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Im having troble pole vaulting at my best potential at meets. When im at practice i can clear 9ft easy. But at the meets i can bearly clear 8ft. At meets when i go to vault i think to much, i think about all the things that can go wrong and the things i should be doing. I like having peoples opinon after i vault on ways that i can fix my jump but my coach never comes to the meets. My caoch dosnt know how to fix my mental problem. How can i get myself to do better at meets.
THANK YOU!

I had a problem with that during preseason, but I figured out that if you treat meets like a practise, you should be fine. If you have a pre vault routine to do do it!! If you don't have one, just do an activity that makes you feel good. You'll do fine.
Good luck

Well the first question is are you vaulting over a crossbar in practice. Most newer vaulters aren't used to having a crossbar to clear and just a bungee. Practice a bit with a cross bar but I agree with the above post about the pre-vault routine.

im also beginning to have some sort of mental block, in meets ill get over 8' by like 2 feet and 9 ft by like a foot and a half but i get to 9'6" and idk what happens. i have a "last chance" meet tomorrow and if i get over 10'6" (which i think i can) ill make leagues. any tips to trick myself its only 8' feet or to clear my mind?

I always pick something above the bar to look at--not drastically, because then you'd crane your head all funny. But just a foot or two above the bar, that way I know I need to jump high, but I'm not actually looking at the bar square on and worrying about it.

its worth a shot

VISUALIZE, VISUALIZE, VISUALIZE... and pray...
Good luck!

do u guys listen to music before u vault or anything?

When I went to State we weren't allowed to listen to any music before or during the competition, so I never wanted to get into the habit.

... I will sing to myself though--used to be "I Will Survive" that I sang (very quietly) during my pre-vault routine...

idk i was trying to hum this tune "clubbed to death" by rob dougan, great song btw, and idk it just wasnt the same i was too uptight and thinking to much, i think im gunna bring it to my last chance meet tomorrow and see if itll help get me relaxed.....if they allow it

beers1213 wrote:do u guys listen to music before u vault or anything?

You're not allowed to have any electronic devices in the competition area period, HS and college, so it's not something you should get in the habit of.

ughhhhhh, thats so garbage, i mean i dont get it. i realize you could miss your event but w/ the pole vault your right there so i dont see the big deal. guess i gotta find another way to zone out. what do you do becca?

beers1213 wrote:ughhhhhh, thats so garbage, i mean i dont get it. i realize you could miss your event but w/ the pole vault your right there so i dont see the big deal. guess i gotta find another way to zone out. what do you do becca?

Just sing the songs in your head Visualize your vault. Talk to people.