How do you get more of the "Good Days" ?

[Haverford123]

Hi, i've been a vaulter since sophmore year, i barely cleared 9ft i remember,,
and now im a junior vaulting 10 ~ 11, My coach tells me that my take off
position is awesome but for some reason i can never finish my jump and efficiently use the pole to get over 12'3 which is the requirement for my districts,,,

These days my step has been 1ft under and i dont know how to fix the problem,,, i weigh 120 and i use a 120 and a 125 poles 12'4 and 13',,
my guess was that i was running faster then before,,, so do i just need to get my step again?? i do a 6 step,, i was also wondering if i should do 7?
Sorry im asking a thousand different questions but all i really want is to be
able to get into districts by the end of this season and efficiently use my pole
to jump over my hand hold,,, (im holding at the top of both poles whenever i use them).

on a closing note, my coach told me i should move onto a 14' ft pole but from reading excessivly about vaulting seems like i should maximize my height before i go any further,,,

Please give me suggestions on how to improve my vault!!
Thanks

[g00eY]

To fix your step, do another run back. Put the pole in the box and hold at your normal grip height. Then position yourself so your top hand is straight above your take off leg. Turn around, and run back however many steps you choose. I would say stay at 5 or 6 steps. This is the easiest way (in my opinion) to fix your step issue. I would stay at or less than 6 steps. I am also vaulting 11 feet and I am on a 6 left approach.

I would also stay on the poles you are on right now, unless you start blowing through them (landing too far into the pit). Moving up to a longer pole will not help your form and you should see what you can do with the poles you have now.

[ladyvolspvcoach]

g00ey I know it's a popular concept in High School to run your steps back, but in fact this will not work. You will never run the same way when running toward thepit carrying the pole, planting and attempting to take off. It simply will NOT work. Rather, Haverford123 give us your grip height on the poles you are using and we can give you a method that actually works for fixing your step.

[txpolevaulter_k25]

g00ey I know it's a popular concept in High School to run your steps back, but in fact this will not work. You will never run the same way when running toward thepit carrying the pole, planting and attempting to take off. It simply will NOT work. Rather, Haverford123 give us your grip height on the poles you are using and we can give you a method that actually works for fixing your step.

it has always worked for me

[newPVer]

its an approximate, not an exact for all people..

[nitro]

it never works when there is a strong wind going one way.... it think its funny when the kid is a couple feet out or under after a runback because they didnt factor in they had a tail wind or head wind when they ran back and cant figure out why there run is off

[g00eY]

I know there are other more accurate methods to take a step, but I suggested the run back method as a quick fix to his problem, as it has always worked for me. I've never been able to figure out the DJ mid chart myself, so I didn't suggest it.

[ladyvolspvcoach]

I'll bet there is not a coach on this board that would support the runback method. it has the absolute lowest probability of success. Check DJ's chart or give me his grip height and I'll suggest a way to immediately fix his run and get the step he should have...If you have DJ's chart start at the mid that matches his grip height. Then have him run back from the mid. Check his 2nd left for a 5 left approach this 3rd for a six left approach etc....

[g00eY]

So it's that easy, huh? Cool, I think I might try it this week at practice. So it's basically the same thing as doing a run back from the box, except I run back from the mid mark that corresponds to my grip height, right?

The chart I have is a little confusing. What should I be doing with the numbers for stride length, penultimate stride, and take-off stride?

[ladyvolspvcoach]

The only ones you have to think about are the mid and the take off marks. I can show some things to do with the rest at another time. They are best used in the fall or winter before the season starts for training purposes.

[Haverford123]

i hold at the top for my 12'4 and 13' poles,
i mush the 12'4 sometimes and so i dont use it for my real jumps,
but for the 13' i cant penetrate enough if i dont hold at the top so i hold it
at the tape mark,,, maybe its just because my runs are not
consistent but the chart is not easy to use either,,,
(i weigh 118, 12'4= 120 and 13'=125, height= 5'8)

[ladyvolspvcoach]

use a 43 mid mark and run back from there. You should be taking off near 10' or nearer to 11 if you are shorter than 5'3"