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I am a junior in high school. i am 6 feet tall 170 lbs and my current PR is 13'6". i got 13'6" last weekend jumping on a 15 175 (pitiful, i know). in practice i can easily clear a 14'6" bungee holding 13'6", but for some strange reason i dont seem to drop my shoulders back to get fully inverted in meets. all my coaches tell me to wait on the pole and not bail out so early. and i totally understand what they are saying, but its not clicking.i just cant seem to get out of that stupid "L" position. i just need some drills or tips on how to drop my shoulders and "cover the pole". thanks!!

Hi. Your step is probably inside at meets because you're pumped up. Have a look at this guy and how inside he is and how clearly he gets in that "L" position:

http://youtu.be/Pixs63jbBto

He manages to get out of it anyways... but he would probably have an easier time if his step wasn't so inside.

So, anyways, be prepared to move your step at meets. Do you have a teammate catching your takeoff step during warmups?

Most definitely as noted, that if you're inside you'll have to fight through to inversion. However, also think of thrusting your hips up which will force your shoulders down. And, are you a crossbar watcher? If you're watching the crossbar as you elevate your body will slow or stop swing over the pole. The body follows the head. When you do a back flip the head goes back with the body following. Not suggesting you put the head back as you invert, but have a focal point above your head, say the top hand, which will help your body invert thus placing your hips higher and shoulders lower. Trying thrusting the hips up.

Many young vaulters seem to swing upside down, but once there you might be too focused on the shooting & turning to think... "Keep rocking the shoulders back, get the body next to the pole for the shoot & turn." What happens when young vaulters don't keep rocking back, until you row & turn, is that gravity WILL take over and as you turn you will fall away from the pole too soon.

Try this: Make sure you're leading with your chest on the jump & that you aren't leaving the ground flat. Sort of like if you were to get "pumped" up for a fight. 2) Lead the swing with the drive knee bent all the way upside-down. If you currently do this, skip to 3. 3) Once rocked back, you are NOT DONE rocking back. Get your butt to the end of the pole. 4) As you shoot it'll be a rocking back feeling as you bring the pole close to the body & past. I used to go for the feeling that my shoulders - at that moment - were driving into the box & down the pole.

Hope this helps. I recently had a young college vaulter work on this and we got him from 15' to 16'6"