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I have been vaulting for a while now and most of my jump is sound.. There is still one thing i cant seem to work out at all and that is staying close to the pole. I know how it is supposed to look and i know what is supposed to feel like, what can i do to learn to stay close to the pole through out my vault?

If you can use a climbing rope to practice swinging, that would help. You can use this to swing upside down and then pause and stay close to the rope which would be the same as the pole.

You can also use a pole by sitting down with your back to a wall, your feet straight out infront of you and your pole at your side. place your hands on the pole with your regular grips or as if you were gripping at the top of the pole. At this point you are in the position as if you are just about all the way through with your swing and trying to invert. Now with maybe a towel or t-shirt on under your butt, try pushing the pole back into the wall and push your legs straight out away from the wall and turn over onto the pole. while you're doing this try to stay close to the pole.

I think skyshark pretty much summed it up on training techniques. But in the actual vault just remember that after your swing your top hand should come from around your shins right up into your junk. I know its crude, but its true, and if you work on pulling with your top hand dangerously close to the family jules you cant help but stay tight to the pole. Once your top hand is there, keep pressure with your top arm toward your opposite sided shoulder so your legs stay inverted and dont flag to one side during your pull.

Well if i had family jules i suppose i would relate to this.... but i dont... I get the idea thanks guys!

what is supposed to feel like, what can i do to learn to stay close to the pole through out my vault?

3 left/right simple pop-up stiff pole drills swinging to the top, pulling and connecting with the pole is one of the most basic drills you can perform to create the habit you're looking for. Ankles together at the top, toes toward your nose and a unification between the pole and your body are ground floor positions to learn early on. You want your hips to stay in motion until you land in the pit. If you hit the correct positions, land in the pit and get a wedgy, you're on to something. Do it again!

I can do this in the drills quite well it seems to be during the real jumps that I have the issue. The second the bar goes up i cant stay close to the pole anymore.

Sounds like doing repetitions will fix it then. Make sure you practice like you play and apply the motions of all the drills you do to the vault. If you can do it on a pop-up, try it on a softer pole from your real run in practice. Then in a meet, if you have done enough repetitions your muscle memory should take over and keep you tight on the pole.

well i am starting to stay closer to the pole but i am still coming off the top to soon! I hope this will fix itself as i get more comfortable with my jump.

i have the same problem!!, and ive seen you do those 3 step drills, and my coach always says "see her?...do that!" but its like when i jusmp its almost subconscious after my take off. i did some rope drills (ignore the trail leg, i fixed it) http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=25598121

so at Yale i tried to think about it, but i still cant seem to think during that stage of my vault, i was over 13' by a good 8" but my elbows were hitting it on my way up and my poles are always at leat 40 lbs over my weight but im getting no "pop" and i think its because of this not staying with the pole, someone once mentioned something about muscle memory? and how if i practice i should do it without thinking..? or something like that, any thoughts?

Can you post some video of your jumps? If we can see what you're doing, it will make it easier to suggest what you need to do to progress.

well today i think i might have stayed a little closer than usual that is how i cleared 11'1 1/4" It wasnt the nicest jump... i am lucky it stayed on but it is progress and that is all that matters.. Also good job today your vaults looked very strong!

thanks