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This was my last competition for the summer. Although I for the most part know what I'm doing right and wrong, I would like to hear some outside opinions on some things to focus on this summer. Stats: Height: 5'6" Weight:145 Poles: 14' 175 spirit, 15' 160 spirit holding 14', 15' 165 spirit holding 14'. The clearances are 14' and 14'6" with the next three heights being 15' and the last 15'6"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpCmXPk ... ure=relmfu
follow the annotations for the rest of the jumps

you got a bit of what I called 'short pole syndrom'. Really easy to get when going from 14's to 15's. Basically, you start tucking your swing leg into your body to get back faster. You, me, anybody, has to do this on shorter poles (13',14') or they will unbend on you. On longer poles (15'+), you have to have more patience and allow your self to swing all the way through. Once you start tucking that leg into your body, the poles going to start to unbend. You can tell this in the videos real easily by noting that when your leg tucks in, the pole starts lifting you VERY quickly, especially before your hips come up. With a longer, stronger, straighter swing, you'll keep your body and the pole moving (and actually swing your WHOLE body faster, not jsut your foot) and get yourself in better position to REALLY get tossed (annnd get on bigger poles)
So, to get more out of those longer poles: Focus on swinging long and low (swing down like a gymnist on the bars or rings), and really learn to be patient. Work this especially on your straight pole drills (easiest place to work stuff).
Good Luck!
Oh, and don't put "I know what I'm doing wrong" or no one will tell you what your doing wrong

I'd say the first thing I would do is lose the head band and then I would find a new pair of shorts. But surely you new that as you know what you are doing wrong....right? Happy vaulting!

Well all jesting aside........I wold lose the skip step that is a reciope for inconsitency in your run. Jump mechanics are really pretty good but another observation your grip spacing appears to be very wide. I would try to close that up more lke 22" 23" it looked to be about 26" to 28" from the video angle. That would allow you to pull through and keep pressure on the pole throughout and get more from the top end. Just my two cents.

I'm not sure why I said I know what I'm doing right and wrong, because although I know some of my mistakes, I am definitely more in the shallow end of the knowledge pool. Thank you for the responses, I will definitely use your input! And vaultman18, I happen to love my headband, it was given to my by someone special, and as for the shorts, when i ordered them I had no idea they would be that short, but I will have you know that a multitude of people complimented me on my outfit! (and then turned around to laugh at me)

Well...................if you jump high enough everyone stops laughing

Okay Vaultdawg I retract my statement about the headband but the shorts are too much. They make it hard for me to even watch the video's . But seriously the skip step should be eliminated if possible. Your main problem is in your plant my friend...it is really late. The purpose of the plant is to put the pole in position for take off but you are plant and take off are overlapped. So neither of those two crucial elements of your vault are not very good or at least not as good as the should/could be. It appears the you handle it pretty well on short poles but as you move up it really starts to take its toll. Hope you can get that worked out and glad you have a sense of humor. Good luck!

Vaultman18: The late plant is something I've brought with me from high school. It has improved a lot from where it was, but starting out I had a good strength to body size ratio, allowing me to handle the late plants by flat out just muscling the pole. I wish I had some video of different days, as during the street vault, the longer I vaulted, the further back my step would move (due to increasing winds, becoming looser, lengthening strides) and it kept putting me slightly under, where as normally I like to be anywhere from 3-6" out. When I manage to hit the timing right, the plant is tall (well, tall in relation to me) and pushed up over my head, but even on my best jumps, I still have noticed (more from video than from feeling it) that I am off on the timing. And as for the skip step, literally the only reason I do it is for confidence. I struggled with vaulter's block towards the end of my freshman/into my sophomore year. It makes me feel like I have a bit extra speed at the end, although mainly I only have extra speed throughout my first several steps. It's literally begging to be the cause of inconsistencies down the runway, and, hopefully quickly once school starts again, I will remove it when I feel I have my confidence back. So back to the plant. Is there anything more I should be doing runway wise in terms of pole carry to put me in a better position for a well-timed plant?

Well yes for sure your plant needs to be earlier. What I mean is the plant should be done high and pushing up through your shoulders almost a full stride before takeoff. So between your penultimate stride and the actual takeoff foot impact the pole should be as high as possible and that last shorter stride will then be useful for an immediate up impulse. You must get the last step "down" quickly in order to go up quickly. That is one of the most critical aspects of good jumping. The last steps should be quick quick quick. Shorter and higher frequency than any of the other strides. Doing that and finishing your plant early will give greater energy input into the pole and will allow for a more out takeoff

I do believe there is a misconception about the plant. Just putting it up over your head as high as possible is not optimal.

fishman4god wrote:So between your penultimate stride and the actual takeoff foot impact the pole should be as high as possible

I do not believe this to be true. I do believe the bottom arm should be fully extended as far from the body as possible. The top hand should be just above and in front of the forehead.
This placement of the pole and hands puts the vaulter in position to take off and allows space for the vaulter to jump up and through during the takeoff. During the take-off is when the top hand is driven up over the head. I believe it is called growing through the take off.