This super blurry photo is me, just a few weeks into pole vaulting and barely a flex in the pole. If I remember correctly this was a 12’4” 145lb Altius pole and I’m gripping about 2ish feet down.

This photo is also me, just 3 years later, gripping 15’4” on a 16’ 185lb pole.

You’re not going to go from the first photo to the second, overnight. If you’ve ever sat and watched a high school track meet, you’ll notice the there are vaulters with bends everywhere in between these two photos. The reason your pole’s not bending is you simply aren’t holding high enough and using the proper form to make it bend.

In the first photo I’m gripping more than 2 feet down the pole. In simple terms, this adds extra resistance because I’m not applying my force as far as possible from the base of the pole planted in the ground. A key part of making the pole flex is finding the right pole for your grip height. If you’re able to hold on 10 feet when you’re straight poling, it’ll be incredibly difficult to inch your grip high enough on a 15’ pole rated at your weight and make it flex. But an 11’ pole, maybe even a 12’ pole will mean you can hold high enough where you’ll start getting some flex in the pole. This can be cheated a bit if you’re using a pole rated slightly under your weight - but be careful.

Once you’ve found the right pole, you’ll be able to make it flex by applying the proper force through a good takeoff, the right amount of speed, and a proper bottom arm.

Speed: Ensure you’re running with enough speed where you can move yourself and the pole into the pit and land in the center.

Top arm: Notice how in both photos, the top arm is completely extended through the takeoff (the moments you jump and leave the ground)

Bottom arm: The key difference in the photos besides grip height, is applying force through the bottom arm. By using my bottom arm to keep the pole away from me, my speed continues forward until the pole unbends and launches me up the pole.

Bottom wrist: Notice how in the first photo my wrist is completely wrapped around the pole. This is a pretty difficult position to try and push the pole up from. In the bottom photo, you can see my wrist under the pole and my palm up to the sky. As you first learn to flex and bend the pole, this is a great cue to remind yourself - palm up, to the sky, whatever gets you to remember.

Know someone who is close to bending a pole?

Bending the pole will come with time, speed, and repetition. I highly suggest videoing your vaults. A single vault goes by in a flash. Phone cameras are good enough nowadays, even just filming in slowmo on your phone should be good enough to spot whether you took off on, had your top hand tall, and your bottom arm pressed.

If you’d like me to take a peak at your video, drop me an email above.