I fell into the box today..

[andy94566]

At my attempt at 12' today, I fell into the box and luckily, the box had a pad around it where I landed so I was not too badily injured but it took a while to walk afterwards..

I used to use a 14' 155 UCS pole gripping about 14 inches down and I was blowing through. It seemed logical the next pole up was the 14' 160 UCS pole with the same grip. Usually, I make it into the pit although I am abit shallow, but on some jumps, I am way shallow and land in the box. Today during competition, I ended up actually landing into the box with my lower back/butt region and I had to drop out of the competition.

What usually causes such accidents? I will have videos uploaded onto this thread within the next three days. Oh, and I am vaulting from a 6 left approach from 75'6" and my step was on during the meet.

Thank you

[rainbowgirl28]

What happens when you're blowing through exactly? Where are your standards? How much is the pole bending? Can you post the link to the video here?

[andy94566]

What happens when you're blowing through exactly? Where are your standards? How much is the pole bending? Can you post the link to the video here?

I guess by blowing through, I mostly mean the pole doesn't give me alot of recoil at the top of the jump. during practice, standards are all the way back, the pole
bends moderately to sometimes alot. Here's videos:

11' bar, using 14' 155 holding 14 inches down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUsoepv35Ak
11'6 bar, same pole/grip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3_r2BdoIAU
11'6 bar, same pole/grip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK9csqmMWv8
12' bar, 14' 160 pole, 14 inches down (you can see that at the top, my pole never reaches vertical): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie3kO5Ut4A8

14' Bungee, 14' 160 pole, 14 inches down (land really shallow): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HauHqD3B ... e=youtu.be
14' bungee, same pole/grip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM6gOJsr ... e=youtu.be
14' bungee, same pole/grip (I almost landed in the box, but only my calf down landed and the rest of me landed on the downward sloped part of the pit thankfully): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcQRoso3 ... e=youtu.be

I also have videos of my falling on the pit as soon as I get the emailed video, and I will post it here too.

[vaultmd]

Those accidents happen when you don't know where you are going to land and you still let go of the pole.

[andy94566]

Those accidents happen when you don't know where you are going to land and you still let go of the pole.

So when I feel my self being shallow, should I just continue to hold on to the pole, and just ride it out until it falls back on the runway?

[vaultmd]

Those accidents happen when you don't know where you are going to land and you still let go of the pole.

So when I feel my self being shallow, should I just continue to hold on to the pole, and just ride it out until it falls back on the runway?

The pole will guide you away from the box and you gain enough time to figure out how to land.

[andy94566]

Here is the video of me landing on the box.

Pole is the 14' 160 UCS pole gripping 14 inches down with the standards at 20 inches and on a 6 left approach from 75'6"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qV1XOT6- ... e=youtu.be

[rainbowgirl28]

Those accidents happen when you don't know where you are going to land and you still let go of the pole.

So when I feel my self being shallow, should I just continue to hold on to the pole, and just ride it out until it falls back on the runway?

YES

It's much better to land with your feet underneath you on the runway than for any part of you to land in the box!

[JorVilla44]

Make sure you penetrate enough so you can set your standard deep (I had a friend clear a bar and landed in the box because someone set standard in a unsafe range). If you are short of the bar don't let go of the pole and use it to slow your fall and/or guide you away from the box. Also, if you feel really out or under...bail on the jump. Sometime you feel like you can muscle through it (sometimes you can) but its better (IMO) to take the missed attempt and adjust your approach than risk injury.

[altius]

It seems that but for sheer luck in this case, the pole vault community would be mourning yet another victim of sheer ignorance. Is it possible to put the chart permanently at the top of the beginner and intermediate boxes - with a note that newbies MUST download it and - keep a copy in their room, put a copy in the pole store and give copy to their coach? Then anyone with questions can be referred immediately to the chart and a sensible discussion can begin on pvp if folk need more advice,

[andy94566]

It seems that but for sheer luck in this case, the pole vault community would be mourning yet another victim of sheer ignorance. Is it possible to put the chart permanently at the top of the beginner and intermediate boxes - with a note that newbies MUST download it and - keep a copy in their room, put a copy in the pole store and give copy to their coach? Then anyone with questions can be referred immediately to the chart and a sensible discussion can begin on pvp if folk need more advice,

Are you saying that I should switch poles Altius?

[jam354]

Be happy that you are OK.

This exact thing happened to me in college. I was 1 of 3 left in our conference championship and having a great meet. I had never even gotten close to landing in the box before. Came down on a jump, everything felt great. I actually remember thinking during my swing that it was going to be high...and it was. The bar was at 15ish i believe and on the video, you can see that I piked with my feet over the bar. However, I was completely in front of the bar. Landed on the edge of the box. Dislocated my SI joint and basically ended my career. I think what happened is that I got so amped up that I ran myself under but just didn't notice because of my adreniline. Had my standards between 70 and 80 every jump before.