Pole vaulting injuries... trying to get onlonger poles

[Vaulter1080]

it seems that everytime I try and get onto a longer pole, I end up injuring myself. About three weeks ago when I first tried getting onto a 14' 155 pole, I took off somewheres around 2 feet under, but when I jumped it didn't feel like it, so I swung and pulled through. Once at the top I wasn't moving anymore, being upside down I craned my neck to look below me, and I was directly over the box, like 14 feet in the air. Somehow I managed only to sprain my thumb.... That was on my warmup jump before I came in. I kept jumping of course. Then yesterday at the MVC league meet, once I had first place, I tried getting on a 15' 155 pole pacer III on my first attempt at 13'. Again, I took off abuot 2-3 feet under my handhold. But this pole being much stiffer at where I was holding slipped out of my hands after bending quite a bit. As the pole unbent in shot right into my groin. Unfortunately the track shorts my school issues like to keep everything right up front. The pole spared nothing in its assault and pushed off to get about 8 feet of air. After like 10 minutes of laying in the pit, almost punching the trainer lady they sent over, she kept telling me to get my knees up when my feet were already against my butt laying on my back and trying to get me to move, I proceeded to run a bit and stuck to the 14' 160 pole i was previously jumping on to get a new pr of 13', and attempt at 13'7" for the school record, but I missed out with the standards being a few inches too far back. Seems I have a problem of trying to run harder to get onto longer poles. That and putting my arm behind me starting about 4 steps from the pit doesn't help either. My dad got the incident on video too, so I should have the clip up tonight around 8:00 PM. Check out http://bommarito.no-ip.com/vault/clips.html if ya wanna check it out.

[Aviendha]

don't know about the rest of it....but a jump from a 14 160 to a 15 155 is a pretty LARGE jump in poles...that alone could explain why you can't get on it...

[superchau88]

i am against using a new pole at a meet. what i do instead is stay at the same pole move up a stride and scoot the standards back.

[Vaulter1080]

Nah meets is the only time i try new poles... i always suck at practices (home facilities aren't that great) i usually have to jump on shorter softer poles. it's not the jump in poles that i had a problem with(mostly a least)... i know exactly what it is.. i always end up doing it the first time i use a longer pole... i subconsciously ran harder to get on the pole, which ended up puttin me like 2 feet under on my plant. would have been a pretty decent jump if my steps would have been on. but next week at districts i will be trying again.

[ton]

i always try new poles at practice first... and fail... but then when i take them out at meets they somehow gain alot of flexibility and i can get on them pretty easily.... except my 145 15' carbon.

[blazerunner121]

oh gosh, i still cringe at the thought of being hit down there.

[Vaulter1080]

blaze if ur cringing now wait till u see the vid...i seriously doubt nay human having the stregth to hit someone with the force that the pole hit me with... I hate being so mentally tought that the immense shock didn't make me pass out, but then again becasue of that fact I was able to continue. to the amazement of the trainer at the facility, my teammates, and some of the other teams. my coach already knows I'm a balls to the wall... hmm maybe I shouldn't use that phrase anymore but at any point I'm an all out guy that doesn't know the words no, can't, and stop. Heh the trainer said to my coach "So I guess he's done now?" and my coach replied "You obviously don't know him"

[blazerunner121]

blaze if ur cringing now wait till u see the vid...i seriously doubt nay human having the stregth to hit someone with the force that the pole hit me with... I hate being so mentally tought that the immense shock didn't make me pass out, but then again becasue of that fact I was able to continue. to the amazement of the trainer at the facility, my teammates, and some of the other teams. my coach already knows I'm a balls to the wall... hmm maybe I shouldn't use that phrase anymore but at any point I'm an all out guy that doesn't know the words no, can't, and stop. Heh the trainer said to my coach "So I guess he's done now?" and my coach replied "You obviously don't know him"

yea i saw the vid. that must have been a big blow there. and the injuries could have been worse but it was a good thing that nothing else happened.

[OAKPV2004]

i always try new poles at practice first... and fail... but then when i take them out at meets they somehow gain alot of flexibility and i can get on them pretty easily.... except my 145 15' carbon.

Best way to do it, Plant all your biggest poles in practice so when you need to use them in a meet you won't have to worry about what the pole feels like. Although you shouldn't use one that you know you will get rejected past the front of the pit.