Coaches Peeling in back of swing (reposting from thegymcoach)

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Girls Peeling off the Bar on a Tap Swing!!! Coaching Gymnastics in the New Millenium

Excellent article.

In my opinion, there should be a deduction if a coach is not present to spot throughout a routine (as in the boys high bar rules). If anything, this is more important for girls than for boys, as they have a larger bar and (generally) smaller hands, making them far more likely to peel in the back of a tap swing.

 

[gymdog]

If I'm spotting a child I think might peel (i.e. the smaller ones, regardless of their skill), as long as it's not a meet, I actually put my hands lightly on them, so I'm much more likely to be able to break their fall. I'm sure the reaction time is useless if you're standing next to the high bar post and the kid falls on the back swing. You need to be by the low bar with your hands basically near her.

Also a good spotting tip for training from the CGA coach (I forget his name but he has a youtube channel), hold both of the arms by reaching across and push them back into the hollow. A lot of girls don't understand to "push down" on the bar in the back as they shift from the drive and this I think helps them learn a more effective regrip. Although I do agree that technique is not always the problem here. Little kids will peel on the front swing too, jumping to the bar, and I've seen a lot of male coaches who don't coach little L5 girls who are surprised by that. Not that unusual. I always step in and put my hand out in front of them. They will peel to their head/neck from this position. Very dangerous.

 

[CoachTodd]

I move in and out and all over when I have girls doing bars. I try to be in a position to help soften a fall if I can. I disagree slightly with the article in the fact that even if they have small hands on the big bar, if they tap correctly, they can regrip at the top of their swing without peeling. The peeling usually come from either incorrect form or taping at an incorrect angle. The main issue would be that the wrong angle isn't that far off from the right angle. This could make it appear that a correctly tapped counter swing peeled even tough it was just slightly off.

 

[BlairBob]

Good point. I've seen compulsory girls do basically straddle back to the low bar by peeling off the back swing or all sorts of interesting things.

However, it wasn't with me as their coach but more so from what I have heard or seen from afar.

As far as the rescue spotting POV from Bill Sands, I think this applies to far more advanced skills that put both the gymnast and coach in danger. Not simplistic things like tap swings but more of a coach trying to save a gymnast with an outstretched arm when the gymnast is going to miss the bar or land on it with a release move or something to that nature. Quite often with bar work.

Of course, boys are pretty much FUBAR'd if they spin off the pommel horse. These can be some very dangerous falls but I'm pretty sure they'd only take out a coach. I heard once of a gymnast breaking his neck, possibly dying in training from a pommel fall.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

NO! he injured his neck but the injury WAS NOT fatal.