WAG Why a layout flyaway?

[curlymomof3]

Dd is training level 5 and the coach is having all the girls learn the fly away in a layout position rather than tucked. Would love a coaches point of view on why this would be preferred. It seems so much more difficult for the girls to learn! Ideas?

 

[wgymmom]

My DD said it was so they didn't whip their heads back? But some of the taller girls are still doing tucks. IDK.

 

[Firefly]

I don't know why, but out gym does this too. No tuck flyaways, ever. They start out by learning the layout.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

This is done for several reasons .
1, it keeps the kids from pulling in.
2. The spotted timer is done in the layout position, so its a no brainer if you spot them.
3. They will be doing a layout in 7 so why might as well teach it now.

I only allow the tuck if its crunch time and the are not having the lay.
It may be a little harder(not much)

 

[RAMS]

I agree with coachp. My daughter is doing a layout fly away for her level 5 score out meet and it is because she will be doing it in optionals. They never do the tuck fly away. I even asked dd about this and she mentioned something about the pulling in as well. I just assumed a tuck would be easier, but what do I know,

 

[curlymomof3]

Thanks for the responses! Dd is also doing a level 5 score out meet in about a month. The layout flyaway is the only bar skill that is not solid for her yet. She says she does it pretty good over the pit but has yet to do it without a spot on the regular bars. I was just curious if the tucked fly away was easier to learn.

 

[gymdog]

Personally, I'm of the opinion that they have to learn both, but as far as what order to learn them in is not a big deal. If I have rock star lower levels who are picking the concept up early and really "get" bars, I'll have them do the tuck for a couple of years. But when teaching it as a concept to those who don't get it, I appreciate the layout flyaway for some of the reasons coachp mentions.

 

[RAMS]

Thanks for the responses! Dd is also doing a level 5 score out meet in about a month. The layout flyaway is the only bar skill that is not solid for her yet. She says she does it pretty good over the pit but has yet to do it without a spot on the regular bars. I was just curious if the tucked fly away was easier to learn.

My dd is just like yours, doing her fly away into pit on her own but being spotted on regular bars. But her score out meet is in two weeks. At some point they just gotta let her do it, right?

 

[lhmom]

It's funny-DD struggled with the tucked layaway for months. Finally the week before the 1st meet, the bar coach switched her to the layout and it clicked for her. She told me later that she was never quite sure when to open up with the tuck and that the layout was easier (go figure!).

 

[kandkfunk]

My DD never attempted a tuck fly away. Learned the layout right away (at old level 6) and never looked back. However, that may have been an issue if she would have ever tried to learn a double back. Hopefully, your coach will introduce the tuck position at some point.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

Ours all learn the tuck first, then go to layouts. Most likely all of our current L5's will compete the layout flyaway. Last year only one of the 5's competed the layout, the others did tucks.

 

[htimcj]

DD did a pike flyaway last year and is going a layout this year. It seems that at our gym everyone completes what best fits them when they first start and then do layouts by l7/l8.

 

[Hopestar]

the coaches probably think it might score higher?

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

A layout flyaway is technically simpler (though not necessarily easier), and reinforces better technique.

As far as technique goes, a layout flyaway is arguably the simplest skill in the entire sport of gymnastics. Assuming you have a strong tap swing, all you have to do is let go of the bar, and the layout pretty much takes care of itself.

A tucked flyaway, while requiring less power, is much more technically complex and must be executed with much greater precision. There is much more that can go wrong. There is the possibility of tucking too early, of closing the shoulders and throwing the head back on release, of tucking too much, of not tucking enough, etc, etc, etc. It tends to reinforce bad habits, by allowing the gymnast to pull in to the bar and bend the knees in the swing. It can be done with little to no tap, which is an extremely hard habit to fix.

A tucked flyaway is, to me, a fall-back option for girls who can't get a strong enough swing for layouts.

 

[curlymomof3]

A layout flyaway is technically simpler (though not necessarily easier), and reinforces better technique.

As far as technique goes, a layout flyaway is arguably the simplest skill in the entire sport of gymnastics. Assuming you have a strong tap swing, all you have to do is let go of the bar, and the layout pretty much takes care of itself.

A tucked flyaway, while requiring less power, is much more technically complex and must be executed with much greater precision. There is much more that can go wrong. There is the possibility of tucking too early, of closing the shoulders and throwing the head back on release, of tucking too much, of not tucking enough, etc, etc, etc. It tends to reinforce bad habits, by allowing the gymnast to pull in to the bar and bend the knees in the swing. It can be done with little to no tap, which is an extremely hard habit to fix.

A tucked flyaway is, to me, a fall-back option for girls who can't get a strong enough swing for layouts.

This is a great explanation! I never really wanted to ask the coach because I didn't want to seem like a CGM; with an undergraduate degree in Exercise Science I am truly fascinated by the biomechanics of gymnastics and why coaches choose some skills over others. Only 3 1/2 more weeks until Dd's first meet so hopefully she figures it all out by then!!

 

[Paint A Melody]

I wish I could learn a layout flyaway. I keep pulling in on my tuck but I don't know how to fix it. :/

 

[Deleted member D3987]

I wish I could learn a layout flyaway. I keep pulling in on my tuck but I don't know how to fix it. :/

stop doing a pull over action or what you call "pulling in" and just release the bar from your hands.

a simple drill for this is to raise the low bar so you can swing with bent legs. 3 swings and let go. it'll teach you 'how' to let go of the bar.

 

[wnl256]

Thanks for the responses! Dd is also doing a level 5 score out meet in about a month. The layout flyaway is the only bar skill that is not solid for her yet. She says she does it pretty good over the pit but has yet to do it without a spot on the regular bars. I was just curious if the tucked fly away was easier to learn.

When DD did a score out meet at old level 6, all the girls on the team attempted layout flyaways. The reasons we were given line up with what's been said here. They will do layout flyaways at level 7 so might as well learn them now. When it came time for the meet I think one girl was landing them on her own, but the rest of the girls were spotted during the meet.

The good news is, even if the gymnast is spotted on the layout and takes a score in the 7s, as long as she is solid on everything else at level 5 she will still get her 31.

 

[zgymnast96]

I find this strange considering a layout is much more difficult to learn. I had trouble with learning a tuck flyaway so I can't image starting with a layout.

 

[cazoon]

Our coach makes us tuck when we are doing the flyaway with tap swings and layout if we are casting into it. She is a judge and says that you rarely see girls that layout flyaway where they are above the bar. Layout always seem to be too low and get more deductions. However, with the extra power from a cast flyaway, a layout is necessary.