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I went to state a few days ago and someone told me that when i am at the top of my pole i am supposed to turn around by crossing my right leg over my left and then look down my pole and push off. But i never do any of that, i guess i have bad form or something. I have cleared 12-9 and all i do is go up and swing my legs over the bar and i dont usually turn around until im over the bar and throwing my pole back. Im using a 13-6 pole. What i wanted to know is, how could someone look down their pole and get over the cross bar? They wont be able to see the bar so how would they know where it is, wouldnt they hit it on their way up?

i remember don hood saying to us when i went to his camp 5 years ago that "if you jump for the bar you will get it every time. if you jump for the sky you will get the sky"

that man was a coaching genious

Benjamin1205 wrote:I went to state a few days ago and someone told me that when i am at the top of my pole i am supposed to turn around by crossing my right leg over my left and then look down my pole and push off. But i never do any of that, i guess i have bad form or something. I have cleared 12-9 and all i do is go up and swing my legs over the bar and i dont usually turn around until im over the bar and throwing my pole back. Im using a 13-6 pole. What i wanted to know is, how could someone look down their pole and get over the cross bar? They wont be able to see the bar so how would they know where it is, wouldnt they hit it on their way up?

Just keep working on your takeoff and swing. When those improve enough you will naturally turn over the bar and "push off" the pole. Sounds like you are doing fine.

Barto

my take off may be the problem. When i plant the pole my left arm always bends. I think it may be because my pole is stiff but its probably because i need to practice more.

Benjamin1205 wrote:my take off may be the problem. When i plant the pole my left arm always bends. I think it may be because my pole is stiff but its probably because i need to practice more.

your left arm wouldn't bend if it was a stiff pole. it would be too weak for u if u can bend the pole with a bent left arm. i used to have that prob a while ago, but when u go to a stiffer pole, it makes ur arms straight because if they arn't, u wont be able to jump on the pole

the idea is as you get to the top of your jump you should be learning how to become vertical. as you become vertical the pole is right by your head you can see it ... Be careful whatever you are looking at ...because that tendency can lead you to throw your head or look back at the box then your hips will fall... The higher you go you will need to learn this technique to turn and to go vertical.