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I know like a long time ago bamboo poles were used instead of fiberglass and sand pits instead of mats. So I have a question, 2 actually...where can I find pictures of people jumping on bamboo poles (for my own sick amusement) and what was so special about the bamboo poles they used...like can I just chop some bamboo from behind my house and jump with it? I know it had a pointy tip, but thats all. Did they even use a box thing back then??

oh, FYI...I want to jump with a bamboo pole! Not in meets or anything, but like in practice to fool around on; we already wear damn helmets so its not THAT big of a risk to fool around on some bamboo...

If you search for pole vault on eBay, there are almost always old pole vault pictures (of bamboo vaulters) for sale. Do that for about a month and save the pictures and you should see a bunch.

I have seen a few bamboo poles... they are thicker than you might think! But I dunno... I don't see why you couldn't try sand vaultng with a piece of bamboo... just wrap some tape around wherever you are going to grip.

Fo_Sheezy wrote:we already wear damn helmets so its not THAT big of a risk to fool around on some bamboo...

That's exactly the wrong attitude to take when vaulting! Just because you are wearing a helmet, you're not invincible. You are still suceptible to injury, just that the likleyhood of you suffering a head trauma injury is decreased.

Interesting history

In 1919 there was a US patent filed for the bamboo vaulting pole. How an organic product got a patent is unusual.

I loved jumping on Bamboo and you use to get them inside the roll of new carpet. I had one that bent just like a fiberglass pole. ON day I really penetrated on the pole, it really was bending and as I continued to use it. I eventually overstressed it and it broke on a jump, the top of the pole stabbed me in the upper lip and today I have to grow a mustache to cover the scar. GRIN

Ha! Thats what I would expect to happen if you used bamboo!