Athletics
The complete guide to pole vault rules
Learn about every little detail of pole vaulting regulations.
Pole vaulting is a thrilling track and field event, whether you’re simply watching from the stands, or you’re the one jumping. While there’s a lot going on in the span of less than a minute, the best pole vaulters make a successful jump look easy. Red Bull pole vaulter Armand “Mondo” Duplantis is a great example. He describes the fluidity of his jumps in an interview.
Armand Duplantis at Mondo Classic, Uppsala Sweden in 2024
© Richard Ström / Red Bull Content Pool
“My best jumps have always felt effortless, one solid motion where no energy is lost,” he says.
Proper technique is the key to getting that effortless feeling of flow on your jumps — and proper technique starts with following the rules. If you want to win pole vaulting competitions and stay safe doing so, it’s essential to understand every little detail of pole vaulting regulations. Read ahead for a comprehensive guide to the rules of pole vault.
01
Understanding the basics of pole vault rules
The objective of pole vaulting
Pole vaulting is similar to the high jump, as the goal is to sprint down a runway and then launch yourself over a high crossbar. Instead of relying solely on your own strength to get yourself airborne, though, you’ll use a flexible fiberglass or carbon fiber pole for leverage. With the pole in hand, you’ll sprint toward the crossbar, then plant the pole in a pit known as the vault box.
Armand Duplantis at Mondo Classic, Uppsala Sweden in 2024
© Richard Ström / Red Bull Content Pool
The kinetic energy you generate in your approach transfers to the pole, helping to propel you over the bar. Once you clear the bar, or make it over without it falling, you’ll land on your back onto a thick foam mat. This happens over and over again until one athlete has cleared the highest bar and is declared the winner.
How pole vaulting matches are scored
Pole vault matches feature several rounds in which all athletes have to clear a particular bar height. Pole vaulters are allowed to make three attempts at clearing each height. If you fail to clear a height in three consecutive attempts, you can’t continue in the competition.
However, athletes do have the option of passing to the next height, or skipping a round, and re-joining during the next height. They can also decide to pass if they’ve had one or two misses, with each miss taking away a chance for them to jump at the next height. Passing is generally not recommended.
If a tie occurs in any round, the winner is the jumper with the fewest failed attempts. If that doesn’t settle the score, the tied pole vaulters will have a jump-off with only one attempt at a height permitted. The first vaulter to succeed at a height wins.
Emmanuel Karalis at the 2019 National Indoor Championships in Athens
© Alex Grymanis / Red Bull Content Pool
02
Equipment and specifications
Pole vaulting equipment must adhere to specific regulations and standards to ensure safety and fairness. Landing mats must be at least six meters wide, and the runway is a minimum of 40 meters long. Athletes are permitted to place up to two markers on or next to the runway, so they have precise measurements to reference for the takeoff and plant.
Unlike the crossbar, which must be 4.5 meters long, there’s no set length or diameter standard for the vaulting pole. But the pole does need to be able to support your weight range. If a pole breaks during an attempt to clear a height, you’re allowed to try again without risking a fault. Pole vaulters also have the option of using their own poles for a tournament.
Poles often must also have a safe hand-hold zone clearly marked, so you know where you’re allowed to grip the pole with your top, dominant hand. Gripping above this marker can result in a failed attempt on your score, even if you clear the bar. This isn’t the case for elite athletes, though. Vaulters can use an abrasive substance on their hands or the pole, such as chalk or tape, to help with their grip. Tape on your hands is only permitted if it’s covering an injury, though.
Wilma Murto at the European Championships in Munich, Germany
© Phil Pham / Red Bull Content Pool
03
The rules of the game
The approach and takeoff
Once your name is called during a match round, the clock officially starts. You’ll typically have two minutes to complete your jump. Once you’ve made the plant and your feet have left the ground, your hands have to remain in the same position on the pole. If you move your upper or lower hand any higher before you let go, you’ll end up with a failed attempt in your score.
Flight and crossbar clearance
The violation every pole vaulter is trying to avoid is dislodging the bar, but you can still have an unsuccessful attempt if the bar stays in place under certain conditions. For instance, if you try to stabilize the bar with your hands, that will also count as a failed attempt. You also don’t want your body or the pole to touch the ground post release, before you clear the bar, or that could also result in a fault.
If the crossbar falls because of events that were out of your control, though, that won’t count as a fault. You get another attempt if the bar falls because of a strong gust of wind or improper setup by the tournament officials.
Armand Duplantis at the 2023 Mondo Classics, Uppsala, Sweden
© Adam Klingeteg / Red Bull Content Pool
Landing form
Once you’ve cleared the bar and turned your body into the landing position, you can let the mat catch you. You’ll land on your back with your legs in the air and arms near your chest, so you safely absorb the impact. If your body touches the mat before you clear the bar, though, your attempt will be considered a failure.
04
Pole vaulting tips
Tips for beginners
If you practice enough while using proper technique and form, following these rules will feel like second nature. One of the best beginner pole vaulting tips that can give your height a great big boost is to work on speed. The purpose of the sprint approach is to generate power for getting maximum height, so the faster you are, the higher you’ll fly. You can do progressive sprinting drills that help you learn to run fast while holding the pole in position.
It’s also important to be mindful of your posture throughout the whole run, as letting this slip is one of the most common beginner mistakes. Learning how to hold the pole properly on the approach, diagonally across your body, can help keep your shoulders and hips straight.
Participant at Armand Duplantis Red Bull Under My Wiiings in Sweden in 2023
© Adam Klingeteg / Red Bull Content Pool
Advanced techniques and strategies
If you’re an experienced pole vaulter who wants to up your game, there are a couple of good advanced drills to try. The ¾ drill is a great way to practice your approach and plant without having to worry about clearing the bar.
Once you master that one, corkscrew drills will up the stakes even more. After the plant, instead of doing a full takeoff, you’ll move around the pole in a corkscrew motion. You’ll refine your control at takeoff, but since this one can be a challenge, you might want the guidance of a coach or trainer.
Pole vault rules will help you go far
Pole vault rules are in place to make sure you can enjoy the feeling of defying gravity safely. Study the ins and out of pole vault rules before your next practice or meet — or perhaps your first if you’re feeling inspired. You’ll set yourself up for success by the time you take off and go up, up, and away over the crossbar.