recenetly started bending, hard times getting vertical

[katiesuisse]

I am a sophomore, I live in Montana, and I am on a 120 11'6 pole. My coach is telling me I need to focus on holding the left arm out a bit longer, and drive more. That I understand, and can work on it. Also he is telling me I need to be able to get to position 1 (right hand to crotch, left hand near chin/ear.) I am having issues getting upside down. I can do a rockback fine, but when i run from my 8 step (87'2) and bend the pole, I can't get to postion 1. So my questions is how can I get to position 1? and my other question is also have a issue with vaulting the bar. If the bar is at 9'6, I jump 9'6 1/2. I don't put my all into each jump, and I cannot break that habit! AH please help (:

[KirkB]

... My coach is telling me I need to focus on holding the left arm out a bit longer, and drive more. That I understand, and can work on it. ...

You can "drive more" without "holding the left arm out a bit longer". Part of your problem inverting might be that you're not SWINGING upside down. But at 9-4, you shouldn't expect much of an inversion or lift anyway.

Focus on the BOTTOM HALF of your vault ... including your pole drop, plant, and takeoff ... and DON'T try to bend the pole. When you put enough energy into it with your run, plant, and takeoff, it will bend ... don't worry.

The higher you vault, the less you'll look at the bar. This will also come in due time ... but meanwhile, you should just focus on your technique, and ignore the bar.

Kirk

[Jungm1420]

Agreed. Focus on the ground work of the vault. Improve running technique all the way to your take off. The top end of your vault will get better almost atomatically with the improvement on the ground. I went from jumping 10' to 13'6 this season and i did no work hardly on the top half of my vault. The vault is about 90% about the run, plant, and take off. About anybody who is considered in shape or fit can swing upside down just fine. But using the pole you have to do everything up to that point correctly.