If you have a pole break what is the pole trying to tell U?

[Bruce Caldwell]

If you have a pole break you have good reason to be upset and I agree Anyone who breaks a pole on the first day will feel cheated and upset!

I hate to hear of any pole breaking no matter the brand. As you know no pole maker replaces vaulting poles, not one company will do it.

Poles break for a variety of reasons, none of which is the responsibility of the maker. They all test their poles to insure the pole goes out the door with no defects.
Once the pole is delivered in good condition and you have signed for it, it is yours, you own it and it is up to you to provide maintenance.

A pole can break mostly because it is over bent and was not stiff enough for your jumps. If the pole was ok 5 to 6 jumps there is no way it can become defective on the 6th jump.
SO why did your pole break?

1. If it was in 2 pieces it could have been damaged in freight

2. If in 2 pieces it might have been dinged by a standard or hit the crossbar depending on where it broke. We have even seen breaks 34" up from the butt, which is due to the pole not being caught and it hits the front portion of the box as it fell back to the runway.
Breaks down 1 to 2 feet are those that hit the crossbar. Breaks below the bottom hand are a result of the pole striking the standard.

3. If in 3-4-5-6 pieces the pole was over stressed and you have more potential to jump higher as you needed a stronger pole. Taking short runs on the pole and it bent with short run loads should tell you that you need a stiffer pole to make a full run.

4. If in 4-6 pieces you where holding too high for your ability to jump.( if you hold higher than you jump you are putting forces on the pole and loading it as you sit on it. (If you lower your grip you can lift your hips better to clear the bar over your handgrip.)

That vaulting pole that broke may just be telling you something, something very important that will help you to vault higher and better.

You have to listen to what it is saying to you.

1. If you had a stiffer pole, you can jump higher!

2. If you take care of the pole, it will help you to jump higher!

3. If you hold the pole properly at the recommended grip for your ability, you can lift your hips higher and be a better vaulter!

It is a hard thing to lose a $300 -$500 pole in the first day, just as it is hard for any company to replace a pole they had no control over how it was handled.
That is why no company replaces vaulting poles. On the other hand, no maker provides a warranty against breakage.
Why , because it is not the pole makers fault the pole broke it is the vaulters fault.

Parents and schools as well as individuals, feel cheated, and something taken away because they did not get their money’s worth! Wither you buy another brand or buy the same brand you have to spend another $300 to $500. Moreover, if you intend to be a very good vaulter and continue to get back on the horse, you probably are excelling better and faster than you think. You will need to buy another pole anyway and you should have several poles also if you expect to jump higher!
So spend your $300 to $500 wisely!
XLOGIC SPORTS PUBLIC RELATIONS PROGRAM
For the past 2 years ESSX has a public relations program for those who choose ESSX, anyone who is willing to get back on the horse can come direct to us, show proof the pole broke on the very first day of usage, or even up to 5 days later.
We will sell you a new pole that will fit you properly and give you the next size pole you need, free. (Two poles for the price of one). This PR program is only available on a direct basis.

You will need to provide parts of the broken pole, along with proof of purchase within 5 days of purchase; you will need to called me on the day it happened.
You will need to provide a check enclosed with the parts for full list price and the freight for a new pole. Payable to Xlogic Sports, Inc.
Please provide your phone number so we can fit you to the pole that will take you higher.
We hate to see or hear of anyone break a pole and to feel cheated. We also make no money on this program.
OUR offer is only for ESSX vaulting poles and cannot be extended to other brands. We reserve the right to refuse the program to anyone we feel is abusing the program...
http://www.xlogicsports.com

[vaulter870]

hopefully its not telling you that its been dropped!! or that it is being over stressed!! but uasualy that is the case

[nitro]

i kno someone that has to start on big poles for him just because his take off is so bad if he starts on the pole he should he would sink too much and it would break so techneque is a reason y it could break or i should say lack of techneque

[fx]

Dude wasn't really trying to bash too much on your pole ESSX, my bad if it came off that way. It broke into 4 pieces, i'm thinking overstress. I wanted to jump it from five lefts, but i did six instead, and I think it was too much. BTW, my coach bought the pole, so now I owe him 1 push up for every dollar it was.

