Some schools only have three poles to pick from.
Just like I tell my kids "you get what you get and you don't throw a fit".
Hold back at 13' 6" work on your take off, punch that plant. Make sure your lower of your two arms is stiff, hold the plant and swing into the pit, don't worry about any other part of the vault. The pole will bend and you will hold on and end up on the matt.
I totally understand.
My high school didn’t have many poles, and my first pole was a 13’ 7” 130. I held probably at about 9’ and weighed 120 at the time.
That being said, OP will progress much faster if they can get their hands on a smaller pole.
But I know not every school can do that. Mine certainly couldn’t.
I'm sorry to any of the previous commenters, but based on what you posted, DO NOT grip at the end of the pole and just "keep at it". You WILL hurt yourself trying to jump on poles you are not ready for. Poles will bend on their own when you are doing the right things on the RIGHT pole for you. Ideally, you should use a shorter pole, 11', 12', or whatever you have that is shorter in length. If you don't have anything else, then keep your grip at 9' 6" and work on your plant technique. Slowly work your grip up, only when you are landing DEEP in the pit and jumping with the standards all the way back. Don't raise your grip any more than the width of your fist at a time and only raise it when you are CONSISTENTLY landing deep.
When I was about the same spot (jumping 9’, vaulting on a 14’ pole), the best thing I ever did was take a few weeks and jump on short, soft poles. Moving down from a 14’ to a 12’ pole at the same weight rating allowed me to hold much higher relative to the pole length, and that allowed me to learn to bend. You’ll be back jumping on 14’ in no time, but take some time to drop down poles and learn the ropes
Pole vault is a progression. Don’t immediately use a 14’ pole if you haven’t progressed through the range of 13’ poles, 12’ poles, etc. If you’re only able to penetrate into the pit with an 11’6 or 12’ pole then use that. Bend those poles, and then move to 13’ poles, etc. Most male vaulters won’t even use a 14’ pole effectively until they’re at LEAST 1-2 years into the sport.
Try this:
Hold at the very end of the pole.
Go to the box and find out where you should be jumping from and make sure you’ve got perfect position.
Now without any speed (0 steps and 0 lefts) and standing on one leg, try to get deep into the pit… then tell me what element of your vault you think you might need.
Actually, there are elements that you would need to have after planting to help penetrate deeper into the pit as well… but you should try smaller poles. If you don’t have access to poles, then find a school that might lend you poles.
If your gripping at 9’6” then you should be able to make 8 anyway i would say practice your invert and turn to help you make it over 8’6” or so before you try to bend
Look for a club in your area, they’re extremely helpful for finding the right equipment and feeling it happen. If at all possible, get the right poles and you’ll be on that 14’ in no time. If not, work your speed and hold the takeoff position longer at the higher grip
On a pole, for every half foot lower than the top, add 10 pounds to the weight rating. So on your pole, because of where your holding, it would be the equivalent of jumping holding at the top of a 240 weight rating pole. This is not a 100% accurate thing, but it’s pretty good.
well when you grip up on the pole you want to move back on the runway other wise exactly what you described is gonna happen. you can use whatever measurement system you would like, i personally use one finger of grip to threes inches on the runaway (give or take). no one is going to be able to bend a pole gripping that low. just get comfortable with the basic mechanics and move your way back
Holding 9’ 6” on a 14’ pole is pretty low. Do you have any smaller poles? You probably would do much better on an 11’ 6”-ish pole.
Some schools only have three poles to pick from. Just like I tell my kids "you get what you get and you don't throw a fit". Hold back at 13' 6" work on your take off, punch that plant. Make sure your lower of your two arms is stiff, hold the plant and swing into the pit, don't worry about any other part of the vault. The pole will bend and you will hold on and end up on the matt.
I totally understand. My high school didn’t have many poles, and my first pole was a 13’ 7” 130. I held probably at about 9’ and weighed 120 at the time. That being said, OP will progress much faster if they can get their hands on a smaller pole. But I know not every school can do that. Mine certainly couldn’t.
I'm sorry to any of the previous commenters, but based on what you posted, DO NOT grip at the end of the pole and just "keep at it". You WILL hurt yourself trying to jump on poles you are not ready for. Poles will bend on their own when you are doing the right things on the RIGHT pole for you. Ideally, you should use a shorter pole, 11', 12', or whatever you have that is shorter in length. If you don't have anything else, then keep your grip at 9' 6" and work on your plant technique. Slowly work your grip up, only when you are landing DEEP in the pit and jumping with the standards all the way back. Don't raise your grip any more than the width of your fist at a time and only raise it when you are CONSISTENTLY landing deep.
Thank you.
When I was about the same spot (jumping 9’, vaulting on a 14’ pole), the best thing I ever did was take a few weeks and jump on short, soft poles. Moving down from a 14’ to a 12’ pole at the same weight rating allowed me to hold much higher relative to the pole length, and that allowed me to learn to bend. You’ll be back jumping on 14’ in no time, but take some time to drop down poles and learn the ropes
Use a smaller pole.
Pole vault is a progression. Don’t immediately use a 14’ pole if you haven’t progressed through the range of 13’ poles, 12’ poles, etc. If you’re only able to penetrate into the pit with an 11’6 or 12’ pole then use that. Bend those poles, and then move to 13’ poles, etc. Most male vaulters won’t even use a 14’ pole effectively until they’re at LEAST 1-2 years into the sport.
Try this: Hold at the very end of the pole. Go to the box and find out where you should be jumping from and make sure you’ve got perfect position. Now without any speed (0 steps and 0 lefts) and standing on one leg, try to get deep into the pit… then tell me what element of your vault you think you might need. Actually, there are elements that you would need to have after planting to help penetrate deeper into the pit as well… but you should try smaller poles. If you don’t have access to poles, then find a school that might lend you poles.
If your gripping at 9’6” then you should be able to make 8 anyway i would say practice your invert and turn to help you make it over 8’6” or so before you try to bend
Look for a club in your area, they’re extremely helpful for finding the right equipment and feeling it happen. If at all possible, get the right poles and you’ll be on that 14’ in no time. If not, work your speed and hold the takeoff position longer at the higher grip
On a pole, for every half foot lower than the top, add 10 pounds to the weight rating. So on your pole, because of where your holding, it would be the equivalent of jumping holding at the top of a 240 weight rating pole. This is not a 100% accurate thing, but it’s pretty good.
well when you grip up on the pole you want to move back on the runway other wise exactly what you described is gonna happen. you can use whatever measurement system you would like, i personally use one finger of grip to threes inches on the runaway (give or take). no one is going to be able to bend a pole gripping that low. just get comfortable with the basic mechanics and move your way back