Process Analysis: Pole Vaulting

It’s the day of the meet and my nerves increase as it gets closer to the time of my first attempt. As they call my name, I grab my pole and walk to the runway. To know I’m grabbing the right pole, I check the number at the top. It’s as close to my weight as possible, without going under. I stand facing the bar with enough space to take the proper amount of steps necessary to collect enough energy to make it over the bar. At my right side, I grasp the pole high enough to just make it over the bar. Raising my right arm straight up with the pole in hand, I extend my left arm straight out in front of me and grasp the pole in a comfortable position. I then bring my right hand down to my hip bone, tucking my elbow in, bringing my left arm slightly up. Glancing at everyone with their eyes on me, my body starts to tremble, with nerves and it becomes more and more difficult not to come across and inept. Taking a large step back with my right leg, I then use all my strength in my left to leap back to my right. Another powerful step back to my left leg, I count “three” in my head as my left foot hits the ground. “Two” the next time it hits. Finally, getting to one, I lower the tip of my pole, so it’s now parallel to the ground. Keeping the pole at the same position, I start to count down from three again every time my left foot makes contact with the ground beneath me. This time when I got to one, things were different. Using all of my strength, I leaped straight up from my left leg, driving my right knee up. At the same time, I plant the bottom of my pole to the back of a trapezoidal depression in the ground made of a metal or fiberglass called the box. Now off the ground, I use the strength of my core to bring my hips up to the pole, making my body completely upside down. While going over the bar, I start to turn my body counter clockwise, still holding onto the pole. After a 180 degree turn, the runway is now in sight and I release my pole, throwing it away from me