Free Pole Drop

The free pole drop is the descent of the pole toward the box under gravity alone, with the athlete not resisting or slowing its fall.

It begins the moment the athlete releases the pole to fall freely, and ends when the pole tip reaches the ground.

Its purpose is to avoid the leverage turnover forces created when the pole’s fall is resisted.

Because gravity’s acceleration is constant, the drop’s timing is predictable — governed by the pole carry angle, the length of the pole, the athlete’s acceleration on the runway, and wind conditions. It cannot be accelerated beyond what gravity provides.

A faster run-up speed and greater acceleration require the drop to begin earlier, so the pole tip still reaches the ground on time. There is no way to compress this timing after the fact — the beginning of the drop is the only variable within the athlete’s control.