Pole vault is an ancient sport that has evolved through the ages. The first poles used by vaulters were very stiff wooden poles. The vaulter would run up to the pole, jump, and then proceed to climb as high up the pole as possible to gain as much ground as possible as the pole would coming crashing back to earth. The point of course was to cover more distance than height. Poles then were made out of lighter more flexible materials such as bamboo and even aluminum. Now poles are designed help vaulter soar high into the air, reaching heights up to 20 feet.
Today poles are made of fiberglass and carbon fiber. The poles are created by layering different fibers in different cross sections to create a powerful yet flexible pole.1 These poles are very adaptive and flexible giving the vaulter more lift without having to put in any extra work. The construction on the pole begins with a light weight fiberglass core. Then a combination of different carbon fibers are stretched tightly around the core in different patterns to create a sturdy yet flexible pole without creating too much mass. 2
Poles vary in size depending on the ability of the vaulter. The more advanced vaulters have longer poles that are bigger in diameter. These poles are often more still to give the vaulter a stronger lift. Each pole is labeled with the length of the pole and a body weight tab, this is to give a vaulter the general idea of how stiff the pole is. To determine the true stiffness of the pole one must look to the flex number on the pole. The flex number is determined by the manufacturer to see where the weight range of the pole is. An example would be a 10’6” pole with a weight of 125lbs would fall into the flex range of 7.0-8.0.3 Depending on the manufacturer the smaller the numbers the stiffer the pole or vice versa the bigger the number on the flex the stiffer the pole. It is important to know these small details when trying to develop a good vaulter so as not to use a pole that is beyond the vaulters capability.
Pole vault is a very exciting sport that few really know about. It may sound complex or intimidating but it is definitely worth a try.
1 McCormick, M. (2010, September 1). Soaring to New Heights: The Evoluion of Pole Vaulting and Pole Materials. Retrieved February 1, 2015, from http://illumin.usc.edu/143/soaring-to-new-heights-the-evolution-of-pole-vaulting-and-pole-materials/
2Caine, M., Blair, K., & Vasquez, M. (2012, July 24). Materials and technology in sport. Retrieved February 1, 2015, from http://www.nature.com/nmat/journal/v11/n8/full/nmat3382.html?WT.ec_id=NMAT-201208
Is there a preferred body type for some one who is pole vaulting. Does body type determine what kind of pole to use?
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