Back Tumbling Archives - American Gymnast and Ninja

Prebackhandspring jump to mats

amgym — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:54:59 +0000

At the same time that gymnasts are learning limbers, cartwheels, round-offs and other basic skills, they can also begin learning to jump backwards onto a resi-mat.

The arms can stay-up or swing-up with a shoulders-width to the ears side. The knees should be bent slightly to begin the jump. Make sure the gymnast does not squat too deep. The jump must show good flight with a long travel back.

The drill helps to coordinate the initial standing back handspring actions as well as the jump up and back rather than simply up. Progressively add a tight arch to the flying phase but without throwing the head back.

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Backhandspring Setup Drill

amgym — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:54:58 +0000

Coaches may spot the gymnasts upper back and shoulder area so they can practice the dynamic coordination betweeen the arms swing and the lean back motion with a quick opening into a tight arch position. Beginning with a hollow chest facilitates a stronger chest opening to the tight arch.

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Beginner backhandspring drills

amgym — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:54:57 +0000

Gymnasts starting to learn back handsprings can benefit from feeling the lean back action in a simpler way. Also getting familiar with hollow chest to open chest and shoulders and the legs push to open hips on a single tight arch body unit. This drill helps the athletes to train the lean back action several times in a row with a coach’s assistance. In this second variation the gymnast continues the lean back action with the legs push while opening her body to a tight arch position. / Before adding the jump back to the resi the gymnast may practice simpler lean backs and arches without jumps or arms swing then they can add the legs jump to a back flying phase to the resi and finally add the arms swings to train all the motions.

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Barrell rock drill

amgym — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:54:56 +0000

Rocking back and forth lying down on a barrel may help gymnasts to experience the single arch-body unit with open hips and shoulders required for the back handspring flying phase.

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Barrell handsprings

amgym — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:54:55 +0000

Gymnasts showing improvement on simpler drills and spotted back handsprings may be introduced to barrel back handsprings. Coaches must make sure that the gymnast does not start so close to the barrel as it forces them to undercut their jumps.

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Backhandspring drill for distance

amgym — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:54:54 +0000

Gymnasts may use a panel mat to train for distance during the first flying phase. With their toes at the beginning of a panel they perfom back handsprings trying to reach far into a different panel. Since the gymnasts know the exact place they are begining each turn they can check how much they are flying back from feet to hands.

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Standing Back Handspring

amgym — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:49:59 +0000

To begin the backhandspring the gymnast leans back off balance while slightly bending the legs and moving the trunk forward with a straight or hollow chest. From this position the gymnast can make a powerful jump backwards. Back handsprings have two important flying phases. From feet to hands then from the hands back to the feet. /Still 1/ Hollow Chest. /Still 2/ Trunk forward with body leaning back off balance. /Still 3/ Long arch first flying phase. /Still 4/ Short and deep hollow second flying phase.

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Standing Back Handspring Example

amgym — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:49:58 +0000

This talented young gymnast is making a nice effort to emphasize a chest hollow position at the beginning of the skill. The objective of this action is to create a feeling about the shape of the body on the second flying phase. Nowadays she still has some troubles to hold a hollow position on the turn over from hands to feet and pikes down instead. Rounding the chest and back into a hollow position allows the gymnast to increase the power of the upper body motion when jumping up and backward to the backhandspring tight arch first flying phase. It also mimics the way handsprings and sommersaults connect in between them.

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Standing Back Handspring Spot

amgym — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:49:57 +0000

Back handsprings can be spotted with one hand on the lower back and the other hand on the closer hamstring. If the spotter stands on the left of the gymnast the right hand goes on the back and the left hand on the nearer hamstring. During the second flying phase the hands switch the left to the abdominal area and the right to the lower back to assist with any problems during the landing.

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Back Handspring Squat and Undercut Mistakes

amgym — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:49:56 +0000

A short first flying phase from feet to hands makes it difficult to create an effective second flying phase from hands to feet. Short undercut first flying phases cause the hands to touch the floor with poor body angles to make a quick arms repulsion into a powerful turn over to the feet. Before bad technical habits get too engrained it is wise to spend time reviewing basic drills. Like this one and many others. / Coaches must train their eyes to catch all kinds of big or small mistakes. In these undercut examples the gymnast shows more turn over power. He is still missing a proper hands placement to block and repulse the floor effectively. Even minor mistakes deserve time and effort to be corrected. Every skill must be refined to the maximum. /Deep squats slow down and diminish the explosive power to begin the back handsprings. Though there are slight personal differences in general the bend in the knees must not even reach a 90 degree angle. /Deep squats and undercuts together weaken the back handspring immensely. Serious basic drill reviews must be a priority. Notice that there is not a second flying phase due to the lack of blocking and arms repulsion.

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