PP42's Senior Year Training Blog

[rainbowgirl28]

e as you take off, instead of beneath the pole pushing it up.

Can someone else explain monkey gripping with the bottom hand to PP?

The palm of your bottom hand facing you at takeoff, instead of facing the pit or whatever.

Think of how Derek Miles used to run, except planting like that.

[Thats.What.She.Said]

hey your plant looks just like mine! haha i know that doesnt help at all though...

but what i noticed, and idk if it was true for all of them or just your last jump since it was the only one that the camera caught it well, but it looked like you were striding out that last step, so not getting it down fast at all...possibly being part of why you were so far under?

[powerplant42]

Yeah, my run is a little screwy... The wind had a part in that.

RG - The flex on the 14' 150 was 20.9. The 14' 160 is a Pacer.

Barefoot - Now I know what you're talking about... My hand is definitely a bit too wrapped around the pole at take-off. Plant issues...

[Barefoot]

PP...

So your hand being wrapped may be symptomatic of being under, but likely it is part of the problem. With your hand in that position you can't create space above your head and that effects everything thereafter. Also with the hand wrapped you won't feel how under you really are.

Do your plant motion in slow motion to start your work outs... it might help to close up your grip a bit so you get a better sense of planting really tall with the hand in proper position. Then progress to walking plants... jogging plants... running plants... 3 left jagodins... full run jagodins... full vaults... all focused on the proper plant mechanics.

If I had a dime for everytime a vaulter said they can't swing, invert, or needed a different pole, and the problem was really at the plant... I'd be having my personal assistant type this post from my Chautau in the France Alps.

[powerplant42]

So here's what happened... It's a familiar story.

Things were shaping up, I was starting to improve, and then....... my leg gives out. A few weeks ago it just exploded (out of nowhere) on take-off. I jumped at a few meets, but I only jumped all the way through (until I X'd out) at the last meet I had... Regionals. This was just this past Saturday.

It was actually a strange situation. I didn't know what condition my leg was going to be in. It had been iffy that week (last week), but I was confident. I took a small pole. Mistake.

The Q height for States was 10'10". I figured that if I could just "safety-vault" up until then, I could give it my all and clear (not caring whether or not my leg tweaked at that point). Here's what went down.

I came in at 9'6". X. Sloppy and overly cautious. O. Went to 10'. O. Now, I passed at 10'6" because I figured that I would need to exert a level of energy that I thought might be dangerous/risky for my leg, and clearing 10'6" would not have earned me 4th place (the other way to qualify). So the bar went to 10'10" and I went back to 5 I think. I had another overly cautious vault. Then I manned up and went to 6 and gave my run 90%. I blew through. I pushed the standards back to 30" (they had been at around 25"), and I came in to 5 steps. X. I blew through again.

My downfall was that I was healthy. If I had been in more pain, I would have qualified for States.

How lame a way is that to end a high school career?

But now there's college, a fresh start with a lot more training opportunities and much, much better competition (not to mention medical staff!!!)... I hope that my four years in the D1 collegiate arena will be just a little bit different.

Thanks for everyone's help and support! I'll be asking for it again in just a bit as I start to get ready to train (and maybe jump!) during the summer.

[bel142]

What school you get into?

[powerplant42]

Mount St. Mary's in Emmitsburg, MD.

[ILPV]

question
how are you vaulting at a D1 school with a PR of 12 feet ?

[bel142]

Shot in the dark he will probably do it while being a student there and holding onto a pole... but I'm not sure... I'm not him, but that's how i would probably do it...

[powerplant42]

In all honesty, this school has no business being D1... It's hardly larger than my high school which only has about 1,200 kids. I'm walking on. If I'm not jumping higher, I just won't travel. Not too complicated.

But their men's basketball team qualified for the tournament not too long ago, and there is an alarmingly high number of athletes (percentage wise) from there who have gone on to the Olypmics. They're D1 in every sport they have there (no football team of course...). The conference is not too competetive also.

[rainbowgirl28]

PP, I hate to break it to you, but most colleges don't have much patience with injury-prone walk-ons. I hope you get healthy and stay healthy while you're there.

[powerplant42]

Yes.