360 backflips and whips.

[Ninja'd]

I was out practicing 360 backflips and whips (which I just attempted yesterday) and they're okay, but I think I need a lot of help making them clean. One of my problems is bending my legs a lot when doing them (or tumbling in general), so here's a video.

YouTube - Tumbling outside 7/20/10

Last winter during our school's gymnastics club practice, whenever I tumbled, I'd always get the same KEEP YOUR LEGS STRAIGHT from my coach, but I never really got that whole concept.

I associate straight legs with knee-joint pain when landing (freerunning habit), and I need to adapt. Are there any things I can do that will help me with this and whips/360 backflips in general?

Thanks.

 

[gymnastgets10]

Having a stronger roundoff backhandspring will help. Also, you want to push hard through your feet and legs when you take off and straighten them but then bend them as you hit the ground - landing with straight legs could be dangerous.

 

[Ninja'd]

Yeah, I've injured myself by landing with straight legs before, haha. It's kind of a fear to straighten them even in the middle of a flip.

I'll definitely work on making my roundoff backhandspring more powerful tonight when I actually go to the gym. I'm always less confident on grass. lol.

 

[nicci1999]

Please do NOT do these on the grass! You really need proper supervision when doing this. That aside, to work on stronger ROBHS break it down. Roundoffs are safe enough to work at home. See about trying to work power hurdle roundoffs and work on the progression of using the power of your landing from the roundoff to get a nice solid handspring

 

[Ninja'd]

Is the grass a bad place to try this stuff? I mean, I wouldn't try anything if I felt uncomfortable doing it on the grass.

So it seems everything is stemming from my roundoff backhandsprings. I'll be working those harder tomorrow lol.

 

[nicci1999]

Its a bad idea to be doing things such as backhandsprings and any flips at all in the grass, it simply is not safe to do outside of a controlled environment. Plus you can land on a rock in your yard if you land wrong...gym flooors have a LOT more forgiveness then a grassy yard. Goodluck working on these though, you do seem to have a good start

 

[Deleted member D3987]

keep your legs straight!!!!!!!!!!!!