Pole Progressions

[jbelokur]

Having attended a rural HS with a very limited selection of poles and an even more limited budget from with which to purchase new poles, the concept of having a number of pole that you progress through in a practice session or meet was completely foreign to me. While I understand that why one might do this, it would seem to me that you would need to increase the amount of jumps you do exponentially the more poles you add. I say this because much of pole vaulting seems to be muscle memory based therefore you would need a significant amount of time developing this MM with each pole. Also, in my experience when I moved from my 12' pole to a 14' pole (I know this is big having read through on this site enough, but I didn't know any better and it was what I had.) I struggled for quite some time with planting under because my brain was telling my body that I wasn't close enough to the box. This resulted in my reaching with my last few steps, which in turn did not allow me to reach vertical until I got this corrected. Is this a problem with vaulters who say in the course of a meet progress from 13'-15' poles? Also, collegially speaking are you allowed to vault on pole rated at a low weight than the vaulter. Because if you follow the Chart that is often sited progressing from a 13'-15' pole would mean in reality that you would be increasing the momentum needed because of the increased length and an additional 20#'s of resistance. ie. a 13' 155 does not equal a 15' 155 but rather a 15' 135. Is this right? I was wondering if someone would mind talking about this subject to bring some clarity?

Thanks,
Josh

[Barefoot]

Josh... you are a FORMER high school vaulter?

In that case there is no rule concerning pole weight ratings.

Just use JJ's relative flex chart and hold at an appropriate height and make sure you're landing deep enough.

A 15 155 is equivalent to a 13 195... or a 13 155 is equal to a 15 115 at same grip heights. Rule of thumb is 20lbs per foot.

[jbelokur]

Thanks for your response, and sorry about not reading the chart correctly it is forty not twenty points for two fee of pole. My my real question deals with why a vaulter would use a selection of pole lengths and weights for a single meet or practice instead of just one.

[Barefoot]

ahhhh... why use different poles...

We use the pole we need, not the pole we think we need.

Here's the simple version...

Say you start on a 13 foot 150 gripping the top... and you start blowing through the pole. Your options are to go to a stiffer 13 foot pole or go to a similarly rated 14 pole (130-135) and raise your grip.

Now say with a raised grip you are overbending and or blowing through the 14 pole... you would move to stiffer (140-145) 14' pole and so on...

The reverse holds true if you are coming up short or getting very little bend and getting rejected... lower grip, or move to a lighter pole, or both.

Remember... you use the right run, right pole, right grip for your ability on any given day and or conditions. You do not want to be coming up short or going out the back of the pit and pole selection plays a part in this equation.

[jbelokur]

So what you are saying is that vaulting is dynamic in that from day to day you will vault differently in some aspects. On a colder day you may not be able to get into a longer or weightyer(sp) pole. While on a hot day you may be blowing right through that same pole. In the first instance you would either need to adjust your hold down, use a shorter pole, or one rated for a lighter weight rating. This I understand. But I have also seen examples of vaulter on this website using three or four different poles in one meet. For example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtGu7Y_wUwE by Polevaulter2012.

Josh

[Barefoot]

I've seen high school kids go through half a dozen poles in a single meet. The norm for many is to use at least a few poles per meet or practice. When these poles are in five pound increments, that's not such a big deal and more like fine tuning.

This is all very different from the olden days when you were lucky to go through 2 or 3 poles in an entire high school career... or one pole in the pre-fiberglass era.

A sure advantage to a good pole series is the vault changes in small increments and is probably much safer than the risks routinely taken 30 years ago when moving to the "next" pole.

[Barefoot]

So what you are saying is that vaulting is dynamic in that from day to day you will vault differently in some aspects. On a colder day you may not be able to get into a longer or weightyer(sp) pole. While on a hot day you may be blowing right through that same pole. In the first instance you would either need to adjust your hold down, use a shorter pole, or one rated for a lighter weight rating. This I understand. But I have also seen examples of vaulter on this website using three or four different poles in one meet. For example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtGu7Y_wUwE by Polevaulter2012.

Josh

PV2012 uses 3 poles in that video and looks to be moving up poles when he is landing very deep in the mats... the poles are five pounds up each time he moves up poles. Once he is hitting deep with the standards at 80 cm, he either has to move up poles (recommended) or slow his run/swing (not recommended)... the point of bigger poles is to use them as you jump better as well as to help you jump better.

[jbelokur]

So the pole selection would start at the best estimate on any particular day. As you use that pole and loosen up more and more you may find you are blowing through it and then move up to compensate. Also, do you see problems with planting under if when moving up you move up in pole length and grip height?

JOsh

[rainbowgirl28]

Also, do you see problems with planting under if when moving up you move up in pole length and grip height?

JOsh

The key is to do it gradually, then any problems are minimal.

[Barefoot]

So the pole selection would start at the best estimate on any particular day. As you use that pole and loosen up more and more you may find you are blowing through it and then move up to compensate. Also, do you see problems with planting under if when moving up you move up in pole length and grip height?

JOsh

Becca is right that you move up gradually... The issue of being under can be compensated for by making small adjustments in the start mark. As you grip higher, your takeoff point moves further from the box. As you hold higher and run faster, one of your best guides is to use a mid mark chart like DJ's, unless your spotter/coach has a really good eye for the mechanics of the run and can make adjustments based on what they see.

Generally speaking... a foot of extra grip will move your takeoff mark out by about a foot. Assuming no substantial change in the run you can move your start mark back one inch for every inch your takeoff mark move back... in practical application the start mark tends to move back a little further as vaulters tend to run faster as their grip increases.