What is the next pole?

[mcminkz05]

ok, i am 6-0 and weigh 140. iv just learned how to bend the pole, and swing my trail leg up and get inverted, and iv been practicing doin that stuff on a 11' 120 pole. but now im getting the form and bend down better, and im blasting through the 120 pole. what size, and height pole do you think i should move to next?

[rainbowgirl28]

I hope you are on that pole from a very short run! I'd probably break an 11'120 from 3 lefts and I am a lot smaller than you!

[mcminkz05]

yeah, im only goin short, and holdin at like 10, but jumpin 10-6 and flying to back of pit. also bending the heck outta the pole

[rainbowgirl28]

yeah, im only goin short, and holdin at like 10, but jumpin 10-6 and flying to back of pit. also bending the heck outta the pole

Go to a bigger pole!

[mcminkz05]

what length/weight? and by the way, im not too fast, if that help ne

[rainbowgirl28]

what length/weight? and by the way, im not too fast, if that help ne

What does your coach want you to do? I would never let a kid your size even touch an 11'120. You should be on at least 12' poles close to your weight... It's going to depend on what poles you have available at your school.

[mcminkz05]

my coach doesnt help me at all. everything i no, i pretty much learned fromt his site, and from practice. neways, my school has tons of poles. i could probably find the right one easily.

[rainbowgirl28]

my coach doesnt help me at all. everything i no, i pretty much learned fromt his site, and from practice. neways, my school has tons of poles. i could probably find the right one easily.

Move up poles until you are landing in the middle of the pit. You can't vault in a meet until you are on a pole at or above your body weight.

[mcminkz05]

i tried a 11-6 130 today. i got bout 12 feet in the air, but still blew through it. think i shud try a 12-0 140?

[rainbowgirl28]

Keep moving up poles!

[mcminkz05]

alright.. iv already moved my pr up almost 4 feet in two weeks. ill try the 140 tomorrow.

[Russ]

I want to agree w/Rainbowgirl. If your school has a lot of poles, take advantage of them. Make sure that each time you move up to a stiffer and longer pole that you move to one that is only slightly stiffer OR longer (probably best not to do both at the same time). On your 1st attempt with a stiffer/longer pole, use the same run and handgrip that you were using on the previous pole. If you penetrate well, then move your handgrip up an inch or two at a time. I'm personally experiencing a similar phenomenon in my jumping right now. I'm gradually trying to move up poles. The key is to make each change in very slight increments so that you make the transitions as safe as possible. Don't rush it. You'll learn a great deal from this experimental phase. Eventually you'll max-out (or plateau) and get settled on a comfortable pole, grip, and run. Jan Johnson often says that it is important to make the pole fit the run. Adjust your pole to fit the grip and run that you are comfortable with.