The bar for entry to this exercise is over your head

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Some people hold their breath at the sight of anyone attempting to pole vault. A smaller number see that and think, “Why not me?" To pull off a pole vault jump, you sprint down a runway while holding a fiberglass or carbon fiber pole in your hands, plant the pole and propel yourself over a horizontal bar that’s often at least 6 feet high without knocking it over, then fall into a cushioned landing area. “If you can run, do some push-ups and pull-ups, and are able to conquer physical and mental challenges, you can learn to pole vault," says former Plymouth State University pole vault coach Adam Keul.

The sport isn’t easy, but neither is it just for Olympic demigods clearing up to 20 feet or high-school kids scoring points for their track and field teams. Across the U.S., adults all the way into their 90s turn to pole vaulting for exercise. Some join pole vault clubs because their kids do it.

Others with little or no experience catch the bug watching the Olympics. Many compete in amateur events like Masters competitions, but you don’t have to be involved in competition to enjoy it. Recreational and competitive pole vaulting clubs have grown significantly since the 1990s, coaches say.

Troy McCurry, a 46-year-old lawyer living in Alexandria, Va., competed in track and field, as well as soccer, growing up, but never had a chance to try pole vault. He found an opportunity as an adult in his late 30s with DC Vault, a Washington, D.C., club with more than 60 active members. McCurry estimates he’s jumped around 8 feet in practice.

“I think pole vaulting is probably the most pure form of all-around athleticism," he says. “It’s a very, very hard thing to do. I think that’s why I keep coming back to it." Rachel Romano, a 26-year-old