- Jan 21, 2007
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The USAG boys compulsory vaults are as follows:
Level 4: Straight jump from a springboard to a mat
Level 5: Front tuck from a springboard to a mat.
Level 6: Front handspring
Level 7: Yamashi ta (there isn't supposed to be a space there, but the swear filter on the forums doesn't like the correct spelling of Yama****a)
LEVEL 4: Straight jump
If you get a good run, a powerful hurdle, and a correctly positioned punch on the springboard, you leave the board with considerable rotation. In other words, a non-rotating skill such as a straight jump simply cannot be done with a proper vault entry.
The only way I am aware of to counter this rotation is to pull the chest back and push the hips forward (ie arch) while the feet are still in contact with the board, which is incorrect technique (and hurts my back to watch).
LEVEL 5: Front tuck
I understand where the idea of this vault came from. It can be done with correct board technique -- but it doesn't encourage correct technique. And it does nothing to teach the heel drive that is, in my opinion, one of the most crucial things for a gymnast to learn leading up to....
LEVEL 6: Front handspring.
No objections, though I do think it would be nice if they wouldn't deduct for lack of arm circle or for overrotation on the landing.
LEVEL 7: Yamashi ta
I really really hate this vault. This is probably my least favorite of the entire progression, and is a very large part of the reason why I generally have my boys skip level 7 and just go from 6 to 8.
A Yammy is indeed much more challenging than a front handspring -- however, the thing that makes it challenging is killing your rotation. The laws of conservation of angular momentum say that once your hands leave the table, there is no way to decrease your rotation (assuming you're already in a more-or-less straight body position); also, by piking (ie decreasing your rotational radius), you will increase the speed of your rotation. In other words, if you do anything like a correct handspring entry and try to do a yammy out of it, you land on your face.
The only way to kill this rotation is to do so before the hands leave the table, which is absolutely the last thing I want any of my boys to spend time learning.
The thing they need to learn in order to prepare for upper-level vaults is to generate as much rotation as possible. Why on earth would they want to spend a season learning not to rotate?
Level 4: Straight jump from a springboard to a mat
Level 5: Front tuck from a springboard to a mat.
Level 6: Front handspring
Level 7: Yamashi ta (there isn't supposed to be a space there, but the swear filter on the forums doesn't like the correct spelling of Yama****a)
LEVEL 4: Straight jump
If you get a good run, a powerful hurdle, and a correctly positioned punch on the springboard, you leave the board with considerable rotation. In other words, a non-rotating skill such as a straight jump simply cannot be done with a proper vault entry.
The only way I am aware of to counter this rotation is to pull the chest back and push the hips forward (ie arch) while the feet are still in contact with the board, which is incorrect technique (and hurts my back to watch).
LEVEL 5: Front tuck
I understand where the idea of this vault came from. It can be done with correct board technique -- but it doesn't encourage correct technique. And it does nothing to teach the heel drive that is, in my opinion, one of the most crucial things for a gymnast to learn leading up to....
LEVEL 6: Front handspring.
No objections, though I do think it would be nice if they wouldn't deduct for lack of arm circle or for overrotation on the landing.
LEVEL 7: Yamashi ta
I really really hate this vault. This is probably my least favorite of the entire progression, and is a very large part of the reason why I generally have my boys skip level 7 and just go from 6 to 8.
A Yammy is indeed much more challenging than a front handspring -- however, the thing that makes it challenging is killing your rotation. The laws of conservation of angular momentum say that once your hands leave the table, there is no way to decrease your rotation (assuming you're already in a more-or-less straight body position); also, by piking (ie decreasing your rotational radius), you will increase the speed of your rotation. In other words, if you do anything like a correct handspring entry and try to do a yammy out of it, you land on your face.
The only way to kill this rotation is to do so before the hands leave the table, which is absolutely the last thing I want any of my boys to spend time learning.
The thing they need to learn in order to prepare for upper-level vaults is to generate as much rotation as possible. Why on earth would they want to spend a season learning not to rotate?
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