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So i know there are many different vaulting techniques, but the one i am coached is to drop the pole, with space, jump up, and pull. My coach always tells me to jump up more with my left foot because my take off is flat. When should i jump up though? before the pole hits the box, or wen it hits the box? I can jump up standing still about 15 inches, so when i am running it should be higher yet whenever we do pole runs i can jump up maybe half of that, and same for when i am jumping. How can i fix this i try to jump up, more, but it is very difficult. I have a good knee drive though.

I also don't understand how to drop the pole sooner....like when i am doing a 5 step approach how should i drop the pole? When does earlier become too early and later become too late? i tend to drop it late but it is a difficult habit for me to fix. I know my PR will go up if i can fix these habits.

I've been taught to drop the pole starting from the third to last right. So if you're doing a 6 step run it goes
Right, Left, Right, Left, Right [start drop], Left, Right [turn the pole over], Left [pole is level], Right [pole is at the top of your head], Left [hands completely up]. You don't want the pole drop to be too late because you won't get your hands up at takeoff or you might have to really force the pole down fast enough and then you're applying force downward instead of up. With an early pole drop you'll end up working against yourself in that you may have to hold the pole instead of letting it free-fall.

You should jump when your takeoff foot hits the ground. Maybe I'm misunderstanding your question... I'm not sure when else you could possibly jump? You want your hands to be completely up at take-off and, if you jump well enough, you would ideally be just slightly off the ground before the pole hits the back of the box and starts bending.

To help you jump up, make sure that when you're doing pole runs as well as real vaults, your head is not facing down but facing up looking forward. Other than that, you could try thinking about doing a basketball lay-up or something of that nature. The act of jumping up is the same.

Hey Rosie, make sure practice and compete in the long jump. You jump the same way in the pole vault as you do in the long jump.

I'll ask my coach but the issue with that is i would only be able to practice once a week because i do not vault at school, i vault at a club twice a week for practice and my school goes to a track twice a week to practice and one of those days, i am vaulting, so the only day i would be there would be once a week. Also my coach is annoying and does not always let people try other things if we are doing well in one. I will try to ask though. Thanks!

Rosie, I love your question about jumping up. I find that so many vaulters don't get it that the vault is a jumping event. As suggested, you can try long jumping as well. Jumping up at take off is simple physics...........the opposite and equal reaction thing. One must learn and teach themselves to put the takeoff foot down through the ground at takeoff and not extend the leg or run through. Extending the takeoff leg out in front will cause one to be "over" in the long jump. Ironically, the same extending of the leg is "under" in the pole vault. It always seems to be an easy fix to just have the vaulter move back if he/she is under, but I always ask "did you put your foot down through the ground at takeoff". No sense moving back if the foot wasn't driven down; moving back will probably make the vaulter reach more. Additionally, it was mention that the takeoff is similar to a basketball layup. Absolutely! So let me ask you this: would you run 2-3 steps with the ball in your hands extended above your head before attempting a layup? The arms are part of any jumping action and so why should it be different in the vault? So, at takeoff the arms are driven up just as if you didn't have a pole in your hands. Simply practice running up to something high enough above your head and attempting to touch it. Your hands will coordinate with your legs. Now try running with a stubbie and touching the top of it to the same place you touched with your hand. Incidentally, if you do this, what are your eyes looking at? Now what should you be looking at on takeoff?

Finally, I think you are in a good situation to improve your vaulting technique. Just because there isn't a pit readily available doesn't mean you can't work on the pole carry, the approach, the take off and simulate plant. Sometimes I wish we didn't have a pit. Particularly the guys want to vault a bungie all the time. The most important elements of the vault are the approach and takeoff. If you master these things then everything following will improve; inverting, covering the pole, pulling through the pole and turning.