12'7.5 jumps .. any critique would be much appreciated

[PVyeah]

I would really appreciate any help, as my coach is not really a PV coach and I don't get much detailed help on form. I am a junior in college, and I started jumping halfway through my junior season in HS - so this is year 4.5.

In video 1, I am on a 13'7 130 and holding about 12'7. This was our first outdoor meet, and I made 12'7.5" (regional height). In video 2, I am on a 13'7 135 and holding about 12'9. I made 12'7.5"(3.85) again. This past weekend, I was on the 13'7 140, but no one videotaped it. I've been moving poles pretty quickly lately. I know my plant is weak, but I just can't seem to figure it out without someone explaining or helping me. I would really love to jump up and get into the 13's this season, but I know I need to improve my form in order to do that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYgz8u2OaZE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyncMjS_2do

Thank you for any feedback!

PS Things that may help
Height: 5'2
Weight: 122
100m PR: 12.9
200m PR: 26.7
LJ PR: 16'10

[rainbowgirl28]

You're doing a lot of great stuff. You look like you have good body awareness in the air and a natural feel for the swing and turn.

I think you need to get your hands up earlier and faster. You're not quite in position when the pole hits the back of the box and it's putting you in some less than ideal positions.

Do you have a 13' series of poles available? In college you can hold above the weight label. I would be curious to see how you looked holding 12'7-12'9 on a 13'1 pole. The pole is bending pretty low on your jumps because of your takeoff, but I think a shorter pole with the same grip height might be more forgiving.

[VaultPurple]

Im pretty sure your just crunching at the plant. By this I mean your right hand is only a few inches over your head when it hits the back of the box and your bupper body may be crucnched/hunched a little makeing you even shorter. At 5'2 theres not much height to spare. By getting your plant up higher,sooner, it will make you taller at take off and you wont be as under. Your technicaly only under and getting jerked because your hand is so low which lowers angle between pole and ground. So Id just say work on getting hands up faster and really Jumping up and high at the plant to keep from getting yanked at plant by the pole. You could find some simple plant drills on here that can help get you jumping and getting your hand up high. Sand drills work wonders with this when done right http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81rASVhFR4U this guy seems to be doing them basicaly right, as he is jumping high at take off and getting his hands up tall, that should be your main goal right now. But once you do get your hands up high and not being yanked at take off, your going to need a higher hand hold than you have.

just my 2cents

[PVyeah]

Thank you for the quick feedback so far!

Rainbowgirl: Thank you! We do have the entire 13' series from 120 to 145 in 5# increments. I actually still warm up for a couple jumps on the 13'145 before moving to the 13'7. In practice, I can make from about 12'3-12'6 on that pole b/c I feel as if I can actually control it. However, the problem comes in a meet situation. I get pretty amped up and blow right through it at any height past 11'3-11'6. I am holding about 12'4 on that pole due to this blow through problem. Do you think a 150 or 155 would be beneficial at all?

Vaultpurple: I appreciate what both you and rainbow girl said about my plant. Now when I watch the video, I can see that I am almost trying to plant all at once instead of establishing my arms first and then actually JUMPING. I have actually said something like this to my coach before. I feel like I am not jumping, I am just kind of getting pulled off the ground (which is somewhat frustrating to an ex-long jumper). I will show my coach those sand drills and really focus on the plant this week in practice. Also, when I think about the plant should I focus mostly on the top hand reaching high (as opposed to doing anything with the left besides guiding it)? I believe this is partly what you were talking about in fixing the top hand first, but correct me if I am wrong here.

[rainbowgirl28]

Thank you for the quick feedback so far!

Rainbowgirl: Thank you! We do have the entire 13' series from 120 to 145 in 5# increments. I actually still warm up for a couple jumps on the 13'145 before moving to the 13'7. In practice, I can make from about 12'3-12'6 on that pole b/c I feel as if I can actually control it. However, the problem comes in a meet situation. I get pretty amped up and blow right through it at any height past 11'3-11'6. I am holding about 12'4 on that pole due to this blow through problem. Do you think a 150 or 155 would be beneficial at all?

I think if you clean up the takeoff by being taller and jumping up more, the 13'145 would feel less squishy and you could hold a little higher on it, but also you'll be able to grip higher in general and the 13'7 poles will bend better too.

If you had a 13'150 laying around I'd try it, but since you don't, I wouldn't worry about it. You have the speed and explosiveness to grip 13'+ on the 13'7s once you get a better takeoff

[VaultPurple]

Also, when I think about the plant should I focus mostly on the top hand reaching high (as opposed to doing anything with the left besides guiding it)? I believe this is partly what you were talking about in fixing the top hand first, but correct me if I am wrong here.

Exactly! Just jump and reach as high as you can with that right hand like ur trying to touch something high. Left hand is just a guide and serves no real purpose in bending pole except for keeping it from going crazy (ive accualy started pushing the pole and have missed my left hand grabing the pole and still went in and bent the pole fine).

[PVyeah]

Rainbowgirl: A 13'+ grip would be awesome! Hopefully I can try that this weekend if I blow through poles and get my plant going earlier.

Vaultpurple: I did some of the plant drills today on a felt-topped gymnastics mat for resistance (b/c rain + sand don't mix well at all ). I really focused on getting that top arm up and jumping, as well as getting my feet down right underneath me so I was taller at take-off - and it felt great! I was able to move my grip up significantly by the end and felt like I was hitting some good positions. Thanks for the link!

[rainbowgirl28]

Nice job joining the 13 foot club recently