PoleVaultPower.com

Height: 5'11"
Weight: 136 lbs
Length and weight rating of pole you are using now: 12', 135 lbs
How high you are gripping on that pole: 11'6"
Where you have your standards: 70cm
Age: 15
How long you have been vaulting: 4th practice as of posting
Current Record: 8'6" (Only jumped over the bar during 2 practices, and the coach stopped me from going higher both times)

Hi, this is my first post to the forum. I just graduated from my Freshman year of high school and I started pole vault for my summer season of track and field. I am not a pole vaulter, and I have no experience with it beyond my few practices with my club. I'm competing in a decathlon in two weeks and I'm well prepared for every running and jumping event (High Jump 6'1", Long Jump 19+ feet, 400m is consistently ~56, 100m was hand timed at 12.1 with a standing start, 110m Hurdles around 16-17, 1500m high 4s low 5s.)

For all of those events I'm scoring in the 600s (for those of you who know how the decathlon works), but for pole vault I'm literally not even scoring half of that (250). I just started but I'm really losing ground on everyone pointswise and are there any tips that anyone can give to get high, fast? I need to hit 11' to make up for my poor throws (I'm a skinny white boy) and with 0-2 practices a week I don't know if I'll be prepared in time.

My goal is to break 5200, which would rank me nationally, where I've consistently been in the top for my age in high jump and the multi events. I can do it, but only if I fix my pole vaulting.


So here's as much info as I can give you--I'm four stepping my jump from 46'10" and straight poling over the bar. I have no form and basically hold on for the ride up and throw myself over. I can't get vertical yet and while I'm pretty sure I have the speed, I can't bend the pole. I've been researching a ton and reading up as well as watching videos of pole vaulters. I'm really lucky in that I have 2 18+ college coaches (one for my high school and one is a family friend) who have been helping me, but neither of us have been able to fit in a regular schedule where I can really get better.


Anyway, please get back to me ASAP! Thank you all!

You'll improve most by getting as many pole vault practices in that you reasonably can without beating up your legs too much. Listen to your coaches. Ask them for drills that you can do on a high bar on non-vaulting days, just take care not to beat your hands up too much.

I'm used to XC and I feel like I can train as long as my coaches are available-Today, I spent 2 hours pole vaulting, 1 hour in the weight room, as well as ran sprints afterward (63/66 for 400ms, 30/31/30 for 200ms with 3 minute recovery). As for my hands, they're pretty beat up already. I did 100 pullups a day for finals week so they've got calluses and rough skin everywhere. On the high bar, I've been practicing swinging my trail leg up, but I have a real problem getting vertical. I'm pretty much muscling my way over everything.

Are there any drills you guys use, especially ones that don't involve using the poles or mat (I've been practicing planting with a broom), that really helped with form at the start?

Do not worry at all about bending the pole. You should not use a pole that you can bend for your first year. You will not be consistent enough to hit the same bend, so you are better off without it.

Do not be in such a hurry. It isn't what you do at age 15 that counts. Learn how to do it right, and accept gradual improvement.

I, too, was a skinny decathlete, but I loved the throws. The shot was my favorite event, because for about a year, every time I did it I got a PR. The more you throw, the better you get. Strive for good technique, but don't agonize over it, because your body tends to settle into what works as long as you start with the right fundamentals.

Come up with a 7 year plan instead of a two week plan.

It seems like you need to spend a lot of your training time on the vault and the throws. You can't be a good decathlete without these events, and they take time and technique practice, not just raw ability!

There really aren't any shortcuts, except to not form bad habits which take forever to fix. Watch this video and pay attention to what David Butler is saying...little details of the pole carry and plant really matter!
http://youtu.be/3YkbsmYlR28

Also here are some key drills for you:

Measured pole runs: on the football field or track, use tape or yard markers to develop consistency in your run and plant. You can't improve until you develop consistency!

Keep working those plant drills while walking, jogging...you must teach your hands to work in timing with the feet to get your hands up at the right time. This takes 1000's of reps...no shortcuts here!

Run up a few steps, jump and catch a rope as high as possible, then swing upside down. This is one of the most useful all-around drills for learning the complete motion of vaulting.

Another one that might help you: run/jump up to a highbar and try to keep your hips from swinging forward (you must catch the bar at the right spot, keep the knee high, and the trail leg back). This helps teach you how to reach the proper position at the takeoff for moving the pole/staying behind it, and setting up the swing.

Also, grab a bigger pole. The one you are using is too small. Take a bigger one out to the football field and do the "jump-over-the-tip" drill (jog, plant high with top hand, keep pole centered, hang and ride the pole over). Also jump into the pit on a big, stiff pole from 3 lefts, trying to stay behind the pole and move your grip up as high a possible. Don't swing. This will improve your takeoff and help you learn to jump from farther out. Your goal should be 5-6 feet above your standing grip.

Good luck, welcome to a fun event!
Tom

tsorenson-Are you related to Tyler Sorenson by any chance?


Any way, I just had my first decathlon on July 2-3. I've been practicing pole vault more than anything, and it showed....

My 100 was worse than my FAT from 7th grade at 12.72, and after two faults in the long jump I moved back 2 feet and took an extra slow approach for a mediocre (actually awful) 17'4".
So instead of the 12.1 and 19+ that I expected, I was down by a few hundred points at the start. I don't know if it was nerves or what, but that's the worst meet I've had in years.
Anyway, I went on to throw the 12 lb shot 29'4", high jump 5'10", and run the 400m in 56.97, all average times for me with no spectacular performances.
On the second day, I ran the 110m Hurdles in 18.13 (another personal worst), threw the discus 80' (no practice, so average), threw the javelin 80' (first time ever picking up a javelin), and ran a pedestrian 5:11 for the 1500m.


All in all, every single one of my performances was sub-par...EXCEPT POLE VAULT.

I started at 5'10", expecting maybe 8'8" if I got lucky, and ended up jumping 10'2". I still have no form, as I'm going straight over the bar without shooting the hips or getting my feet up or anything. I had enough speed holding at 12'6" on a 13 foot pole to get really high and just throw myself over the bar. Thanks for all the tips, my approach and plant were rock solid. I hope to hit 13' soon considering I have absolutely no form.

Ian

PS-I still have another year to rank nationally, as I'm only a freshman in the frosh-soph category

Congratulations on the pole vault PR!

Remember to focus on technique becuse eventually everyone rus out of raw talent. Good job and congrats on the PR!