PoleVaultPower.com

Okay. So before this season I had never had a coach and my PR was 11'. This season I have worked with a coach and really sprung up to 13' but I know I have a lot more in me to show at the regional competition coming up here this coming saturday (May 15, 2010). I weigh between 175 and 180 and plan on losing whatever weight is necessary to get on my 175 poles for regionals.

I have a:
13'6" 175 - warmup pole
13'6" 180 - goto pole for 13' and up.
14' 175 - goto pole for heights up to around 12'6" cus i dont hold higher than 13 on this because it gets soft
14'7" 175 - found this pole at school and never used it...should i try it?

I have some video on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/ryanbaptiste23 so you can actually see my vaults.

What I am realizing is that my take-off is consistent but i am in the position that i should be in at the point right after take off which is a little under. can anyone help me work on my basic form and anything i can do in the next week to try to move my PR up this coming week. I know i have the speed and potential but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I've been doing the same thing all year. if you know you're under the pole, back your steps up. Line yourself up under your pole until you're straight, once you know your takeoff spot, play with your step mark until you're consistantly in the right spot. My 7 lefts moved from 86'6 to 89 feet before I hit it right.

RyanBaptiste wrote: So before this season I had never had a coach and my PR was 11'. This season I have worked with a coach and really sprung up to 13'

Congratulations on a GREAT season so far ... you've come a long way, and a 2-0 improvement is impressive!

RyanBaptiste wrote: my take-off is consistent but i am in the position that i should be in at the point right after take off which is a little under. can anyone help me work on my basic form and anything i can do in the next week to try to move my PR up this coming week.

There's very little you can improve in a single week. However, I would focus on getting your last step out a bit. The quickest way to do this is by chopping it. Don't just move your steps back, becuz you'll probably just stretch out on your last step to hit the takeoff mark that you're comfortable with.

Chopping the last step will also give you a better forward lean on takeoff AND you will have a better chance of JUMPING off the ground on your takeoff.

That's about all you can hope for in the next week. After that, send us some more vid of regionals, and we'll see about improving your PR even more!

RyanBaptiste wrote: 14'7" 175 - found this pole at school and never used it...should i try it?

There's no reason to go to a stiffer pole ... becuz you're overbending the one in the vid.

Kirk

i appreciate the advice.

Another thing i noticed is that my takeoff is converting right into a rockback and swing. how can i teach myself to drive the pole into the pit?

Yikes! I meant you're NOT overbending the pole in the vid!

RyanBaptiste wrote: ... my takeoff is converting right into a rockback and swing. how can i teach myself to drive the pole into the pit?

My other advice still stands. With one week to go, my previous advice will put you into the best position to swing properly ... which is a little different than "driving the pole into the pit". To CLEAR the bar, follow my advice, and don't worry about "driving" ... that's not your biggest problem. Instead, JUMP!

Kirk

"Chopping" Worked amAZINGLY!!! I just literally chopped my last left real hard once and jumped out! After softening that "Chop" i jumped out and the pole did some amazing things for me up top!! Thanks KirkB!!

christopher_cochran wrote:"Chopping" Worked amAZINGLY!!! I just literally chopped my last left real hard once and jumped out! After softening that "Chop" i jumped out and the pole did some amazing things for me up top!!

That's becuz (a) you were leaning more forward ... less backward; (b) you were probably able to JUMP off the ground more vigorously; (c) your trail leg probably had more time to DOWNswing before it started to UPswing.

Keep doing this, and you'll be bending the pole more too ... without actually trying to "drive". Have a bigger pole ready ... but you don't need it quite yet.

Re your PM, sorry I can't help you more than this. Just relax, and you'll be in fine shape for your Wed meet. Don't expect to fix everything in the same week. In the meet, just focus on hitting your takeoff (by chopping). With your natural competitive nature, the rest will come quite naturally.

... the pole did some amazing things for me up top!!

It's not the pole ... it's YOU doing the amazing things. It's amazing how the top half solves itself when the bottom half technique is done right!

Kirk

KirkB wrote:It's amazing how the top half solves itself when the bottom half technique is done right!

So many young kids refuse to accept that statement. I consistently work the approach run, plant and take-off more than anything else. All young kids want to do it all, but once they get more hooked on vaulting, you have to get them to commit to the statement above to allow them to really progress. Love that comment.