Correct head position for blind change?

[JudyS125]

My daughter is level 9 and is working on her blind change. We recently changed gyms (due to a move--not because we wanted to). Her old coach told her to keep her head straight down between her arms. Her new coach tells her to stretch her neck up--as if looking out. I've tried to watch on youtube but I see it being done both ways. Which is correct? Is there an advantage of one over the other?

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

In my opinion, the ideal position is somewhere in the middle -- the gymnast should be able to just barely see the bar through the tops of her eyes.

However, head position doesn't make that much of a difference as long as the rest of the body maintains good position. As long as the body is slightly hollow and the shoulders are extended, neither head position will significantly interfere with the execution of the skill.

 

[ACoach78]

Head position doesn't matter? Are you kidding me?

Head position absolutely does matter. The body has an ideal posture about which it moves most mechanically efficient. In theory, that is when the head is almost always neutral and/or perfectly aligned directly over top of the spine.

With that said, when the gymnast initiates the blind turn, she must lean onto the "post" arm (arm about which she is turning) and therefore, most coaches tell the gymnast to lean their ear against the arm and to look under/into the armpit.

Most of the issues (split legs, etc.) is the result of head position. When the head is out, the chest will arch, and the hips will pike. There are no two ways about it. While I've never seen it officially documented relative to adults, I believe strongly that we still have sort of an extensor reflex such that if the head goes back (cervical hyperextension) these other actions follow (chest arch, hip pike).

There are various extensor reflexes that are well documented in motor learning in relationship to babies/infants.

Anyway, if the head is out, the chest it out, and the hips pike - well...it's pretty safe to say that the body is misaligned and completing the turn will not be very easy.

Can you still complete the turn? Why sure...but, more than likely with split legs and poor alignment. So, expect to take some serious deductions in the process and don't expect to finish it in a handstand.

 

[gymcoach34]

ACoach78-I agree 100%. I tell my gymnasts to watch their toes on the upswing of the giant them to peer through their eyebrows under her armpit slightly to see the bar as they blind (head neutral). I'm a crazy nut for head position in every skill bc it makes the difference (IMHO). I've never heard of having a gymnast "stetch her neck out" and Im not sure how that would happen???

 

[triptwister]

I want to mention that there are various successful styles of a blind change. Some gymnasts turn on the way up. Some turn at the top. And some turn late. The head position can and does vary. From head in like William Tell is going to shoot an apple off your belly button, to head out like you are going to dive into a water barrel and need to see where it is. Some gymnasts have their head in deep before the change and in the handstand land with the head back.