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Hello, I have a question for a smaller vaulter and poles...

1) I have a junior in h.s. who weighs 105 pounds and is 5'6" and is using 12' 110 and 120 sky poles. He holds near the top, 11'9" and the poles seem to give him no spring, and his step is on. He used a 12' 125 mystix and blew through it. He is not able to get higher than 11'-12' and he is flying through without much bend. He doies a bad job of inverting as he is always dropping his legs at anything near 12' no matter how much work I put in to get him to rock back and invert more. I am wondering if he should go to a bigger pole. Our next pole is a 12'6" 130 and it is a 12' 140, he does not seem to have the ability to get in on it. It is a jump in poles but I think he should make it to that pole eventually. Based off of this info would you stay on the 12' 120 and work on his inversion, go to the 12'6 130 holding 11'9" or would a different pole be best???

You have a boy that is 5'6 105? Holy cow that is skinny. I would get him in the weight room and tell him to eat more steaks or something.

I agree with the weight room, wow he is a small junior

Haha, yea, he is so funny. He came out as a freshman (was 85 pounds, same height) and I thought alright, I got a pole catcher. He straight poled 9' as a freshman, and went 11'1 as a sophomore with a fraction of a bend, maybe 10 degrees. He now tells me, not bad for a pole catcher. Now he's just so mad he can't go higher. I took them to Hooters at the end of last year, he ate like 30. He eats two or three burgers a day. He is in the weight room and does a good amount of lifting. His metabolism is amazing. I'd post a video but only have tape from a normal video camera and do not think I can transfer it, no clue how...

Pattybobady I have some run drills that will help your vaulter hold higher. I have a lady vaulter (in her second year competing) who is 5'1" and 107 holding 13'7". Her grip height is a function of her approach speed. Send me your email via PM and I'll send you a copy of the drills. They're awesome...