Stuck...don't know what to do

[scubastevesgirly]

so, I've opened at 9 feet every meet this year, and have cleared it first attempt almost every meet...and usually clear 9'6'' or 10'' easily.

But, the past 2 weeks, I've been no-heighting like it's my job (I've never no-heighted before this). I no-heighted at the meet last week, 2x in the mock meets during practice (which i was totally against anyway) and this past weekend again. 9 feet should be cake...I don't know what's going on.

It may be that I just hate our runway or being at home meets...or maybe there's something wrong with my vault, but my coach says there's nothing wrong with it (interesting, though, that I can't clear my opening height when there's nothing wrong with my vault)...Maybe it's all in my head.

Our top guy says I'm not clearing it because i'm getting better...now if anybody can tell me how that works....

I'm getting REALLY frustrated and thinking about taking some time off.

Any ideas!?!?!?!?

[rainbowgirl28]

What's happening when you NH? How are you knocking the bar off?

[Mecham]

I find when I vault, when I think about past meets and NHing i tend to not vault as well. It is important to clear your mind of that and focus on what you think you need to focus on regarding to the vault. "I am really going to jump at take off." or "I'm going to whip my trail leg so fast no one will see it!" Our minds certainly are powerful and can change really fast. "If we do what our minds are capable of doing, we would certainly astound ourselves."

[scubastevesgirly]

What's happening when you NH? How are you knocking the bar off?

I feel like I'm doing what I always do, but I just knock the bar off...I don't know how I knock it off...

I get sooo frustrated. It's aweful...my hands start shaking so bad after I NH that I can't untie my spikes

[LHSpolevault]

Maybe you could try opening at a lower height, and clearing that will help your confidence get back up again. If your vault is fine... then it's most likely all in your head, and a renewed confidence should help a lot.

[SweetPVJumps]

i think it would really help you to videotape yourself, at practice but especially at those meets. then you can really pinpoint the problem and there wont be any confusion on whats wrong. also, are you basically jumping at the bar becasue you just want to not NH so bad your thinking about the bar too much or are you still basically doing the same jumo but things just arent coming together?

[pool_man_007]

i vault with a bunch of people who have the simalar mental blocks. my pv coach has a favorite saying, and i say it to myself everytime that i'm flustered at the end of the runway. put simply

"Clear your mind and your butt will follow"

it works wonders