"Early plant" Problem

[Jay]

This is a really weird problem for me since the plant is one of the better things in my vault. Last meet i had a huge problem on just planting the pole a couple steps earlier. This is really hard to explain without a vid but i was holding the pole like i would at plant and running like that for a step or two before the actual plant should happen. Is their an easy way to fix this problem? Its a pretty big issue since i slow down plus messes with my head.


thanks for the help, really appreciate it since i need a lot of it

[bel142]

Afternoon, tough question but I figured i would take a swing at it...

The pole vault is a very perceptual event. When you are at a new venue for the first time, even though every thing about your run is proceduralized and the same, just the fact that what is behind the pit is different may mess with you head, giving you little hitches in your plant, as you have mentioned.

My suggestion is to practice your plant slowly and really focus on each step of your pole drop, to really know and feel where it needs to be and when "...at 4Ls you need to have the pole here, at 3Ls you need to see the pole tip, at 2L you need to have the pole parallel or less than that to the ground, at 1L needs to be sliding into the box..." Something like that...

Then when you show up to a meet, don't just hop on the runway and start to vault, take a few warm up plants off the runway, re enforcing your proceduralized pole drop. Walk down the runway a few times with or without a pole in your hands and get used to the venue setting, and how everything looks proceptually (spelling?), let your brain get used to the pit and how you see it.

THEN if all that fails and you can't fix it.... I don't know, take up bowling? Just kidding
cheers,
bel

[KirkB]

... Last meet i had a huge problem on just planting the pole a couple steps earlier. This is really hard to explain without a vid but i was holding the pole like i would at plant and running like that for a step or two before the actual plant should happen. Is their an easy way to fix this problem? ...

I underlined the part of your post that I would like to respond to.

If you ran as described, then that's your problem. Instead of "holding the pole ... for a step or two", you should be gradually dropping the pole into the box. It should not stay held in a fixed position "for a step or two". It's important to learn this at your 9-0 PR and (I assume) short run, becuz at a longer run, higher grip, and higher PR, every motion in the plant is going to speed up ... and the pole is going to feel heavier. You're essentially running in slo-mo now (compared to when you go higher), so now is the time to learn proper planting technique ... such as GRADUALLY letting the pole drop into the box. If it's STILL too fast for you, then WALK thru the planting motions a step at a time on the track ... using a towel as the box. Once you get a feel for the right motions, then gradually speed this up ... not before. Just remember that on each step, the pole tip drops a bit ... and your arms move up a bit. Don't hold it steady ... not even for a single step!

Kirk