you know what i hate

[gUnitSoldier]

i hate the fact that there is so much ignorance in our sport. at my district meet the weather was a bit chilly, 55 degrees, so this kid decides that his pole needs to be "warmed" up. so this dushebag walks up to the box and starts bending the s*** out of the pole, i mean like 160 degrees, no word of lie. i got the hell out of there and all you hear is SNAP! and some innocent vaulter just standing there gets hit in the leg by a piece and he couldnt compete. why dont kids know that you dont have to flex your pole in the box, its not the pole thats not warmed up, its your body!

[Bruce Caldwell]

This is an urban legend you cannot warm your pole up. You can break it or you can over stress it and then break it on the next couple of vaults.
It is for this reason the manufacturers cannot guarantee the poles.
The top 30 some odd inches of most poles is not as thick of a wall as the rest of the pole.
Please do not flex the pole in the box it will pop the top off.