Coaches Teaching BHS to Taller Athletes

[Soaring]

I am a member of a college club NAIGC gymnastics team, and we have a few members who are new to the sport that wish to learn back handsprings. I have previous experience in teaching back handsprings, but only with gymnasts who were smaller than me. However, they are taller than I am and I cannot support their full body weight. We also do not have access to barrels. We do have access to all basic equipment, landing mats, and a pit. No trampoline. Any advice on drills or spotting recommendations on how I can help these athletes?

 

[Aussie_coach]

You don’t need to be taller than athletes to successfully spot them.

I am only 5’0”, and coach all our senior athletes. If you train the correct technique through drills, by the time you go to spot them, they have enough skill for you to be able to spot them without picking them up and lifting them through the skill.

Lots and lots and lots of drills.

 

[Soaring]

You don’t need to be taller than athletes to successfully spot them.

I am only 5’0”, and coach all our senior athletes. If you train the correct technique through drills, by the time you go to spot them, they have enough skill for you to be able to spot them without picking them up and lifting them through the skill.

Lots and lots and lots of drills.

Do you have any drill recommendations? I've previously mostly used drills using barrels, trampoline, and inclines, but we don't have those in our current facility.

 

[Dahlialover]

This back handspring pre-requisite checklist might be helpful for you!

 

[estamey21]

This back handspring pre-requisite checklist might be helpful for you!

OMG where have I been? This guy is HILARIOUS!

 

[estamey21]

I am a member of a college club NAIGC gymnastics team, and we have a few members who are new to the sport that wish to learn back handsprings. I have previous experience in teaching back handsprings, but only with gymnasts who were smaller than me. However, they are taller than I am and I cannot support their full body weight. We also do not have access to barrels. We do have access to all basic equipment, landing mats, and a pit. No trampoline. Any advice on drills or spotting recommendations on how I can help these athletes?

I highly recommend watching this video (starting at 10:55)



The whole video is great for learning spotting basics, but the back handspring section helped me understand the mechanics of the back handspring as well as spotting techniques. At 15:95 (here) he talks about spotting heavier athletes.

 

[estamey21]

We also do not have access to barrels. We do have access to all basic equipment, landing mats, and a pit. No trampoline.

Admittedly, this is a plot twist. You will probably need to spend a lot more time on shaping drills than just chucking back handsprings. A convenient side effect is that your students might learn more technically correct back handsprings than their "chucking" counterparts.

I would sell this as "with great power comes great responsibility". Your body is bigger and therefore it can do more...but only if you teach it how to work.

As far as your physical space, can you spot in the pit? I'm thinking, put a big landing mat in the pit (roughly surface-level), student jumps from edge of pit, you spot while standing on landing mat. This could be a practical stepping stone from drills to spotting.