PoleVaultPower.com

Hello!

My name is Elaina and I am from Portland, Oregon. I currently jump at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia (DIII). I am 20 years old, a junior, and have been jumping since my freshman year in high school. I hold a PR of 11'2 from my senior year of high school. Since college, I've adapted to wildly different coaching staff/style and an increase in extracurriculars in addition to track & field. Subsequently, I've only scratched at 11', with this past spring being the most disappointing and inconsistent season yet. I am hoping to reinvigorate my approach to training, as the 2014-2015 year will be my last chance to do so.

Lo, a few videos chronicling my PV career. I will attach the link to my youtube channel with all videos, but these are only a select few. Any and all feedback is appreciated:

2011 way back when:

11'2 XO capping 13' 130 pole. 7 lefts, 85 ft.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULADon57njE

no videos from 2012...during my freshman year at Emory, filming was a novel concept. Don't worry--you're not missing much. I held a season PR of 10'.

2013:

10'6 XO capping 12'6 135 pole. 6 lefts, 74 ft.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pAzfgBJEAg
11' XXX capping 12'6 140 pole. 6 lefts, 74 ft.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFGxVTOG54c

2014:

10' O capping 12'6 135 pole. 6 lefts, 74 ft.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E82HjidCom0
10'6 XXX capping 12'6 140 pole. 6 lefts, 74 ft.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWuTtCXyeOg
10'1 XO capping 12'6 135 pole. Running from 5 lefts, 63 ft.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dbgdro29QuU
10'7 XXO capping 12'6 135 pole. Running from 6 lefts, 75 ft.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9HHKTaFQws
10'7 XX capping 12'6 140 pole. Running from 6 lefts, 75.5 ft.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn61bmJzKKg
10'7 XXO capping 12'6 140 pole. Running from 6 lefts, 75.5 ft.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz8Ycpd_jLY
11'2 XXX capping 12'6 135 pole. Running from 6 lefts, 75.5 ft.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdFtZJlf5cg


Sorry it's a lot, but again, any feedback is appreciated!! As you can see, I have long strides--this has been a challenge to speed up, but since high school I've gotten faster and stronger. My swing has gotten more fluid, though nowhere near where it should be. I usually have quick hand, and a tall take off, but I'd like to see myself quicken up the top of my jump and work on getting a push off the top of the pole. I know I have a solid 11'8-11'10 jump in me. Here is my youtube channel with a few more jumps and practice jumps: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOGuOC ... pk7NacT6OA

Thank you!

Best,
Elaina

Elaina,

First question - In high school you ran from 7 lefts and gripped at 12'7", now you run from 6 lefs and grip at 12' - why would you shorten your run and drop your grip? Wouldn't you expect to see lower bar clearances as a result?

Also, I'm going to have to disagree with your self-assessment:

I usually have quick hand, and a tall take off, but I'd like to see myself quicken up the top of my jump and work on getting a push off the top of the pole.

I'm going to hazard a guess and say that you probably have difficultly moving up poles because your jumps become inconsistent or it feels difficult for you to take off when holding higher. When you hold higher, your swing probably feels out of time, and you probably have difficulty getting to the back of the pit. You probably also always take off under. You're jumping with the standards up at 60 and still having difficultly getting deep enough to clear.

If that sounds about right, it's because you have poor posture at takeoff as a result of your pole carry.
1. You are letting the pole tip fall too early in the run,
2. the pole tip drops below eye level before you plant,
3. and you are controlling the pole drop by lowering the left hand.

All three of these issues make it impossible for you to have the hips in the right position at takeoff, because the weight of the pole is pulling you off balance, and it is causing you to overstride. If you want to get a good "push off the top of the pole," you have to get the pole to continue rotating toward the back of the pit as you're coming off of it. The pop off the top of the pole comes from swinging in time with pole rotation, not an upper body push.

So here's how to fix it:

1. Practice your plant motion with the pole tip starting just above eye level. Work on this off the runway, and take it to the runway with straight pole drills from 3 lefts. Put a bungee up with the standards 4 feet back and challenge yourself to hold as high as possible and move the pole quickly to the back of the pit while you swing with it. The pole tip must stay above your eyes until you hit your left foot to initiate your plant.

2. Practice pole runs off the runway. Keep the left arm tight to the torso, and keep the pole tip above eye level. The pole tip should stay up longer, so that it accelerates toward the plant in the latter half of your run. Don't let the pole tip fall early so that you have to hold it in place for several steps.

3. Lengthen your run to 7 lefts and then to 8 lefts. There's no reason for you to be running from 6. Practice your pole drop from these distances. If you correct the pole drop, these runs and higher handgrips should be no problem.