PoleVaultPower.com

Hi! My name is Maysie and I am a high school vaulter. My pr is 10'9 and I weight 145lbs. In this video I am coming from a run of 75 feet and I am using a 12'6 155 pole holding at around 12 feet. I have been vaulting for around three years but I can't seem to fully invert and I have an extremely slow turn. Any suggestions to fix these problems and others would be much appreciated!!

http://youtu.be/SMT7DiPgAC4

The thing that jumps out to me this one jump in your video is that you are way under and getting swept off your feet as a result.
With a 12' grip, your take off should be about 9'. You took off at about 8' - a whole foot under. You can't jump up when you are that far under, and you also can't get a good swing. Without a good powerful swing, initiated by a strong whip-kick from your trail-leg, you won't get a good inversion. Ideally, you need a good drive knee as well, but with being so far under, you couldn't get it.

I'd like to see both your arms in the video at take-off as well - have your video taker stand further back.

You have a great run, good form. I like the way you charge the box. I think you could hold higher, but first we need to fix the taking off under problem. Back up 9", and try to keep the last two steps quick. (don't try to stretch it out to take off under if that's where you are used to taking off from) You have a lot going for you - but the under take off is killing your potential in this video.

Thank you very much for your reply! Whenever I move back to take off farther back I do tend to stride out because I have gotten used to the feeling of being under but I suppose I will just have to get more reps in and my steps will sort themselves out.

If taking off under is a psychological block, get a smaller pole or even just grip down. Be pathological about being where you are supposed to be when taking off without having to worry about not making it in. Inch your grip back up, or try starting to use the normal pole.

Several hundred repetitions focusing exclusively on this and the issue will become minimal. Several thousand and it will be gone. That's reality. Go for it!