Parents Backhand springs!

[Sweetbrunette00]

So my dd is learning to get her back handspring (new lvl3) she can do it great with a barrel and just a finger spot but when she does them by herself she is struggling. She has done a couple on a soft mat by herself but a lot of times she ends up landing on her neck and shoulders...
I know it's because she is not jumping high enough and I'm just wondering how long it took your gymnast to catch on. I feel like some do it like twice and have it perfectly and I just worry about her hurting her neck or back and causing permanent damage.
I know her coaches wouldn't let her do anything unsafe it just makes me so nervous.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Everyone gets it in their own time, and those that get it quickly do not actually do it perfectly. At my DDs gym the L6/7/8/9s still spend plenty of time doing just plain old bhs and robhs. HC says you can never stop drilling the basics. That said, I think my DD got them safely pretty quickly after she started doing them- maybe a few days, but she still doesn't have them perfect after a year and change. They are still getting a little better as she goes on, even now that the bhs from last season is a robhsbt this season. I am not sure she ever did them where she landed on her neck though. I hope that was phrased for effect- I'm sure her coaches wouldn't let her do them if they were dangerous. She'll get there, I promise!

 

[Sweetbrunette00]

-Yea I'm not expecting perfection at all. It just makes me so nervous the few times I've watched she landed on her shoulders and neck.
I asked her tonight and she said she still is falling on her shoulders a couple times and it's because she's not jumping high enough.
I know every kid is different I just am really worried about her falling so many times on her neck and shoulders I would hate for her to fall the wrong way and cause permanent damage...

 

[Tootsmom]

-Yea I'm not expecting perfection at all. It just makes me so nervous the few times I've watched she landed on her shoulders and neck.
I asked her tonight and she said she still is falling on her shoulders a couple times and it's because she's not jumping high enough.
I know every kid is different I just am really worried about her falling so many times on her neck and shoulders I would hate for her to fall the wrong way and cause permanent damage...

I think She got it within a few months, but she was 5 and fearless and determined. Each kid is different I have seen some kids take years. She will get it

 

[Sweetbrunette00]

But is it okay or normal for them to have those occasional falls on their shoulders and neck?

 

[meganliz77]

My DD had some ugly BHS when she was starting (well ugly compared to now... They only get better with time and practice)

But I can tell you, that the coaches at my daughters gym wouldn't dream of allowing a girl to throw a back handspring unspotted who is at risk of falling on her neck/shoulders.

From experience, it is really easy for kids to pick up bad habits in a rush to obtain the skill. I caught DD before it got too bad and worked out with HC in a private. Time, patience, drills, practice. And SPOTS! Until they can safely throw them...

 

[meganliz77]

And I'm no coach… But it doesn't sound like it's an issue with her not jumping high enough to me. My guess would be bendy arms or not a strong block (could totally be the wrong word, but it speaks to bendy arms)

i've certainly seen a fair share of those girls at competitions (they probably shouldn't be allowed to compete them) and they look like they're close to falling on their head.

My DD was five or six years old. Very determined. And it probably took 2 to 3 months.

 

[Mrs. Puma]

those that get it quickly do not actually do it perfectly.

it is really easy for kids to pick up bad habits in a rush to obtain the skill.

Yes and yes. This was Puma Jr. She could do a BHS seemingly easily a couple weeks after she turned six, but it is JUST now (3 full years later) looking good. Not even great, just good. Even though she could do it on beam at 7&1/2, the new gym won't allow it yet until it's a lot more solid on floor. We're getting there...you will too!! Good luck!!!

 

[mom2newgymnast]

But I can tell you, that the coaches at my daughters gym wouldn't dream of allowing a girl to throw a back handspring unspotted who is at risk of falling on her neck/shoulders.

My dd competed level 3 last season. They did drills and progressions for months before they let them even attempt one unspotted. Their coaches would definitely not let them attempt one on their own if they thought they might land on their neck or shoulders. Not to say that there haven't been a few incidents where things went wrong during one, but they were definitely the exception. Anyway, it took months from when they first started learning them before any of them were doing them by themselves. It felt painfully slow at times to dd and her teammates, but now they all have a nice BHS and now that they are working on ROBHSBHS for level 4, they are all doing great with them too.

 

[cassafrass]

DD took almost a year to learn one at age 6. It seemed like forever and most of her teammates could already do it. The same day she did a ro bhs she connected two! It is one of our favorite memories even today because I came in to watch the one. Her coach said go for two and she's had it ever since and she is 12 now!

 

[Flyaway]

It seemed to take forever!! Dd had been doing drills for a loooong time. She started doing them on a tramp unspotted but wouldn't go without a spot for several months. She finally got it on her own mid-season, but took a header during a warmup and lost it again for about 6 months. Sigh. Now, a year later she's doing RBHSBHS with pretty good form.