[AVC Coach]

I always thought that when a pole broke, it was trying to tell you "ONE AT A TIME PLEASE!!!".

[Bruce Caldwell]

Dude wasn't really trying to bash too much on your pole ESSX, my bad if it came off that way. It broke into 4 pieces, i'm thinking overstress. I wanted to jump it from five lefts, but i did six instead, and I think it was too much. BTW, my coach bought the pole, so now I owe him 1 push up for every dollar it was.

Oh FX I did not feel you were bashing ESSX I agree with you if you had an ESSX pole break on the fisrt day or any other brand, you had every right to be upset and cheated.

That is why I always say the pole is telling you something important.

The most important thing you can learn from a pole break is that you can jump higher than you are jumping if you get a stronger pole.

Never move to a longer pole always get a stronger one.
Never replace it with he same size that defeats what you should learn.
ALways keep the same grip, the same run, take a look at your take off was it flat, did I jump then hang on the pole, this breaks them also.

Holding higher than your ability on far too long of a pole will bend the too much and cause the pole to fail.

An experienced vaulter who has been jumping for at least a few months should be on a pole rated 5-20 lbs over their weight. Pole ratings are for the beginners and there to provide a starting point.
So if the pole is rated at your weight move to a stiffer pole not longer this is how you will jump higher!!

Bruce

[hep5753]

I had something simular happen to me. I bought a 14' 187 trainer from a company, was guaranteed it was the perfect size for me. On the 1st plant, from 4 lefts, almost flew off of the back of the mats, 2nd plant from 3 lefts, same thing. So I let my 9th grade, 150 lb. son try it , and it broke.
I ask for a refund and was refused. The person who sold me the pole - Bruce Caldwell. Coincidence?

[LHSpolevault]

Question: Is it possible to break a pole when you're not bending the pole during a vault?

[Bruce Caldwell]

I had something simular happen to me. I bought a 14' 187 trainer from a company, was guaranteed it was the perfect size for me. On the 1st plant, from 4 lefts, almost flew off of the back of the mats, 2nd plant from 3 lefts, same thing. So I let my 9th grade, 150 lb. son try it , and it broke.
I ask for a refund and was refused. The person who sold me the pole - Bruce Caldwell. Coincidence?

I see this is your very first post on this forum. Or Ken is this your second screen name on this site?
The post is to help people to understand why their pole breaks and how to learn from the problem turning a negative into a very much needed positive.
I do not recall anyone making a 14-187 trainer never heard of one nor recall selling one if there was such a thing? And no one can or will guarantee the pole to be the perfect size to fit as everyone know there are so many factors to fitting poles to vaulters.
If the pole was a 187 test pole and you over bent it with 4 lefts and you almost flew off the back of the pit, the pole was telling you that you needed a stiffer pole. If you over bent the pole you could of damaged the pole from over stress and as a result the pole would of broken on any subseguent jump no matter the weight of the vaulter at that time.
If you had followed the above post you would of seen that I do make it good when poles break , even though in all cases it is not the manufactuers fault.

[nitro]

Question: Is it possible to break a pole when you're not bending the pole during a vault?

if theres a real bad crack in it already it could break anytime

[Bruce Caldwell]

Question: Is it possible to break a pole when you're not bending the pole during a vault?

We have had poles (sail dominate) that were very stiff in the sail in some test that before the pole could bend the pole was stressed at each end and broke in our testing device. You would not see that in the field as ours and anyone elses test would eliminate those types.

A straight pole can break if the pole had been nicked on any previous jump and the leverage will force the nick or previous break to fail.

Kicking or stepping on the pole with the spikes is the most common cause of this.

[smokinvaulter1]

Well if you are jumping right then the pole was a Piece of Junk.
If you mashed it then it should of broke.
There for jump right and use quality poles.