first indoor meet of the year

[tylerd1994]

Hey guys, I just had my first indoor meet and I need some help.

From 9' to 10'6" I vaulted on a 12'6" 150 USC spirit pole. But I blow through on it terribly, I had my standards at 31.5 and the pole would be entirely too slow and it is obvious I need to move up to another pole. The only pole we have to move up to is a 13ft 155 USC spirit. For some reason I cannot get any depth with this pole. I even tried holding lower on it but that seems to make it worse. I have some videos of my jumps at 11ft. I will clear the bar by a foot or so, but come down on it every time. Do you have any tips for me to get on this pole? If im blowing through on the 150 you would think it'd be easy to get on the 155. Some details about me, I'm 5'4" 145 pounds holding around 12ft on the 13' 155.
Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GGvssYG ... e=youtu.be

[vcpvcoach]

Moving from a 12-6 150 to a 13 155 is a huge differance in pole weight. For every six inches you move down from the top of the pole, you add 10 pounds. So, if you are holding at 12-66 on the 155, the pole weight is 165 pounds.
Here is what I would do if I was your coach. Beg or borrow a 12-6 155 from another school. Or, borrow a 13 145 or 150.
If that is not possible, shorten your run. Eight lefts is a long run for this early in the season. Try running from 4 or 5 lefts on the 12-6 150. This will reduce your speed. It will also give you a chance to get more reps in at practice.
A couple of things I'm seeing in your run and plant. First, you need to work on an active pole drop. Meaning you start with your pole tip very high at the beginning of your run and then drop it almost immediately to parallel to the run way. This will slow run and throw off your plant timing. The pole tip should gradually drop as you run and should be parallel to the ground at your third to last left step. Work on this off the runway away from the box with a towel on the track.
Second, you look to be under about one full shoe at take off. Being under at take off will force your hips forward too soon in your swing and make you shallow in the pit.
Third, being under will make it impossible to jump at take off. This event should be called the pole jump. In this video, you look to have little or no jump which will make impossible to move to bigger poles. Again, short runs will improve your plant timing and get you in a better position to jump at takeoff.

Good luck this season.

[rainbowgirl28]

And UCS doesn't make 12'6 poles, it was probably a 12'1...

[tylerd1994]

It is a 13'1" 150 in the catalog, but the grip is at 12'6"

We don't have anywhere to practice yet, but this sunday we have another meet so I will just jump on the smaller pole as long as I can. I'll run with a 5 step holding around 11ft. on the 12'6" 150. This should make it stiff enough and I'll work on my pole carry and plant and get some video on here for you guys to look at. I definantly agree with you when you say I am not jumping. I'll really work on that at the next meet and whenever we get our pits up. I am at such a wall here. Last season I vaulted on the 150 and tried to move up the whole year but it never happened. I'd hate to be stuck again. So I need to get my step back a foot or so, practice an active pole drop. And jump more at the takeoff and hopefully I will be able to vault on the 155.

When I try the 155 do you guys reccomend holding on the end of it to get more depth? Since if I hold down it just makes it stiffer.

[rainbowgirl28]

It is a 13'1" 150 in the catalog, but the grip is at 12'6"

Right, but you need to say it's a 13'150 so people know what pole you really have... If you're transitioning from a 13' 150 to 13'155 that's a lot easier than a 12'6 150 to 13'155. Since they are the same length and same brand, why don't you check the flex numbers and let us know what they say.

[tylerd1994]

okay when i get the chance to check I will list the flex ratings

by the way they are labeled in the magazine then I have a 13'1 150 and a 13'7 155 that is my transition

quick question about spirit poles. If it is labeled a 13'1 150... if the hand grip is at 12'6 does that technically make it stiffer?

[tsorenson]

Poles are built to have the weight rating correspond to a grip at the label. For spirit poles, this is 6" below the top of the pole. If you gripped a spirit above the label (which many jumpers do once out of HS), it would be slightly less stiff than the rating.

I love spirit poles, but for HS rules, it is challenging to pay for 6" of grip that can't be used. Just saying, I'd probably buy more Spirits if they re-calibrated their ratings and moved up the label to the top. At college and beyond, or in other countries, this is not an issue. Perhaps there is a reason that Spirit does this (engineering?)...I'd love to hear it from someone who is in the loop!

Tom

[tylerd1994]

hey guys i just jumped again. i started with the 150 and after clearing 10'6" i had to move up to the 155. standards were at 31 and i kept getting deeper and deeper into the pits. I had my standards at 16 for the 11ft jump and cleared it with the 155. I also cleared 11'6 but didn't get video of it. The last jump is a miss at 12ft. I feel like i had a better takeoff this time around. Still working on my pole carry. I also need to develop an earlier turn and drop my shoulders. I'm just excited I got on the bigger pole! Any other tips?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmICfzJQyrg

[dlevear]

Pop your right knee up a little higher at take-off. Also have your right toe pointed out, not down, so it forms a right angle with your leg. This will give you a more powerful drive and set up your pre-stretch better.