double stag drills?

[KipGirl91]

I've just started learning my double stag(both legs bent, back arched, head thrown back), and my coach told me I need more flexibility in by back and legs. Other than splits/over splits and bridges, what are some good drills for back and leg flexibility?

 

[BlairBob]

Seal stretch/cobra.

Scorpion/Mermaid. Lay on chest, try to get butt and heels in air eventually over head to chest roll. This stretch can also be done against wall. Get into splits against wall and then lift back and chest up.

 

[KipGirl91]

Thanks!
So what's a good indicator that I've reached the right flexibility for double stag leap?

Also, I'm having trouble doing the second exercise, the "Lay on chest, try to get butt and heels in air eventually over head to chest roll." I've lost a lot of flex in my back, and I've never really been able to do that, what's a good starting point?

 

[Linsul]

I realize I'm a little late to this thread, but here goes anyway! This video has some excellent drills that can be done anywhere with enough space to lay down. Apologies for that bad quality, but what is being shown is still very clear to see. The stuff after my video link is my general fast twitch rant lol.

YouTube - Beth Klein Rybacki Sheep Jump Drills


I find that flexibility is used as a scapegoat for leaps and jumps that aren't perfect. Can't get it? Stretch more! is so common. You need to work fast twitch muscles in conjunction with flexibility and standard conditioning. It gets overlooked a lot because strength for endurance + power and strength for quickness share very few (if any) conditioning skills. Fast twitch takes a back seat very often to power, and it usually presents itself as a problem when it's time to leap/jump. All the height in the world doesn't make up for legs that move like a 2x4 getting dragged through the deep end of a pool.

In the actual leap itself you have such a finite amount of time to hit your position that if your muscles cannot contract fast enough the exact moment you want them to, the leap/jump will be lacking. You can learn leaps and jumps through (lots of) repetition obviously, because they act of practicing them is a fast twitch builder. I start with fast twitch very early in my preschool developmental classes to avoid the leap/jump stonewall. The ones shown in the video are great, and can be done with straight legs as well. Once gymnasts understand that it's speed they're going for and not holding the position for a unnecessary length of time, they can get through quite a few reps of snapping to the correct position asap.