole with both arms.

Try this a bit on your current pole still holding where you are or maybe a hand higher. If you jump at take off, it actually loads the pole differently Because you are no longer "sitting" on the pole and this pole might just work. If not and you are landing too far to the back of the pit, it's time to grip it and rip it with the new stick!

Good Luck!!

Neutron