Coaches Backbends & Private Lessons

[RecAcro4Fun]

Hello!

TLDR: I'm teaching a 30 min private lesson - what are some stretches, drills, etc. that can help a cheerleader progress into a back handspring? Her arms/shoulders look odd in her backbend; she needs more flexibility in shoulders and hips. She can currently push up into a backbend but cannot do it from standing, kick over, or hold it for very long.

First of all I am a novice coach. I participated in competitive gymnastics in my youth (and I can still do a few moves at the ripe old age of 33!), but I am not a formally trained coach by any means.

I recently starting teaching a rec class at my old studio since I recently moved back to town with my daughter. Anywho, they've asked me to take on a private lesson for a high school cheerleader who wants to learn how to do a back handspring. Our first class was last week and I kind of fumbled my way through the 30 minute lesson with her mom watching me like a hawk (gulp).

I don't want to just have her do all different kinds of backbends for 30 minutes, so I'm in desperate need of some other ideas. Our studio doesn't have a ton of equipment, but we do have a trampoline, mini tramp, springtrack, spring board, cheese mats, and octagon mats.

I had her do chest rocks, backbend walks, backbend pushups, straight legs in the backbend, straddle rolls... kind of anything I could think of to take up 30 min because I didn't know what to expect or plan for the first class. I explained to her and her mom that she wouldn't be able to jump right into working on a back handspring at her current level. They understood.

Our second class is coming up and I don't want to let anyone down and/or look like a fumbling fool. Please please please help me with some ideas of what I can do during this class knowing that she really only wants to focus on working towards a back handspring. Note, she can already do things like a cartwheel, roundoff, handstand, etc. I appreciate any and all feedback and input here.

Thank you kindly, fellow coaches!

 

[raenndrops]

With so much focus on backbends, please make sure she is doing "rock-n-rolls" after any extended backbend (like backbend walks). She should curl into a ball and rock back and forth a few times.
What about handstands (stomach to the wall), then drop into a backbend on a panel mat (with a spot at first, until you are barely touching her)?
Then, she can try to walk her hands up the wall (also with a spot) to standing.
There are a lot of tutorials on you tube (but don't choose the "learn quickly" ones).




These should give you some ideas.

 

[RecAcro4Fun]

With so much focus on backbends, please make sure she is doing "rock-n-rolls" after any extended backbend (like backbend walks). She should curl into a ball and rock back and forth a few times.
What about handstands (stomach to the wall), then drop into a backbend on a panel mat (with a spot at first, until you are barely touching her)?
Then, she can try to walk her hands up the wall (also with a spot) to standing.
There are a lot of tutorials on you tube (but don't choose the "learn quickly" ones).




These should give you some ideas.

Thank you!! And yes, I do have her do the "egg roll" frequently since we are doing so many backbends, I appreciate the reminder! Thank you for linking specific videos as well! I sincerely appreciate your response!

I also wonder, am I right to focus on the flexibility and backbend improvement first? My gut feeling is its too soon to be working on like the back handspring specific drills/basics since she cant even do a backbend from standing yet? Her backbend is currently pretty flat since her shoulders are lacking in flexibility. I'm sure she would find those things more "fun", though!

 

[raenndrops]

Thank you!! And yes, I do have her do the "egg roll" frequently since we are doing so many backbends, I appreciate the reminder! Thank you for linking specific videos as well! I sincerely appreciate your response!

I also wonder, am I right to focus on the flexibility and backbend improvement first? My gut feeling is its too soon to be working on like the back handspring specific drills/basics since she cant even do a backbend from standing yet? Her backbend is currently pretty flat since her shoulders are lacking in flexibility. I'm sure she would find those things more "fun", though!

Some of the drills shown actually do work on shoulder flexibility (arched handstand with or without shoulder shrug, for example).To keep it all from being too much at once, throw in a few of the drills that help with the prep that comes before the back handspring, like the ones that practice the sit to jump back. If you have a vault stack (gymnastics L2/L3/XB/XS vault), she could practice that ... and our girls find it kinda fun (even the older girls who have had their BHS for years).
Good luck.