Next Pole?

[John]

I have a 149-152lb Jr who is on a 13'6 155 (Pacer) he has cleared 12'6 in the indoor season, but now mushing the pole out. Doesn't matter where the standards are there is just no spring in the pole for him.

We tried him on a 14' 150 the other day and he got some spring out of it, but is coming up WAY short!

I hear people say that you should be jumping anywhere between 15-20 lbs over your weight before moving up length of pole. and atleast a foot over your top hand grip. So that makes me believe I should get him on a 13'6" 160 or 165.

Does that sound right?

jb

[AVC Coach]

Probably a good idea to stick with the same length until he jumps the length of the pole. Sometime you have to consider moving up poles, (especially if they're short one's) if you have a kid that has a lot of speed and has to hold higher to match it.

You can contact the company that makes the pole he's jumping on now and they will line you up with the proper flex # you will need for your boy to make an easy transition.

[Russ]

Was the 14-150 made by Gill or another company?

Did your vaulter use the same handgrip on the 14-150 that he did on the 13'6 pole? If he was crushing the 13'6, then simply switching to a 14 that is 5 lbs. lighter should generally work ("up 6 inches, back 5 lbs." rule of thumb), so long as he uses the same handgrip and so long as the poles are made by the same manufacturer.