Coaches Front handspring layout troubles

[tweez94]

We have a gymnast who has beautiful tumbling all around but when she goes to do her front handspring layout there is a huge lack of lift, she seems to be piking just slightly. My issue is, in terms of twisting in the future, what is the modern perspective on the easiest way to twist a front lay out of a handspring. This has seemed to change drastically over time. What should the ideal position and set look like when looking down the road, not necessarily to make the handspring lay look better, but when the time comes to start twisting how should the lay look. Thanks in advanced.

 

[iwannacoach]

The front layout probably isn't getting set properly. Lots of kids bring their arms out to the side as their feet come to the floor for the punch...... maybe a little later, but you got the image. Height it an asset to most tumbling skills, and it makes sense to start a skill from a higher position as long as that position allows for a good block. If they bring their arms down it lowers their center of mass, and that's just the opposite of what they want.

So basically a front handspring's mass rises upward from the hand block and should continue to rise to the foot block, rise through the foot block, and rise into the set. That makes the motion an up, up, and up motion. The hands reaching out to the side will create a reversal of sorts, and will make the motion an up, some up combined with some down, then up again. This is similar to pushing a car, letting it roll to a stop, and then pushing to get it rolling again...... if you've never done it, you ought at least get the idea.

I'm not going to tell you the latest thoughts on which position to twist from, as there are others who are more up to date on the latest twisting fashion. What I will say, is that whatever position is best to twist from, that position will have much more effect if it has a good handspring and set pushing it through the air.

So bottom line..... some may say a slight pike is a good position to twist from, but not when the pike happens as the result of a weak set. So take a good look at the kids front handspring from behind to see if her arms are against her ears until she's upright.....or very nearly.