SOFT SIDE, PREBEND, FLEX SIDE??????

[Bruce Caldwell]

SOFT SIDE, PREBEND, FLEX SIDE?????? Secrets revealed

I am sure most of you wonder what it all means this might help clarify.

In this post we will be talking about three things:
1. Soft Side
2. Flex Side
3. Prebend or natural curve

All vaulting poles have a soft side and a natural or prebend curve to them.
Manufacturers are about 99.5% in lining those up together. Sometimes .5 % of the time they do not and you get a twister.
If you get a twister contact the manufacturer, however it is very rare if they have calculated the pattern soft side like we do and line it up in the oven with the prebend curve. Some manufacturers do not allow the pole to sag in the oven which allows them no prebend and more control of the two occurrences.

A. To determine the prebend or natural curve of the pole, let the pole rest on a bench or in your hand. The pole will rotate down to the ground this is the side that must be towards the pit when vaulting curved away from you at the plant.
To help explain this:
A curved or prebend pole is easier to bend at the moment of the plant than that of a straight pole. While in some cases you can create a curved pole by planting early and the pole gets a negative bend and flips back at the moment of the plant to help bend the pole smoothly. It is desirable to obtain a complete planting action to place the pole in this position to ease and support the initial bending of the pole. If the plant is with the pole at your ear, you will not get the full benefits of the curved pole affect.

B. To determine the soft side the pole one can slightly flex the pole in the box without the bottom hand pressing, or trial and error in warm up jumps to see the soft side of the pole. ( Do Not Flex the pole in the box with both hands pressing against the pole.) Or look for a magic marker mark on the underside of the pole or on the topside.
To help explain this:
The pole has layers of glass rolled and each side of the pole has different stiffness. The stiff sides of the pole want to bend towards the axis of the two soft sides*

Otherwords if the pole is marked on the backside this is usually the stiffer of the two soft sides. The stiff sides of the pole want to move towards the softest of the two soft sides.. Yes I said there are two soft sides to a pole and if the manufacturer does not get the correct soft side in the calculations you can have a twister.

Two soft sides; Are as follows
· Soft Side is the mark that is towards the vaulter at the plant.
· Flex Side is the one towards the pit.
In reality the flex side is the softer of the two soft sides.

Usually the manufacturer will line the company label in line with the soft side or the flex side.*
Spirit uses the label on the underside of the pole the soft side which should be towards the vaulter at the plant, most all the others a line the label on the top towards the pit which is the flex side of the pole that should be planted towards the pit. read the instructions provided with each pole and all warning labels on the poles before usage!!!!!41