For Parents Featured Let’s discuss technique!

[JBS]

Errors E & F also lead to uncontrolled small circles such as free hips and toe hands. This results in a lack of control into any skills out of these skills like a Maloney or toe full.

 

[SupportingHerDreams]

This is such a great point.

Honestly, if I were a parent looking for a gym, probably the biggest thing I'd look for is a gym with lots of older girls. Because that tells me that they're training in a way which is sustainable.

I wish I had known this when I had a little 5-6 year old doing "impressive" skills!

 

[gymgal]

It is of extreme importance if you want to go up against the kids at the best clubs (@FlippinLilysMom). The best clubs have perfected the handstand and it allows them to be much more consistent at high level bars than most clubs. This type of club has the ability to take literally ZERO deductions on handstands and ALWAYS be in control.

Ok... in the image below... E & F are the worst errors possible. The body is not "stacked" at all so it becomes very difficult to teach upper level turning skills until this is fixed. I would attack these positions immediately on any gymnast doing it this way.

Can every gymnast learn the perfect handstand on bars or as a coach do you strive for the best they can do? Many high level and college gymnasts are handstanding with improper form and are still capable of performing high level skills from the HSs. Also, is this one of the main reasons why so many have trouble moving on beyond level 7ish on bars?

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Can every gymnast learn the perfect handstand on bars or as a coach do you strive for the best they can do? Many high level and college gymnasts are handstanding with improper form and are still capable of performing high level skills from the HSs. Also, is this one of the main reasons why so many have trouble moving on beyond level 7ish on bars?

In my view, an athlete who doesn't yet have a perfect handstand will always benefit from time spent working towards one, and an athlete who already has one will always benefit from time spent practicing it. So I'd want to spend time on working on perfecting handstand shape at all levels.

 

[JBS]

Can every gymnast learn the perfect handstand on bars or as a coach do you strive for the best they can do? Many high level and college gymnasts are handstanding with improper form and are still capable of performing high level skills from the HSs. Also, is this one of the main reasons why so many have trouble moving on beyond level 7ish on bars?

As a coach... it is my job to take the athletes beyond what many of them believe that they can do... so is the best that they can do good enough? For a competition... yes... for training... we are always going to drill it to be better. We believe that the handstand is a "strength skill" at our club... just like other strength... we are always doing it. Each week... all team gymnasts will be working some sort of handstand line drills / strength. Our top gymnasts on bars work this daily.

My second daughter has the "C" handstand... the planched shoulders in the second image. She is a Level 9... she won bars at Westerns for her age group... we are still trying to improve the handstand though as it is causing many issues for L10 bars.

Your second question... Is it why so many have issues beyond L7? In my opinion... yes... it's a large part of it... the handstand is the control... without control... things are harder. Lack of control causes fear too.

 

[trackandfield6]

Sure... that's the issue with gymnastics technique... the one thing you mentioned is not what I consider technique (bent knees is bad form / a lack of strength or flex). The thing is that it's not really a general discussion... it's very very specific. It is specific to each and every movement / skill.



Ok... here's your lead in... clubs that over shape on bars only to create jerky (non-fluid) motions. Clubs that only do straight body casting. Clubs that only work the "compulsory" tap swing and not an advanced "vertical" tap. Clubs that can run a 9.7+ on compulsory bars but none of their kids can cast handstand. Clubs that don't work rhythm on bars. This is all the same club.

I am loving this.... I had some really great technicians for coaches back in the day... and so I coach the same way. As an old coach... really old ( 65) I've gotten laughed at for trying to teach things that no one uses anymore...LOL... But I do this for a reason.... especially on bars. Kids need to learn to do what I call "work the bar." They don't learn that with compulsories. When they are little I teach them to swing and use the bar... I use a variety of methods...One is a straddle pump swing on the high bar., or drop kips. One thing I do is teach the old fashioned "Baskets".... and then the glide shoot through. That teaches kids to pump the bar. Front seat circles terrify kids... but again... learning to use different hand positions and letting the bar do some of the work. I can't wait until they are level 5's to teach this stuff, its too late by then in my opinion. Granted they don't weigh much, so that is a detriment, but you have to start somewhere. This goes for every event.... I do a ton of foot drills for beam. I figure if a kid isn't comfortable up there, then how can I expect them to do "scary" things. Technique is key.... it's not taught that much anymore, except in the top gyms.

 

[Flippinmom]

I'd say your best bet is to look at their level 8 and up kids. If a gym does extremely well at compulsory-level competition, but drops off hard at optionals, that might be a sign that they're teaching to the compulsory routines, rather than to the underlying technique.
Not inherently a dealbreaker, because it could also just be the result of a recent change in coaching whose benefit has only kicked in in the last few years -- but it means their technical training deserves some scrutiny. But when you walk into a new gym, don't let yourself be overly impressed by lots of low-level trophies and banners; the upper-level success or failure is a more reliable indicator of the quality of training at the lower levels.

This is fantastic advice, thank you!!