Conquering the front handspring

[Mack_the_Ripper]

I'm working on a front handspring step-out for my level 7 beam routine, since no other flight skill is viable for me at this point and my FHS is pretty good. My problem is that I'm terrified of it! I can do it sometimes on the low beam with no mats around it, but sometimes I need a panel mat on one side.

I'm scared because even though I land perfectly fine 4/5 of the time, the last fifth of the time, I land with my bottom foot on the edge of the beam. This really hurts! After this happens, I have to stop working them for a while because of the pain in my heel, sometimes the whole practice. Also, a couple weeks ago I broke my toe when a FHS on the low beam (no mats) when awry.

So...any tips for getting over my fear and making it more consistent? I know I need to practice it more to get over these issues but since it's painful when I mess up...I don't know what to do. Drills, etc, would be welcome!

 

[gymnasticsfreak]

do lots and lots on a line on the floor, until it's perfect. if you have a floor beam do some there too.

 

[fuzi]

Like the previous poster set, repetition is key. You want to make sure you are square in the air so you land above the beam. Also, you need to focus on landing on the balls of you feet so you don't bang your heel.

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

Also, you need to focus on landing on the balls of you feet so you don't bang your heel.

They're getting better, but any tips for landing on the ball of my foot? The whole thing is over so quickly sometimes I don't know what to change to improve it. Do I need to kick harder? I can already do them uphill onto a panel mat.

Just for posterity: to overcome the pain/repetition problem, I'm putting a pad around the high beam and doing it there (with a mat underneath). My coach is pleased that I'm doing them on the high-ish beam, and it doesn't hurt, AND I'm not as scared. Sometimes I still chicken out in the middle, but I'm learning (slowly) how to commit to it. I also do them on the low beam and work on commiting.

 

[fuzi]

It sounds like you are making good progress.

You are right in suggesting that you may need to kick harder. Think of your back leg like a spring. It needs to compress (bend) and then spring (straighten) as you kick into your FHS. It should bend, quickly push off the beam, and then kick up fast. To land on the balls of your feet, like doing a FHS on floor, your hips need to be pushing forward and your gaze needs to be up. Front skills on beam are hard because they are blind landings. You have to trust yourself though, because if you look down as you finish to try to see if your feet are on the beam, you will not be in the right tight arched position. Instead you will pike at your hips, and land with your weight back towards your heels- and that will hurt, and be ugly. Does that make sense?