bending the pole.

[ACvault]

My problem is that I can't really bend the pole on a vault, but I'm doing an ok height. But I seem to be stuck at 8'6 with the pole I have and I am holding at the top of the pole.

[CHC04Vault]

Try widening your grip about one or 2 fist length (unless u are have a huge hand grip) if that fails...i don't know try locking your arm, then when u can do that, break ur arm a little. Just don't stick with locking ur arm cause its a bad habit.

[ACvault]

yeah, i actually widened my grip a little at a meet where i did my pr and it helped. so maybe a little more i guess

[Aviendha]

work slide boxes...that'll help you get used to the feeling of pushing into the pole, and when you transfer that to the real box...it'll help you bend

[CHC04Vault]

easier said then done, i dont think any1 in our conference has a slide box, unless adam and tony actaully sprung some money for u guys

[altius]

Unfortunately there could be a dozen reasons why the pole wont bend -starting with the fact it could be too big/stiff for your weight,take off speed and technique. Check the pole rating and let us know what the pole is rated at and what your body weight is =that is a start.

However dont get depressed- keep jumping on the stiff pole and focussing on the key elements of technique -in the end this can make you a better vaulter.

Thought for the week 'wisdom can come from any place,any time and in any language'

[ACvault]

i weight 115, but the lighest pole we have is a 140, so thats what i use

[distancejumper]

It's really hard to bend a pole that much heavier than you. Last year I couldn't bend a pole that was my weight so I learned on a lighter one....prolly the only way your gunna learn is to get a lighter pole.

[altius]

You certainly do not need to push through the pole with the bottom arm at take off to bend a pole. Check out the pictures of Lauren Eley and Jana Tancosic in "From Beginner to Bubak" and you will see what i mean. Note that both are on 13 foot poles rated 35 /40 pounds above their body weight.

Thought for the week " What is technically desirable must be physically possible."

[Aviendha]

Its even harder for girls than for guys to bend poles over their weight (don't get started with me on boys vs girls here, its a plain observation).
as a beginning vaulter, you likely will never be able to bend that pole until you get some experience on smaller poles, bending those, and build up your strength...

and its not that hard to BUILD a slide box, some 2x4s, a piece of plywood for the bottom...makes you a decent enough one...

[USMC Vaulter]

and its not that hard to BUILD a slide box, some 2x4s, a piece of plywood for the bottom...makes you a decent enough one...

Very true.
Also- the fiberbenders webpage even has a diagram with dimensions and everything. (I believe the site is fiberbenders.com - on the camps section of the site there is a section for slidebox drills - it should be located there)

[illmatic3]

i just started bending the pole. i'm on a 12' 6" pole. I moved my hand hold up today to about 10'. i'm not afraid of the bend like i thought i would, it feels pretty good getting it. i get good pop up, but my top form over the bar isn't that good. i can't get inverted, and rotate my body for the pike position over the bar. i don't know why i can't do it, i try every time i jump, but i just can't do it. can anyone give me some pointers? i really want to get a good top form (like that picture of the pole vault power in the left hand corner), so i can start getting some push off the pole, instead of going over with my back and pushing the stick with my left hand.