PoleVaultPower.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_dbdF3JWMA

Pole vaulting from 8 lefts with a 14' 155lb pole gripping about 13'4. My run is from 100' with a 11' take off. I think I am under jumping my potential by a mile since I can grip 13'1 on a 14' 150 from only 5 lefts, and I think I jump higher, even though I am running over 2.0m/s from the 8 left run. Maybe I'm crazy but I think 2m/s is more than a 2inch grip improvement and 5lb?

Does anyone think the pole is just too soft since I use stiffer poles from the shorter run, or am I just not jumping?

I am getting my stats for run from the other day when we first 'tested' out a long run on smaller poles. My coach set up a speed trap over the last 10m (starting from 15' out from box). From 6 lefts I was using a 13'7 160 gripping 13'1 and my speed was something like 5.9m/s where from 8 lefts I used the same pole and grip and was at 7.9m/s and would have shot off the back of the pit if we did not have more mats back there. But the most I was able to raise my grip to was 13'4 and still make it to the pit, thats 2.0m/s and only 3 inches!

Disclaimer... I know that a 10m speed trap is long and the 6 left was probably faster than 5.9m/s because I had only been running for like 1 left when I got to it, and would still be building speed, but I'm still not to full speed from the 8left run either so it was probably a little faster than 7.9 too.

Any thoughts on vault would be great

Thanks

At this point, the run is too long. You're posture is eroding in the last few steps. This happens when the speed is more than what you are comfortable with. You need to do more pole runs from that distance with a full takeoff to become comfortable enough to jump at that speed.

At this point, the run is too long. You're posture is eroding in the last few steps. This happens when the speed is more than what you are comfortable with. You need to do more pole runs from that distance with a full takeoff to become comfortable enough to jump at that speed.

I think this is whats causing you take off to be flat and your hips to get sucked under. Remember to try to jump over the pole at take off it looks like you are jumping into it. Causing the pole to over bend and look much softer then it is.

Kasey

Also looks like your bottom arm is pulling prematurely. Keep pushing up and forward throughout your swing so more of the energy goes through your top hand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9qWKWM-4Fg

Moved run in two lefts, basically same grip as above video, but on a 13'7 160 instead of the 14'1 155

I really started working on trying to do a continuous swing off the top off the pole and tucking as little as possible. I am getting completely inverted and have a slight bit of turn up the pole while it is still bent. But for some reason I kind of flail off the top of the pole and can not keep going up. But I managed to hook a foot over a bungie 45 inches over my grip...

This is a huge improvement from last week. I think you would probably be able to pr from this run. Good pole selection to. The only problem is your step is under keep doing what your doing but move your step back a few inches at a time being sure to still get your feet down. (Don't move it so far back that you over stride to under though.) Do this until you have a free take off.

Also lower the bungee to 14 lets see a clean make.

---Kasey

kcvault wrote:This is a huge improvement from last week. I think you would probably be able to pr from this run. Good pole selection to. The only problem is your step is under keep doing what your doing but move your step back a few inches at a time being sure to still get your feet down. (Don't move it so far back that you over stride to under though.) Do this until you have a free take off.

Also lower the bungee to 14 lets see a clean make.

---Kasey

Yeah, lower the bungee. You're so focused on getting the toes up above the bungee, that everything breaks down after that. A top end like that will easily remove more than a foot from your performance. Maintain control through the jump to get maximum benefit.

VaultPurple wrote:But for some reason I kind of flail off the top of the pole and can not keep going up. But I managed to hook a foot over a bungie 45 inches over my grip...

How far over your weight is the pole? Sometimes if you aren't on a pole thats going to throw you, it will make it very difficult to continue to move up the pole, obviously. Try to time each pole and "feel" when your momentum is going to stop, and turn/pike when you feel that point coming. Like the guys said before, the bungee is pretty high, and you might be pulling so hard trying to get to the top bungee, that you are avoiding a pike and it makes you flail a little bit on top.

Another reason you may flail would be if you are pulling with your top hand too far on the right side of your body. Ideally it would pull dead center of your body, but to avoid flailing it might help to think about pulling it up the left side of your body. If you can control which way you flail by where your top hand is when you pull, you know that it is the source of the problem.

Much better over the last few steps and through the takeoff.

Just because you are better now from the shorter run doesn't mean you need to abandon it. Keep doing pole runs from the longer approach and try to complete a full takeoff at the end. In a few weeks you might try to jump from there again. I never try to jump from an approach without doing pole runs from the same distance at least three different sessions.

Hope that helps.

Be safe. Have fun. Jump high.

How far over your weight is the pole?

Around 15lb. It felt really soft but when I pulled out the stiffer one it got dark and I could barely see the box...

15 should be enough to allow you to pull through straight for at least 1-2ft over your grip....

Try the hand thing if you get a chance, but i had the same problem before and moving my hand to my midline/slightly across my body kept my hips/legs moving up and not to the side.