Double dismount of the bars

[Gymi]

My daughter is L9 15y gymnast. She's been doing double tuck of bars for 4 years without spot. Never fell. Last year she was introduced to the Chinese tap and this year she is told that her "regular" tap is dangerous and is relearning it cos her toes are not pointing high enough in the tap. Chinese tap was abandoned. She is getting frustrated, trying to do anything her coach suggests, from drills in the belt, being spotted to throwing them without spot again. Nothing is changing, she is only getting unhappy yells from her coach. This is going on for half a year. Any suggestion?

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

If the Chinese tap you're talking about is the one I think it is, it's very unusual to teach female gymnasts this method -- it's far more common on men's high bar.

This is not to say it can't work, but it is certainly much trickier and less dependable on women's bars than on men's. I'd be interested to see if the tap you're talking about genuinely is the same as the chinese tap on men's high bar.

At any rate, this sounds like more of a coaching issue than a technical issue. Have you discussed any of this with the coach?

 

[Deleted member D3987]

somethin doesn't sound right.

 

[Gymi]

Double dismount off the bars

The problem now is not the Chinese tap. That was abandoned. She taps well but releases the bar in arch and scoops into the hollow after letting go. She still lands well on her feet. I would like to know if anyone had a gymnast like that and figured out something how to change it. She knows what is wanted from her but her body is locked into the old way of doing it.

 

[gymdog]

She's throwing her head back (well I assume so). She needs to go back to layout timers and possibly flyaways from swings. Throwing the head back is a way to try and initiate rotation sometimes rather than using the swing. She may have had a growth spurt that threw her timing off.

 

[Gymi]

She did have a growth spurt. Inicially she was not throwing her head back, she just was releasing flat. She is back to layouts and started to throw her head back now. The flyaway from swing might be good idea. Thanks.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

sounds like the usual and typical "i'm afraid i'm going to hit my feet or head on the bar."

this will happen more when a growth spurt takes place. but the original fear is still there. that needs to be addressed.

 

[Gymi]

I am afraid that you are right. She says that she knows exactly what she is supposed to do and can do it in all her drills but when it comes to the release her body doesn't listen to her. It's just going on for so long. She wasn't afraid of the doubles before, she was actually the first one in the gym doing them.

 

[gymdog]

If she's doing okay in her drills but still not ready to do the skill, she needs to stay with the drills. As far as things like a spotting belt, I think approach may build some confidence but I don't know in the long run. I've never done a flyaway in a spotting belt, but I imagine it feels very different from what it actually is when you go through the skill. That only may be helpful in order to learn how to actually do two flips, but not the release timing or speed calibration of the skill.

What would probably be more helpful, I'm guessing (having not seen her issues with it directly), is to do sets of giants to layout timers (flip to back - obviously on soft surface). Then do small cast into double back (not from handstand or giant - just a small cast, double back into the pit). It doesn't feel exactly the same, but it might help her get more control and get over her fear of the release if she's just peeling off early.

For what it's worth I always think about the opposite corner where the opposite wall meets the ceiling, and think about flipping towards that (up and away).

 

[mattsteel008]

I think it is, it's very unusual to teach female gymnasts this method -- it's far more common on men's high bar.