PoleVaultPower.com

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Your take-off is actually quite astoundingly good... I'm very impressed with it, and I would be impressed still if you had been vaulting for 10+ years! It is an awesome take-off.

It's everything else that needs a lot of work.

I will not lay the entire Petrov model before you, I will simply say a few major things that will help you immediately.

Practice more than an hour a week. You will improve very little if you don't practice much more frequently.
Stay behind the pole.
Plant earlier.
Don't fall out of your take-off position (as in, keep the drive-knee up).
Grip down if your hand is sliding down (although that could be because you don't stay behind the pole).

The biggest one right now is 'stay behind the pole'. You can't swing if you're passing by the pole right after you take-off...

My final two tips: Buy the BTB2 package, and train on the high bar relentlessly.

(And asking how high someone thinks you could go, at this stage especially, is sort of pointless... it's impossible to tell until you go and actually vault. There's really no telling how high you will jump, because you have just started. Beginners typically can clear their height within a few good sessions.)

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http://www.polevaultpower.com/store/ (get the book/DVD combo)

Buy it, read it, watch it, learn it, love it, vault it.

Sounds like 'Technologic', doesn't it!?

Yes, I marvel at your take-off though... What other events or sports do you do?

How much do you weigh?
Do you know any of your standardized 'scores'? (eg. 40 yard dash, flying 20, long jump, 1RM for bench press, squat, etc., stuff like that...)
Do you know what a high bar is? Do you know how to use it to train for the vault?
Do you have a sand pit (for long jump/triple jump) that you can use?
What other poles do you have available to you?
What is your situation with access to a weight room? (I'm just curious on this one... lifting for beginners is not recommended, because it is only about 1/100 as important as technical work. But I would still like to know, because it is not a bad thing to lift if you do it correctly.)
Do you have an indoor season?
How serious are you about vaulting?
What are your goals? Do you even currently have any?
Do you have a training log? How often do you use it? How do you use it?
Is that too many questions!? (16... 17 if you include the last one!)

Also: Filming should be done from 30-50 feet away from the pit, perpendicular to the runway (unless there is a specific reason why it should not be). It is difficult to tell much about the early parts of your vault if you just have the camera pointed at the box. Don't have it pan to much, a little if necessary, but try to keep movement to a minimum. Back up if needed.

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Ah, we have a distance runner on our hands...

The vault and distance running don't mix very well. I gave up distance after Freshman year to vault better.

Do you have access to a weightroom?
Why is there not a sand pit at your track?

Check out http://www.polevaultpower.com/media/vid ... anddrills/ and get back to me about the high bar. I'm curious: can you figure out the most relevant connection between the vault and high bar? (Don't go and research it, I'd like to see what you think.)

Start doing field tests. I can PM you the ones that I do.

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It is much more to develop core strength than upper body. There are only a few excercises there that require any real amount of upper body strength. Abdominal strength is infinitely more important. Also, it is not to get you used to getting 'inverted', it is to get you used to swinging. If you watch 'Swing into Bubka' again, you can simply do the 'swing' part and receive some incredible benefits. The 'tap swing' is the most essential thing to do on the high bar (although, ironically, it is not presented in the media section). The pole is a moving high bar!

Get that sand pit in working order... Dig it up again yourself if you must. It will be essential to developing your vault, especially since you don't have much access to a pit or, much much worse, a track!

Watch the video I just posted. Comment.