Backhandspring on beam troubles

[gymnast1189]

I started learning my backhandspring for beam recently and I am hoping to get it for competition this next year but I am having some problems. My main problem is that instead of jumping back into the handspring I am jumping up too much and therefore undercutting it. I have been working it mostly on a line on the floor but just trying to jump back further is not working. Are there any drills or suggestions that can help me get in the habit of jumping back more?

 

[KAQuinlan]

If you aren't jumping back, then you probably aren't sitting properly. Instead of thinking about jumping back, think about sitting so that your hips are going back and your knees are not bending in front of your toes. There is also a good possibility that you are not throwing your arms back as much as you do normally.

Our girls have to do their BHS over carpet squares when just practicing them on a line. It helps to give them a visual to reach past while they are training the mechanics of the skill and helps muscle memory.

Someone made a pretty nice video of how to teach a BHS on beam:
YouTube - Balance Beam Back Handspring Instructional Video

 

[gymnast1189]

thanks! I will definately give these suggestions a try at practice next week

 

[cher062]

The girls at our gym use a foam thing that looks like a circle with a slice out of it they call it a pac man. They sit on the slice area and then jump back on the foam so their body bridges over the slice space. once they get it on that with some speed the try it without the foam pac man. Before we got those they had these foam cylenders that were shaped like stop signs. They had to jump over it and land on it at a certain point then finish. Got them to jump high and out.

 

[gymnast1189]

O we have some of those at my gym i think. I will definitley ask my coach if i can use it to get the feeling. Thanks!

 

[KyraGymnast]

I think the best idea is to lay a mat down on the linbe to do your back handspring over. It does give you a visual aid so that you can get used to the movement. Once you have this down practice it on a low beam with panel mats on either side. You can also put the carpet squares on the low beam with panel mats if you are still having problems- if you do this enough your muscle memory will kick in and you'll have no problem doing it. Good luck!

 

[gymnast1189]

like a panel mat? and with it folded up or unfolded and sideways? It sounds like something that could definitley work, I just want to make sure that I am doing it the right way lol. I am definitely a visual person. That's another thing, I think I need to do more repetitions. Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[gymnast1189]

like a panel mat? and with it folded up or unfolded and sideways? It sounds like something that could definitley work, I just want to make sure that I am doing it the right way lol. I am definitely a visual person. That's another thing, I think I need to do more repetitions. Thanks for your suggestions!