State Qualifying jump...want to go higher!

[davidjRudman]

Both of these videos are on a 14' 155 pole. I weigh 150lbs. We have a 14' 6" 155 that i would like to get onto as soon as possible.

Here is a video of me jumping a state qualifying height--13'9"... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C7a7-4c ... 3KJbBVA8o=

But...my filmer didn't get a great angle and started it late..damn him! so here's a video of me missing that height in the previous attempt:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C7a7-4c ... 3KJbBVA8o=

I think i need to plant higher, take off out a little more, and swing more powerfully. Also i want to move onto the bigger pole and need some tips on how to make that easy! I don't really have a coach...so help me go for my school's record of 14'7" please! I'll be very grateful of any advice, or criticism given, so comment away!

[rainbowgirl28]

Compare your top arm during your swing with the top arm of more advanced pole vaulters on YouTube. Bending your top arm so early in the jump will slow down the pole rotation, so if you can fix that, you have a much better chance of getting on the bigger pole.

[davidjRudman]

Thanks! Are there certain drills i can do to help keep that top arm straight longer?

[littlewilson85]

Straight pole vaulting in the mats and in a sand pit.

[at track]

Looking at your other jump, I'd definitely agree with both you and becca. Your hands are late at takeoff and you loose a lot of your momentum before you leave the ground because of it. To me your bottom hand sticks out just as much as your top one. Get that step out and take off earlier and you should have better height and a more fluent vault. Hard to tell from the slow motion, but it also looks like you might be pulling with that bottom really early. That might just be because it's so collapsed, but its another thing to keep an eye on. Should be a fairly easy fix for you, and you'll certainly get on much bigger poles if you fix that up. Good luck with getting 14'7"!

EDIT: Keeping the top arm straight longer should happen pretty naturally if you get it all the way up at takeoff. Its not like the bottom hand where you can muscle it out if you're late, but the drills suggested should help with your takeoff timing too. I'd focus more on getting it straight at takeoff is you jump usually looks like it did in the 13'9" miss video

[davidjRudman]

Hey guys! Got a new PR the other day, 14 feet! Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWw1hM3rSEk

This one is on a pole 5 pounds stiffer, as i blew through that other pole in my first vault that day, this one gave me such a push! I was actually surprised how much work the pole did for me.