WAG Chinese tap for front giants

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momof5

Proud Parent
My DD has had her front giant for some time now and its pretty good. Last night coach tells her that he is changing her techinique on this. He wants her to learn it with a Chinese tap. He is not super good with explaining things so I was wondering why he wants to change it and how long it takes to relearn this? Could someone provide me with a good technical explain
 
Depends on what he means by chinese tap. Tricks or techniques in gymnastics are often called different things by different coaches. (flick flack vs back handspring or stoop circle to handstand vs toe shoot, or toe shoot vs toe catch, etc...) I am going to just assume that chinese tap means a front giant performed in the way all of the olympians do it, (aka, accelerated front giant, whip front giant, late tap front giant, Nastia giants, and Jaeger tap) see what i mean...
Anyways, if that is the case then the reason he wants to change the tap is because it opens up the door to several tricks, which are performed out of the "chinese tap". (i call them whip or accelerated), You will see that the pike (or hollow) shape is held through the bottom and the heel drive is later than a conventional front giant which opens up through the bottom and usually pikes over the top.
Chinese giants do take more time to learn, when compared to conventional front giants but well worth it. The national team coaches recommend they be taught this way and actually require you to teach them this way during the u400 test. You can see the late tap on the front giant here. .026 seconds in. (I know, I know, but I can't help pedaling this video, it's just too cute)
 
I think they mean a drive with the heels not shoulders. Normally you front giant by *pulling your shoulders* over the bar, and then your heels. A Chinese tap involves keeping shoulders open the whole time and leading with the heels.
 
Her giants look similer to this
What is the best way to focus on changing this?

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That is a conventional front giant, the coach will make the necessary adjustments. She needs to hold her shape through the bottom, then drive the heels later.
 
i've seen all sorts of taps over the years. for the front giant i say whatever works. for jeagers it's got to change just a bit. and for ono's and healy's it changes again. and of course it depends on their aptitude and body type.

for most, they'll never get to the 2 groups after just a front giant.
 
i've seen all sorts of taps over the years. for the front giant i say whatever works. for jeagers it's got to change just a bit. and for ono's and healy's it changes again. and of course it depends on their aptitude and body type.

for most, they'll never get to the 2 groups after just a front giant.
==
Chinese tap is the base tap for all the skills you mention above.
 

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