Please help... please

[ATribeCalledGreg]

Okay, I'm a senior (first year vaulting). So far in three meets I've gotten 6 inches higher each time (from 6'6" first meet to 7'6" now). 8' looks like it will be a problem. I am 6'1" 142lbs using a 13' 160lb pole. I'm holding it about 2 feet down because I don't feel comfortable holding it higher. I'm also only running from 3 lefts because I can't plant very consistently/have more fear when I go from further (plus it's easier to find my steps for a meet).

I finally seem to have gotten over the problem of letting my top hand slide down. It still happens sometimes, but not as bad. Now I find myself rowing or pulling on the pole and bending my right arm to try to squeeze out an extra inch or two. I see that I could get away with that stuff at 6'6" or 7', but it seems like 8' is when I have to start doing things right.

I'm not really getting any bend on my pole. I just practiced today and it seemed like I had one jump where everything went right, I kept my arm straight, it didn't slide and I was straight up and down hanging onto an unbent pole. How can I get it to bend, but more importantly I think, when should I be swinging my legs up to try to shoot myself over. I think so far my drive swing has been nonexistent.

Any help would be great.

[powerplant42]

Head over to the sand pit... Do jagodins from 1 left, 2 lefts (carry the pole over your shoulder for 1 and 2), and 3 lefts (use a real plant for this one), pushing your grip as high as you can while still landing in the center of the pit.

After 4-5 hundred repetitions (not in one session of course), you can start to try to swing to horizontal, keeping your drive-knee up and your trail-leg long (then turn to face the runway). After 2-3 hundred repetitions of this, you should be naturally starting to swing higher, and then you can apply this to a real pit.

A bend is achieved if you are holding high enough on the right sized pole. There is no magic, only science.

[VaultPurple]

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=17134

just read through this thread... it is everything you need

If you have any smaller poles use them first too. a 13 155 would be perfect for someone to start off with that is your size.