Bamboo/Steel versus Fiberglass/Carbon

[fx]

thanks for the great explanations, this presentation is going to be awesome.

[Tim McMichael]

It is absolutely true that fiberglass only minimally increases push-off. Here is an interesting stat: The highest grip by anyone using a bamboo or steel pole was about 13’10â€Â

[2-15-46]

[quote="Tim McMichael"]It is absolutely true that fiberglass only minimally increases push-off. Here is an interesting stat: The highest grip by anyone using a bamboo or steel pole was about 13’10â€Â

[ladyvolspvcoach]

Guys, also remember the techniques were quit different regarding the plant and take off. I remember carrying the pole much lower than it is coached today. And the plant was executed by sliding the pole through the bottom hand until the hands came together. So the spread between your hands was less than 8 inches or so. Then the hands were the end of the pendulum. You actually did swing to get vertical. You could generate a great deal of energy in this way with the longer pendulum. 13'6" on a steel pole in high school was a really great jump...

[superpipe]

Thus the benefit is mostly in higher hand holds with the flexible pole and the conservation or storing of energy by the bending pole and consequentioal shortening of the pole is where the true advantage comes from.

Vault On

Agreed.

I believe it was the Track & Field OmniBook that quoted a study that the average push off of 18' vaulters was only 4" greater than the pushoff of the best steel pole vaulters. Poles don't "throw" you.

I'd have to say a pole can "throw you". If you time your top end with the unbending of the pole, you can use the released energy of the pole to your advantage. Bubka did this the best as his top end was all setup well before the pole was finished unbending. The fact that he let go of the pole when it reached vertical and was still rising, shows you he got "chucked" off the pole pretty good.

[Tim McMichael]

[quote="2-15-46"][quote="Tim McMichael"]It is absolutely true that fiberglass only minimally increases push-off. Here is an interesting stat: The highest grip by anyone using a bamboo or steel pole was about 13’10â€Â

[2-15-46]

Guys, also remember the techniques were quit different regarding the plant and take off. I remember carrying the pole much lower than it is coached today. And the plant was executed by sliding the pole through the bottom hand until the hands came together. So the spread between your hands was less than 8 inches or so. Then the hands were the end of the pendulum. You actually did swing to get vertical. You could generate a great deal of energy in this way with the longer pendulum. 13'6" on a steel pole in high school was a really great jump...

That's the toughest part for me to learn is planting with a sholderwidth grip...I'm used to pushing the pole foward and sliding the bottom had up.... I tend to do a round house plant... tho I saved a jump at the nationals when my step was off by bring the hands together and salvaging a swing up....... work work work work!!!! the transition is tough..