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zack wrote:It seems to me like you wouldn't be able to quite run as fast as normal because one arm is holding the pole and the other is moving.

Hey Zack I just thought that I would write you and tell you A.) We are going to be going head to head against each other this year. and B.) I tend to run with my pole on the ground and it only throws my step off bye about 2 inches. Maybe i am just lucky.

B.) I tend to run with my pole on the ground and it only throws my step off bye about 2 inches. Maybe i am just lucky.

Since when?[/quote]

I don't know I've never actually tried it from farther then about 37 feet. Anyways are we in the same conference?

hey ya'll, being able to pump that free arm when you push actually allows you to generate more speed and stride length. my aproach backed up considerably as well as sped up. plus I was in a better position at take-off to jump off the ground, lo and behold, my grip went up too.

I would think that the shorter the pole or actually - closer to vertical it is the harder to use this method - I do see it in warm-ups more and more - even at HS level - I couldn't use it in the backyard - one of the boxers likes to grab the pole tip and wrestle -

I would think that the shorter the pole or actually - closer to vertical it is the harder to use this method -

I think I see where you're comin' from here D-mouse. the greater the angle to the ground, the more the pole will want to "bite" into the runway, more friction ect.

my only suggestion would be that pole length is typically a function of the height (and abilities) of the vaulter. so just as a tall jumper uses a longer pole, a shorter vaulter usually uses shorter poles. i don't know if this height difference is enough to account for the length of pole difference, but i would guess that the angle of the pole being pushed would be similar for both vaulter stereotypes. I'm sure there is a point where to great an angle will detract form the push, but i haven't found that angle. i've pushed from 2 steps, all the way back to 16.

i went to this pv. clinic the other day and just to make my coach happy i carried the pole and everything and my plant was fine and so was my run but i wasn't getting the height that i could normally get. and i want to carry it at the next meet so that maybe my coach will watch me and so that the meet officials won't bother me but i am afraid that if i do, i will not get any height because i can not practice this meathod. the meet is in two weeks and i can't practice because of the no mat problem so what should i do? i really am stuck. it all stems from not having mats to practice w/.

oh yeah, and are there any kind of articles on pole vaulters who have (succesfully) pushed their poles and gotten high? i want to show my coach that even if i don't use that meathod that it's not a bad thing because he is in the dark and keeps telling me "we gotta break you in on carrying the pole" ( ha! like i've never done it before!) and says this a lot " you have to stop pushing the pole becuase it's never going to work when you want to get really high". so is there anything out there about this uh...technuiqe? thanks!

I seem to recall Tye telling me he made 18'9 pushing the pole. I guess that is proof it can work.

SWTV is right, I jumped 5.70 (18'9") pushing. I haven't come across any written research on the subject, although, i haven't looked real hard. If you come across anything, let me know.

i can beleive it (becuase i can def. get high w/ this meathod) but my coach probably won't.

pvgirl,

I think you should keep pushing. It sounds like it is working for you. As the old saying goes "if it aint broke dont fix it!" I have spoken to alot of coaches, and many are very set in their ways. I think he needs to understand that there is more than one way to pole vault. For instance, things that Stavey Dragila does on the pole might not work for you, or anyone else for that matter. If it is working for you I would keep it up. There is no reason for it not to work. I have seen alot of kris' club members push the pole with a great deal of success and virtually no down sides. As he stated before, many of them jump substantially higher pushing than carrying. In fact, I have wanted to try it also, But quite frankly the thought of holding higher than 13 feet while sliding a pole scares the s*** out of me. I can vault well left-handed though! Now I'm rambling. I hope you can keep doing what is working.

GF