Coaches BHS shoulder mobility

[WavyNavy8]

Help! I need all of your outside the box drills and ideas here.

I have a level 4 who has had a BHS for 2+ years now and we’re still struggling with shoulder mobility.

She is never fully opening her shoulders when she tumbles and then is collapsing on her head. The round off one in level 3 was doable but now the 2 in level 4 is brutal. She also reaches back and extends one arm and not the other making her go crooked.

We’ve tried everything we can think of. Every coach in the gym has tried to work with her and she’s done outside bhs clinics. So many different voices and ideas.

Her shoulders don’t have the best flexibility, but they aren’t that bad. It’s when in motion she doesn’t understand how to work them (similar happens sometimes on vault with the FHS)

She’s fine on tumble track, fine on the trampoline, we’ve broken down the bhs with drills, spotted, shoulder stretches, shoulder mobility.

I can’t think of anything else! I know mom is reaching out to a sports psychologist thinking maybe this is mental.

Anyone have anything outside the box???

 

[Gymgirl84]

Maybe there's also a strength issue? I see many times they might not be the most flexible but the shoulders themselves are able to open enough when someone mobilizes them, but the gymnast is not able to do it by herself. If that's the case, shoulder strength might help: shoulder shrugs, shoulder opening with band or a ball/weight ball, just kneeling with butt to the heels and lie in front, then lift one arm (sounds easy but it is pretty hard)

 

[ryanolympian]

I’m positive that the psychologist is not needed unless they’re also Olympic gymnasts. The key to the shoulder flexibility in dynamic training is in bridges and the back limber, making sure that the hands lead and not the head. It sounds like the gymnast might be focused on one hand and not both. Train the limber by having them make a triangle (both hands together with the thumbs and forefingers) and focus their eyes on seeing the floor through that “window”. Focused repetition is key here to train the mind and body- it will increase their strength and flexibility as well. 10x in a row is required for most dynamic movements, and doing this 3x per practice will work wonders. As another training aid, both limbers and round offs can be done with a spanset strap- the gymnast places both arms through the spanset, raises their arms over their head, and the coach slides the spanset to sit on the triceps behind the head. This effectively locks the gymnast into the correct position. After a few turns, they will get the hang of it and remove the strap to practice on their own. Practice makes permanent, so never let a gymnast continue to practice with a bad position.

 

[WavyNavy8]

Maybe there's also a strength issue? I see many times they might not be the most flexible but the shoulders themselves are able to open enough when someone mobilizes them, but the gymnast is not able to do it by herself. If that's the case, shoulder strength might help: shoulder shrugs, shoulder opening with band or a ball/weight ball, just kneeling with butt to the heels and lie in front, then lift one arm (sounds easy but it is pretty hard)

This is something I was thinking about as well. She’s pretty strong but maybe there’s an area that’s stronger vs another causing the disconnect.

Also I should mention she has hyperextended elbows that she can sometimes struggle to control. So I’m going to focus more on things for that as well.

 

[WavyNavy8]

I’m positive that the psychologist is not needed unless they’re also Olympic gymnasts. The key to the shoulder flexibility in dynamic training is in bridges and the back limber, making sure that the hands lead and not the head. It sounds like the gymnast might be focused on one hand and not both. Train the limber by having them make a triangle (both hands together with the thumbs and forefingers) and focus their eyes on seeing the floor through that “window”. Focused repetition is key here to train the mind and body- it will increase their strength and flexibility as well. 10x in a row is required for most dynamic movements, and doing this 3x per practice will work wonders. As another training aid, both limbers and round offs can be done with a spanset strap- the gymnast places both arms through the spanset, raises their arms over their head, and the coach slides the spanset to sit on the triceps behind the head. This effectively locks the gymnast into the correct position. After a few turns, they will get the hang of it and remove the strap to practice on their own. Practice makes permanent, so never let a gymnast continue to practice with a bad position.

Thank you! I’m going to give this a shot! She’s a great hardworking gymnast but she gets very anxious and back tumbling has never been strong for her.