Coaches Best way to spot a flyaway?

[All Chalked Up]

My sister and I are learning how to do flyaways. Our coach is spotting, but the catch is we have to spot them with her because she's not big enough to spot them by herself (so we will be double spotting). I'm a coach too so it's not like I'm new to spotting! My sister and I are the same size and our coach isn't too much bigger. How is the best way to spot a flyaway when the gymnast is the same size as you?

We also don't have a lot of equipment- basically all we have for mats is a portapit, a wedge mat and red mats so we can't set up one of those flywaway drills with 278490378938 mats. Ideas?

 

[CoachTodd]

Low bar until the timing is correct. After that, the spot from high bar really should just be assisting to make sure the angle is ok.

 

[marie83]

I'd stick to a raised low bar OR a low high bar if you are too tall.

We used to have a similar problem - no pits, not enough mats etc, so we had to be creative!

You both need to be able to stand on something which enables you to reach the gymnast's shoulder throughout the skill and you could do with being able to move with them.
Not sure if you can think of anything?! We used to use 2 coaching blocks - both 60cm high on opposite sides of the bar, making a sort of channel for the gymnasts to swing between. We also used to have to use gym tables to stand on with a splat mat draped between them before we had the coaching blocks!

Good luck!!

 

[coachmolly]

If the kids have good swing, done some drills, and have a general idea of how a flyaway works- they should be fine without much of a spot unless they totally freak in the middle of the skill (which is probably why the coach wants to double spot- floppy kids the same size as you flipping off the high bar is a scary situation).
For those who are just barely starting out and you just want to "throw" them through it to get the idea, I would go with the raised low bar plan, especially if you don't have a set of spotting blocks. It's much easier to hold 90 lbs when it's not dangling over your head.
I work with coaches who spot older kids just learning flyaways on the floor next to the high bar and just kind of flip the girl over their shoulder, I have no idea how they do it.

 

[All Chalked Up]

Not an option to do it off a low bar, but I actually had my flyaway, than we had a week off gym, didn't work on it & lost it. I`m thinking we'll just use a spotting block. Thanks!

 

[BlairBob]

So long as they swing decently and don't let go super early, the typical spot lower back and catch their tummy works. If necessary, bump and catch to grab their near arm as well. Considering I'm pretty short, I often will use a small block or panel mat to stand on.

 

[pattymello]

If you are looking for specific hand placements then if you can reach high enough one hand on the stomach and one hand on the back with arms starting crossed over. This is good with two people because you should have the man power to literally pick her up and turn her over. however if you cant spot from somewhere high enough then spotting with one hand on the back and the other on the thighs ready to turn her over would work well.

 

[AmandaLynn]

however if you cant spot from somewhere high enough then spotting with one hand on the back and the other on the thighs ready to turn her over would work well.

I don't like this method, as I feel like you'd have no control if the gymnast pulled in or if they bail in the middle of the skill...

 

[pattymello]

I don't like this method, as I feel like you'd have no control if the gymnast pulled in or if they bail in the middle of the skill...

I much prefer the hand on the stomach and and the back method for the same reasons. but even with the other way of spotting you should have a fair degree of control, as with two people you should be able to catch them if the bail or at least control the fall. To prevent my gymnasts from pulling in i do a number of drills to emphasize the correct release point and arm action so this has never been a problem for me.