Bridge Kickover

[KillerKyah]

It seems that I can't get a bridge kickover to save my life. I can do straight leg bridges and normal well, so shoulder flexibility doesn't seem to be the issue. One thing that irks me about it, other than the fact that I can't get even 45 degrees off the ground, is that I do them with my bad leg leading. I tried with the other leg, but it just feels awkward. I've been working on them with a wedge and a coach helping me, but I still can't get them over. It frustrates me that I can do front and back handsprings (with a light spot for bhs) and a front layout (on the tumble trak), but not a basic skill like a kickover. Any advice?

 

[BlairBob]

Kick against a wall or wedge mat on the wall with the hands far off the wall enough. The goal is to end in a really arched handstand and walk down the wall into a bridge, then walk up and kickover.

With the bridge kickover, you have to take baby steps typically. Use a panel mat and try taking off one layer at a time until you can kickover.

Make sure when you kickover that you lean into and open your shoulders.

The worse your active split flexibility is, the more difficult the kickover will be. Aka like mine, I can do passive splits but my active split flexibility I joke is 90 degrees (prob more-mebbe).

Other good drills are bridge wall walks (back to bridge walking down and up wall) and anything in a handstand to develop a sturdy shoulder girdle.

 

[CoachAngela]

I start my girls with their feet elevated, on a large box. Once they do 5 perfect there, they move to a smaller box, 5 perfect there, then to panel mat, then peel a layer off, then to the floor.

I find that at any level, the most important thing is to ensure that they BEGIN to kickover with straight legs, and, that their shoulders are "open", a.k.a, pushing away from the box, and towards me.

I position myself so they can see me upside down and say to "hide their ears with their arms, and push their arm pits towards me".

These are little tips, hope they help.
Also, ab conditioning never hurts. Make sure your abs are tight when you kickover and your bottom is squeezed.

 

[coachmolly]

The previous two posters have mentioned this but I word it a little differently so sometimes that can help.
To get their shoulders pushing open I tell my girls to "push their armpit towards the wall"- meaning the wall that they can see when they are upside down.

 

[gYmNaSt<3:D]

My goodness. I have the exact same issue.

I attempted it all day and never made it. I was in tears.

My back is killing me and my wrists give every time I bridge now. And I have gym tomorrow >_<

I have limited shoulder flexibility, so I can hardly get my shoulders in line with my hands in a bridge. But what I've learned from countless research is:

-Straight arms
-Split your legs as best as you can
-Look at your fingernails
-Don't bail
-Lock your elbows in
-Shift your weight

I hope that helps you.

 

[gymsparkles14]

I struggled on this too. The most important thing is to not give up!!
Here are some tips that helped me the most!
1. Push your shoulders over your hands when you kick (
2. kick with your dominant foot and push of with your less dominant foot
3. work on your leg flexibility(splits), it gives you a wider range of motion
4. KEEP PRACTICING! sometimes you'll do something by accident that could make you go over and then you would know what you have to do every time.

 

[sunshinegymnast]

All of the advice here is pretty good

When you're in bridge, it helped me when i pushed my chest forward, like towards something...I did it off elevated surfaces too

 

[2gymbratz]

We teach the same thing with blocks and then panel mats removing layer by layer. For your shoulder flexability though try working your bridges more and really pushing though your shoulders, if you are able you can also take that bridge and push up into it on your forearms which stretches the shoulders out even more. It is something new that we had started over the summer and it has really seemed to help those that had shoulder flexability issues.

 

[Kiwi]

if you are able you can also take that bridge and push up into it on your forearms which stretches the shoulders out even more.

I'm having trouble imagining this, can you explain further?

 

[mustlovejumping]

Nicki, go up into a bridge and then bend your arms until your forearms are on the ground instead of just your hands. I do this with my feet up on a VERY high surface because it's a bit harder when you're not a 6 year old rubberband , and it's definitely a good stretch!

 

[gYmNaSt<3:D]

I learned something from the clinic I went to yesterday.

Be sure you're not kicking and immediately relaxing. Imagine a star football player kicking a football. He doesn't tap it, he smacks it with everything he has! So be sure to do just that.

Way easier said than done, however XD

 

[marie83]

push up to bridge, then really push your arm pits away from your feet. When you kick over, really think about pushing your arm pits like this.
Keep your legs as wide apart as possible and push through your shoulders in the handstand phase.

Your head should be neutral, but sometimes coaches say look at your hands to discourage gymnasts from putting their chin on their chest.

Good luck!