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My first college conference meet. We swept the vault, finishing 1st - 6th for the first time in Lynchburg history (maybe even conference history). I took 4th, on misses

Things were really starting to come together this week. I honestly don't think my take-off was as good in this meet as it was in the practices leading up, but I must have been doing something right to get on that 15' 160 (i'm 5'7 1/2, 130lbs). It's hard to tell from the angle (sorry about that), but it's all I got at the moment (I remember someone else filming from the side, so I'll see if I can track that down)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZsA_EuPLbo

I can't really critique these jumps much because of the angle, but I can give my steps of each jump and where I think I went wrong.

JUMP 1: take-off was at 11' and I was leaning back at take-off. This leads to the bail

JUMP 2: moved the step back 6 inches and tried to really get my feet down and this put my take-off step around 11'9. Bottom arm looks like it collapsed (which is weird cause my bottom arm as been really good lately). Looks like a swing all the way to my hands, but my trail leg doesn't look like it ever straightens out. I think I got anxious and got off the pole too early, before i finished dropping my shoulders and flagged out.

JUMP 3: Moved right to the 15' 155 Pacer. Take-off was around 11'9 and I looked to be jumping up pretty well at take-off. Bottom arm still looks "off" to me though (collapsing). Nice straight swing, all the way to inversion but pole is too soft (causing me to go a bit squirrely on top) and I blow through. Now, what looks weird to me, is that it looks like I fully extend, but i'm flagging out big time. Is that because the pole is too soft?? {shrugs}

JUMP 4: Moved to the big pole...the 15' 160 (once again...I'm 5'7 1/2, 130lbs). Coach advised me to grip 14'1, so I listened. take-off was around 11'6 and bottom arm doesn't appear to collapse AS MUCH, but still looks weak. Doesn't look like I jumped much at take-off either. Once again, I swing all the way to my hands, but my trail-leg never really straightens out. I never actually finished this jump...I really don't know what to say about it either (mostly cause of the angle)...but it gave me A LOT on top.

JUMP 5: take-off was at 11' and I just wasn't as aggressive on this jump (big no-no's on this pole), so I stalled out

JUMP 6: take-off was back around 11'9, and despite the weak bottom arm, I feel I drove in pretty nicely and followed up with a pretty nice swing to inversion. Elbow was really to the inside of the pole (something I haven't been doing lately for some reason), so I'm certainly finishing the vault better than in recent meets. Pole gave me A LOT again, and I clear by a lot. Probably my nicest jump of the night.

JUMP 7: take-off was at 11' so that felt bad, but mostly, I think I was just hesitant on this jump, which led to the stall and flag-out. I swang decently, but it looks like my bottom elbow got stuck on the outside of the pole and I couldn't get inverted all the way because of it.

JUMP 8: over-strided in my run and was leaning back (ouch

JUMP 9: don't know...step was at 11'9. everything looked fine up until the swing to the chord of the pole. {shrugs}

so yea...that pole will be money for me, but I need to be consistent and not over-stride or lean back at take-off. Bottom arm also looked weird, but that might just be the angle; any thoughts?? thanks guys. -6P

Heard a lot about Lynchburg from Mike Parker - hoped to do a clinic there this summer but it fell through -no interest!

altius wrote:Heard a lot about Lynchburg from Mike Parker - hoped to do a clinic there this summer but it fell through -no interest!

I think Parker is the Liberty University Coach. If you want, I would give you my coach's email; he was thinking of doing some clinics with the local high schools, this summer. Either way, I'll probably see you at the iPolevault Clinic in New Jersey. -6P

Hard to tell from the angle, but i can tell you that every time you bailed, your plant was late. Its crucial to get your hands up in time for take off if you want everything else to line up (forward lean, free take off, etc.). Make sure you start your plant sequence between 3-4 steps out and have your hands pressing up and forward at take off. If you try to be too tall, you end up leaning back on your take off (like me). Instead, think about attacking the box with your hands. You should 'feel' the space between your top and bottom arms opening up when you do it right. Don't let your top hand move behind your head until the pole makes contact.

vault3rb0y wrote:Hard to tell from the angle, but i can tell you that every time you bailed, your plant was late. Its crucial to get your hands up in time for take off if you want everything else to line up (forward lean, free take off, etc.). Make sure you start your plant sequence between 3-4 steps out and have your hands pressing up and forward at take off. If you try to be too tall, you end up leaning back on your take off (like me). Instead, think about attacking the box with your hands. You should 'feel' the space between your top and bottom arms opening up when you do it right. Don't let your top hand move behind your head until the pole makes contact.

I can dig that. For my attempts at 15', i felt uncomfortable during the plant and run (not sure why). But it resulted in the late plant, leaning back and hesitation. Perhaps it was just because it was my first real time on a pole that big?? I've been doing all my plant drills with bigger poles, so I'm not sure what made it different. I guess the best thing to fix this is just plenty of run and plant drills this week (and always, for that matter). -6P

PS: what do you think about the bottom arm?? it looks weak and collapsed. You think it's just the angle?? I don't know, it looks from here that I kept getting fiber-faced but I don't know how that could be true while getting on that 15' 160. {shrugs}

On your bottom arm, I think it looks a little weak, but it's mainly the angle to me. that's just my 2 cents. Also, try to drop your shoulders and extend just a little more. It looks like you're getting there but you aren't quite fully dropping and getting straight upside down. Might just be the angle for that one though

xjoeyx wrote:On your bottom arm, I think it looks a little weak, but it's mainly the angle to me. that's just my 2 cents. Also, try to drop your shoulders and extend just a little more. It looks like you're getting there but you aren't quite fully dropping and getting straight upside down. Might just be the angle for that one though

I think you're right on both accounts. I think the bottom arm is weak (weaker than mine usually is) PLUS the angle makes it look even worse. Also, I could certainly extend more, but for whatever reason, my top has been garbage lately, and this was a major improvement from the last couple meets. I'm going in the right direction, so i'm happy, but things can always improve. As far as I'm concerned, as almost always, it's just a matter of doing little drills, over and over and over and over and...(I could go on forever ) -6P

joebro391 wrote:I think you're right on both accounts. I think the bottom arm is weak (weaker than mine usually is) PLUS the angle makes it look even worse. Also, I could certainly extend more, but for whatever reason, my top has been garbage lately, and this was a major improvement from the last couple meets. I'm going in the right direction, so i'm happy, but things can always improve. As far as I'm concerned, as almost always, it's just a matter of doing little drills, over and over and over and over and...(I could go on forever ) -6P

Well that was the first time you really got on that 15' 160. So that's not bad if i do say so myself haha. I think in a few weeks after you get a few more jumps on that pole under your belt it will come together a lot better