WAG Back Handspring Progressions

[xxStumpyxx]

My daughter is working in back handsprings, they are doing progressions, so far they have done these progressions:

Jump up and back onto a crash mat
Spotted back backspring landing on tummy
Spotted back handspring landing on feet
Spotted back handspring down a wedge with a spot, the level of spot changing over the weeks from a hand on legs and upper back (near neck) to a hand mid back and mid tummy to guide them.
Spotted back handspring on a trampoline.

To move onto each progression you have to get the previous one with correct form.

Is there much more progressions towards doing a back handspring alone and why do they do the back handspring down a wedge mat, seems weird to me, but there must be some method to it.

I am not asking when my daughter will get her back handspring as I may as well ask how long a piece of string is, I am just interested in the progressions, it is fascinating to see, it is like a jigsaw puzzle, putting all the pieces together to make the big picture.

 

[Paint A Melody]

A back handspring down a wedge mat is easier because you don't need to jump as much. The surface is lower, so you don't need to jump as high to reach it.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

All those sound like what I do with my developmental team kids, all great progressions towards doing BHS alone!
FWIW, doing them spotted and then alone on floor is the next step (in my groups). Then we connect them to a round off.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

They have been doing round off's a lot, the have been doing round off's by doing:

Jump from a block on to a trampette into a jump step then round off and then as they land the round off they either fall back or jump back with form (excuse the description , this was how my daughter told me they did it), they also use spring boards, my daughter has done a round off like above then stops next to the coach and done a spotted back handspring.

Sounds like my daughters group is getting close to the back handspring, exciting times. My daughter actually hates doing back handsprings on the trampoline, she said it feels strange, might be due to the mat they use on the trampoline and also the way the trampoline bounces you.

 

[mom2newgymnast]

My dd is in a pretty similar spot right now. They started back in January and have been very slowly progressing (much slower than I expected.. lol). They did all the progressions you mentioned plus many others involving getting the shape right.. lots of work with the handspring mat things (the large round mats that you jump backwards on and over), etc. And lots of round off rebound work. Then they started doing stations with unspotted back handsprings on the trampoline and wedge mats while having spotted round off back handsprings on the floor. Finally, just last week, some of the girls who were ready were allowed to do their first unspotted round off back handsprings on the floor.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

My dd is in a pretty similar spot right now. They started back in January and have been very slowly progressing (much slower than I expected.. lol). They did all the progressions you mentioned plus many others involving getting the shape right.. lots of work with the handspring mat things (the large round mats that you jump backwards on and over), etc. And lots of round off rebound work. Then they started doing stations with unspotted back handsprings on the trampoline and wedge mats while having spotted round off back handsprings on the floor. Finally, just last week, some of the girls who were ready were allowed to do their first unspotted round off back handsprings on the floor.

It is a slow progress, but I am happy with that, at least I know she will be ready when she does her first back handspring alone. I would rather her take her time then rush when she is not ready and hurt herself, I am hoping that she will have her back handspring alone by end of the summer if they keep working on them.

 

[suebee]

FWIW, doing them spotted and then alone on floor is the next step (in my groups). Then we connect them to a round off.

Can I ask a crazy question? I am not able to take dd to practice so I never watch. She says that they have been doing ROBHS from the beginning (with a spot) and she says she can do ROBHS on floor by herself without a spot but she doesn't think she can do a BHS without the RO, but doesn't know for sure since she's never been told to do one.

Is that weird?

 

[gymhorsemom]

My daughter is also in a very similar spot with BHS. She is hoping to compete this Fall so I'm hoping this spot is close but I have no clue if it is!

 

[ivyagogo]

Not weird at all. With the roundoff, you have a lot more power going into the back handspring. It's much more difficult to do it standing.

 

[sce]

Can I ask a crazy question? I am not able to take dd to practice so I never watch. She says that they have been doing ROBHS from the beginning (with a spot) and she says she can do ROBHS on floor by herself without a spot but she doesn't think she can do a BHS without the RO, but doesn't know for sure since she's never been told to do one.

Is that weird?

Not weird, it can be easier with the RO as it gives them extra power. Some coaches won't teach it with the RO at first as many kids will then really struggle with the standing backandspring as well having good form on the RoBH..

 

[coachmolly]

Sounds like what I do with my pre-team kids. They are taking much longer than I anticipated to get this skill, I'm hoping when it finally arrives it's here to stay!
As for RO-BHS, I like them to have a standing BHS before we start on RO-BHS, or at least be really close to a standing BHS. I just feel like it keeps from having to fix things . But it is easier for some kids with the power of the RO added, so not uncommon at all for that to be easier.

 

[suebee]

Sorry - I meant, is it weird that in learning ROBHS, dd says that she has not worked on standing BHS at all (even with a spot) and doesn't know if she can do one because she's never been told to try one.

It seems like most people work on standing BHS first and then add RO, but dd says they have been doing ROBHS from day 1 with no standing BHS.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

Not weird, it can be easier with the RO as it gives them extra power. Some coaches won't teach it with the RO at first as many kids will then really struggle with the standing backandspring as well having good form on the RoBH..

There are two reasons in my mind as to why a child can't do a standing BHS
1) Fear
2) weak/inadequate technique

Adding extra power is not good for either of these reasons

 

[sce]

Sorry - I meant, is it weird that in learning ROBHS, dd says that she has not worked on standing BHS at all (even with a spot) and doesn't know if she can do one because she's never been told to try one.

Okay, yes that sounds weird to me.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Okay, yes that sounds weird to me.

My DD had her ROBHS for about four months before anyone asked her to even try a standing BHS. She can do them now, but they aren't pretty. I wonder if this is why she has such trouble with their form.

 

[Becauseisaid]

The BHS, then ROBHS, does seem to take a long time to progress through. But - to quote DD's coach - if you learn it right, it makes adding elements easier down the road. A bad BHS leads to a bad ROBHS leads to a bad ROBHSBT etc etc.

 

[ZJsMom]

Sorry - I meant, is it weird that in learning ROBHS, dd says that she has not worked on standing BHS at all (even with a spot) and doesn't know if she can do one because she's never been told to try one.

It seems like most people work on standing BHS first and then add RO, but dd says they have been doing ROBHS from day 1 with no standing BHS.

I remember as a kid I learned this way-- ROBHS first. Maybe that's old school coaching technique. I do think learning the standing BHS first allows more focus on correct technique.