Grip Question

[nathanskates]

Hey everyone, last time I posted here, I asked you guys about whether or not I should move up a pole (here: viewtopic.php?f=37&t=29086). Well, I moved from the 140 lb 12' to a 13' 150 lb Skypole and I'm still gripping at about 12' because I vault relatively straightpole (I get a little bit of bend) and if I raise it any higher, I stall out and fall over the box. I vault straightpole because I'm only about 138 lbs and I was told that for every 6" you go down on the pole, you raise the weight rating by 10 lbs effectively (therefore for my grip, I'm on a 170). However, today was my regional meet and it was kind of embarrassing because everyone else there was holding at the ends of their poles and getting really good bend (which I know shouldn't be the focus, but it seems to help). My question today is, if I hold at 13' will I bend the pole enough to not stall out over the box? If not, then what should I do to help my vault? I'll try to see if I can get my coach to send me a video to show you guys. Thanks!

[KirkB]

Your grip is OK for your PR. You're probably better off to keep continuing to focus on your technique and not worry about lack of bend.

Those guys that you're watching are "grip-and-rippers" that just grip as high as they can, get as much bend as they can, and the heck with technique.

You'll be out-vaulting them soon - don't worry.

If you want to experiment with raising your grip, don't raise it by a foot in one try. That would be too dangerous to try. Just raise your grip a fist at a time (about 4"). And if you're not landing in the coach's box, then lower your grip by a fist at a time until you do.

Kirk

[nathanskates]

Alright, that clears up a lot of my confusion. Thank you very much!

[nathanskates]

Ok, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2zb08S4dMU is the video from my coach. It's a pretty awful jump, but it was the only one I could get my hands on. A couple of the obvious things: no invert, super under takeoff, looking at the bungee. Feel free to criticize, I really need it.

[KirkB]

Gripping at 12-0 with a PR of 11-0 tells me that you have a ways to go to improve your technique before you need to raise your grip any higher.

Re my question of whether you're landing in the coach's box or not, you're NOT. In fact, your vid shows me that you're not even rolling the pole to vertical before you release your hands from it.

I suggest that you lower your grip by at least a fist and maybe 2, and start landing in the MIDDLE of the coach's box.

On that jump (and I realize that this isn't your best jump), you landed on your feet at about the front edge of the coach's box. Unfortunately, the coach's box isn't painted on the top cover of the pit, but please do some research on PVP (or google) and find out the dimensions of the box, and put some tape on your pit to see exactly where the front and back of it are. The mark the middle of the coach's box with a big "X", and that's where you should be landing.

The standards should always be set at 80cm (32.5").

Next step is to lower your grip until you're easily landing on the X. Then GRADUALLY raise your grip - a fist at a time - and lower it back down again when you're not getting deep enough into the pit to land on the X.

You will discover that you will be releasing the pole much later (once the pole rolls to vertical), and you will then begin to get the feel for what a "good" jump should feel like.

That's when you can start working on technique. Until then, you just need to work on vaulting safely, landing on the X.

In addition to learning how to swing on the pole while it's rolling to vertical and then landing on the X, you should also be learning how to swing under a highbar. Lots and lots of reps. This will give you the gut strength to swing properly.

Good luck!

Kirk