Coaches Trampoline & Tumbling : Coaching the "set" (front sommersaults) & diveroll

[anetalato]

Hi coaches!
I coach a tumble & tramp class consisting of older athletes (10+) and am struggling with two of my athletes working on two different skills:

The first athlete is oldest and working on a front tuck (for the time being, we are doing this at the end of the tumble track). She really wants this skill! The problem is she can't set. I don't mean that she could do a better set, I mean that she doesn't set at all. When her arms do come up before the skill, they come right down as she goes into it and serve no purpose. I've explained the set again and again, I've had her practice just the set at the end of the track, I've explained she needs to go from running forward to jumping upward and use her arms as much as possible. I've really done everything I can think of. Yet, every single time there is no set and a very very low and slow front tuck. A couple weeks ago I tried putting her in the trampoline harness to have her do some there and maybe she'd get the feel for it, while I could help her with the height and landing. Unfortunately, we couldn't get the harness to stay (our harness is a simple loop around the hips, no legs straps, so it would slide up off her hips, did all I could to tighten it but it just wasn't happening). She's at least my size so I'm not comfortable a heavy hand spot on trampoline in this situation...

The second athlete is much smaller and working on a dive roll at the end of the tumble track. All the other girls now have this skill, apart from her. I've of course explained the skill and the motion she needs to be performing and provided visual cues as to where she needs to reach her hands past while doing the skill but no matter what she always puts her hands down right in front of her, no flight, no dive. It's not that she's not listening, from what I understand she's scared of landing on her head. But I've seen her do the same "dive roll" every time and I don't know what else to do or say to get her to reach just a little bit further even (I put a foam block down in the resi pit and told her to reach her hands past that, and it was as if it wasn't there, same thing).

Does anyone have any drills/advice I could make use of in these two situations? Thank you all in advance!

 

[coach4life]

I'm not sure what to tell you on the first gymnast (with the front tuck). I have a girl right now with the same problem and am still trying to figure out what to do about it (was even thinking of creating my own thread!).

For dive rolls, I've had several girls with the problem you are describing. There is one drill I've used to train the "set/arc" part with some success. I like to take a "wheel" (the big cylindrical tools made of foam but covered in the same material panel mats are made of, usually used for BHS training. Not sure if you have access to these or not so please forgive the dummy description) and set it up a brief running distance away. Then I have my girls run and practice dive rolls over the wheel (using it like a hurdle to arc over). We have several wheels in our gym so I vary the size based on their capability starting with ones that are only about thigh-height and slowly building up as they get the hang of it. Unlike a foam block on the ground, the wheel forces the gymnast to set and go up at least somewhat (to do otherwise would result in crashing into the wheel, which, BTW doesn't actually hurt, making this a great drill for beginners) before the roll part.

NOTE: If you are using the wheel, be warned, you may want to stand/kneel next to the wheel and help them "roll out" the first couple of tries. I've had girls go for their dives and forget the roll, face-planting (not fun to do or watch, believe me!). It's also a good idea to stick a sting mat or other soft landing cushion on the other side of the wheel for those, ahem, less-graceful landers.

That's what I would try, at least. Good luck to you!

 

[gymgurl]

For the first girl could you set up a stack of crash mats - three would be best and have her do front tucks up onto the crash mat if she isn't ready to try this taking off from the floor put a spring board in front of the mats. The extra height of the mats will force her to jump up.

For the dive forward roll I have no idea maybe try having her do it on a crash mat so she knows she is safe?

 

[swalker_22]

For the first girl you could also use a ball, have her throw it as she goes into her punch front. If the ball flies straight forward, obviously she is throwing her arms down too soon. I've used this for kids before and it sometimes works, but other times its just a distraction. Since she is old though it may be worth a shot