Stiff poling Questions

sghetti · Unread postby **sghetti** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 8:19 pm

Out of the dozens and dozens of pole vaulting videos I've seen, all the pros bend the pole (duh.) I can see every frame in my head, but when I try to apply it on the pit, my body does something completely different. Since my grip isn't that high up the pole, about 1.5 feet below the top of the pole, I don't feel confident extending my arms and having a high plant. I have my arms extended, but I have to go straight into vertical or else I can't clear the bar. Remember, I'm stiff poling. I want to start using a high grip but I don't know if perfecting the stiff poling technique is essential to start bending the pole.

I hate asking questions that I could answer myself by just doing it but here it goes: Has anyone ever bent before perfecting the stiff-poling technique? Let me articulate that. Can any of you guys go pretty high up by bending, but have poor heights when stiff poling? Oh, and does stiff poling and bending involve the same technique?

Thanks in advance.

Russ · Unread postby **Russ** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:25 pm

I'm not certain that I'm answering all of your questions but here are some thoughts on the topic.

I follow Jan Johnson's approach in my coaching: I think that it is best for beginners to get pretty close to perfect technique from 5 lefts with no bend, before trying to learn to bend. I know that it's a bit frustrating but I honestly believe that the long term rewards will be worth it. In my experience as a high sschhol coach, I'd say that the maturation process is difficult to predict. For some vaulters it make take a season or more before they are ready. For others it may be a matter of weeks (although I think that that's rare).

I've got a couple of vaulters who are just now beginning to work on bending. Jan's system suggests that you begin with a pole rated at your body weight that is approx. 2 feet longer than your max handgrip from 5 lefts with no bend. For those just learning to bend, the most difficult aspect seems to get them to put the necessary pressure on their bottom arm. Straight vaulting often entails a very weak and collapsing bottom arm, so when you learn to bend you need to force yourself to put enough pressure on the bottom arm to try to keep the pole away from your body. Most agree that a stiff bottom arm is not good - since a straight bottom arm (at least for beginners) impedes a smooth swing.

So be patient. Learn good technique with no bend from 5 lefts first. Then, get the right pole and begin working on bottom arm pressure.

In 9th grade (1972!) I straight vaulted 9 feet. In 10th grade (1973) I learned to bend and improved to 11 feet 8 inches in that one season. So the rewards can be significant. I suspect that a 2 foot 8 inch improvement is not really an unusual differential. By bending, the ends of the pole actually come closer together 15-25%. So as a simple matter of physics, you ought to be able to raise your grip height 15-25% on average, simply by learning to bend. Of course that should also translate into a 15-25% increase in your PR too...and that's why learning to bend - eventually - is so vital to success.

Best of luck!

agapit · Unread postby **agapit** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 6:24 am

Russ wrote:I'm not certain that I'm answering all of your questions but here are some thoughts on the topic.

I follow Jan Johnson's approach in my coaching: I think that it is best for beginners to get pretty close to perfect technique from 5 lefts with no bend, before trying to learn to bend. I know that it's a bit frustrating but I honestly believe that the long term rewards will be worth it. In my experience as a high sschhol coach, I'd say that the maturation process is difficult to predict. For some vaulters it make take a season or more before they are ready. For others it may be a matter of weeks (although I think that that's rare).

This is a very good advise. As your technique improves so will your grip. At some point the pole will begin to bend and that would be a pleasant surprise for you.

altius · Unread postby **altius** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 2:36 am

Agree with agapit. keep doing things right with the stiff pole and the pole will begin to flex without you trying to make it do so. Just need the right pole for you at that point -thats the real problem for many folk.

pistolpete6994 · Unread postby **pistolpete6994** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 10:53 pm

Definatly stick with those drills.... as long as the pole is near your body weight you will eventually begin flexing the pole at low hand grips. just keep working on getting your arms extended and being tall and it will all come together.

Bruce Caldwell · Unread postby **Bruce Caldwell** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 11:56 pm

I actually believe... stiff poleing often will help one develop a better swing for the bending pole!!
Bruce

altius · Unread postby **altius** » Sun May 01, 2005 1:29 pm

Have a look at Chapter 21 in 'BTB'.

"Reculer pour mieux sauter"

Bruce Caldwell · Unread postby **Bruce Caldwell** » Sun May 01, 2005 4:53 pm

altius wrote:Have a look at Chapter 21 in 'BTB'.

"Reculer pour mieux sauter"

tell us what it says?

fong520 · Unread postby **fong520** » Sun May 01, 2005 5:49 pm

at one of my meets.. ive seen this guy push plant and straight pole over 12'6 he was pretty close to 13'.. but he was also a monster.. like 6'2 6'3 or so adn like 180 or so of muscle i think looked like a football ro basketball player or soemthing.. he was a monster to me and liek a bunch of hs kids.. i thought he jumped like 15+ when i first saw him.

sghetti · Unread postby **sghetti** » Mon May 02, 2005 12:18 am

Hey thanks a lot for the tips. I always thought that it was just a matter of holding high and running hard into the run way, and that's what I was going to do tomorrow. I don't want to injure myself so I'll try improving my technique on 5 lefts before I do anything else. Tomorrow I'll film myself, post the clips on here, and hopefully find some mistakes. I'll keep you guys updated. Thanks again!

bvpv07 · Unread postby **bvpv07** » Mon May 02, 2005 1:12 am

ESSX wrote:
altius wrote:Have a look at Chapter 21 in 'BTB'.

"Reculer pour mieux sauter"

tell us what it says?

Pretty much: Take a step back for better vaulting (jumping).

sghetti · Unread postby **sghetti** » Mon May 02, 2005 10:33 pm

Ok I'm back as I promised. Today was a great learning experience for me. I actually reached 10 feet. It felt great to finally get up there. I just hope I can do it at the meet this Thursday.

Anyway, I took my camera with me and I got so tied up with vaulting that I forgot to tape myself, so I only got one clip of me vaulting. Another amazing vault by the one and only ME: http://www.angelfire.com/oz/blacktaz5000/MVI_0742.gif

Don't be jealous, I'm only in high school : )

(you have to copy and paste the link to view it)

PoleVaultPower.com