I second the bendy arm suggestion from up above. When my dd was learning that was a huge issue and the main reason she wouldn't clear the floor. She still struggles with bendy arms in general.

 

[Mom2-4]

I used to tell my DD it's physically impossible to land on your head in your BHS if your arms are tight by your ears on floor. Beam is a whole new animal.

 

[GYM0M]

I'd say it's not about jumping high enough. In fact, they aren't supposed to jump high at all. I would say it's about where her arms are in the BHS. She more than likely needs more shoulder flex. The arms should be just slightly behind the ears. Easy should flex is for her to stand arms width from the wall (facing the wall), put her arms up on the wall and drop her head through them (so she's looking at the floor.)

 

[mommyof1]

+1 on the bent arms and jumping back, not up. They should be doing lots of drills (e.g., jumping backwards to land on their backs on a fat mat, back handsprings landing on their tummies instead of their feet, back handsprings with a barrel or down a wedge mat) before actually trying a BHS on the tumble track, fluffy mat, or floor. If she is landing on her head or neck, the coach should be taking her back to drills or spotting.

My daughter competes L3 and has been doing ROBHS unspotted for nearly a year and a half. Her coaches still require the girls to "pass" introductory stations (BHS drills or spotted BHS) at every single practice before doing BHS or ROBHS unspotted on the floor.

 

[AmarisDad]

I agree with the bendy arms. That can be a very dangerous situation and I would speak up before she gets hurt. Sounds like she definitely needs more drills and practice on the barrel to get the right body position and arm placement. Safety over learning a new skill because if she gets hurt. She won't be learning anything but conditioning drills until she recovers.

Repetition + Time= Success DD has been working hers for a 1yr and half now. Be safe and good luck!

 

[Sweetbrunette00]

I thought it was more of a bendy arm thing myself but when I asked her why she would sometimes land that way she said it was because she was not jumping high enough.
She gets lots of drills and spots and so far only her and another girl new to the team are actually getting to try them on their own sometimes.
I just am such a worrier because I don't want her to land wrong.
She has a lesson today so I'm going to ask about it just to ease my worrying.
We are going to also do some standing backbends at home because sometimes she bends her arms on those and I think it may help her get her hands straighter and by her ears faster.
I know even after she gets it that it will take years to actually perfect I'm not worried so much as to form just the occasionally falling she tells me she is doing.
I watch every practice so I'm relying on what I'm seeing and what she has told me.

 

[mommyof1]

We are going to also do some standing backbends at home because sometimes she bends her arms on those and I think it may help her get her hands straighter and by her ears faster.

I personally would not have my daughter doing backbends outside of the gym. I have read way too many scary things here about the dangers of backbends and bridges done with poor form/too often/too young. There was a kid on preteam with my daughter at her old gym who developed back pain after practicing bridges at home.

 

[Sweetbrunette00]

I personally would not have my daughter doing backbends outside of the gym. I have read way too many scary things here about the dangers of backbends and bridges done with poor form/too often/too young.

Oh okay. She usually does them on the trampoline I didn't think a backbend was as bad.
I know we would never ever try bhs outside the gym.
I guess we will just a stick to what coach think we should do.
Hopefully they arent as bad as my dd makes it sound.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

+1 on the bent arms and jumping back, not up. They should be doing lots of drills (e.g., jumping backwards to land on their backs on a fat mat, back handsprings landing on their tummies instead of their feet, back handsprings with a barrel or down a wedge mat) before actually trying a BHS on the tumble track, fluffy mat, or floor. If she is landing on her head or neck, the coach should be taking her back to drills or spotting.

My daughter competes L3 and has been doing ROBHS unspotted for nearly a year and a half. Her coaches still require the girls to "pass" introductory stations (BHS drills or spotted BHS) at every single practice before doing BHS or ROBHS unspotted on the floor.

I needed to read this, I admit I have been getting slightly frustrated that my dd and 9 still cannot do a back handspring yet, she has done spotted ones on the mat and wedge mat. When they do work on them they do them spotted to tummy, half back handsprings where they are stopped in an arch shape and the coach makes sure their arms and shoulders are in a good position, not wide apart or bent and she also makes sure their legs are together and straight. The coach also requires the to pass each stage from the beginning before advancing to the next stage each time they work on the drills, the coach does this for every skill they are doing drills for. Sound like my daughter has a sensible caring coach . Thank you coach.

 

[Sweetbrunette00]

Coach says that she isn't landing on her neck and occasionally shoulders bc she is jumping forward too much or she is in her handstand shape too long.
Coach says that her hands are straight and she's just more inconsistent than anything and just needs more practice.
Makes me feel a little better