Drills for floppy kids

[CoachGoofy]

We've all had floppy kids, havent we?

I log bounce the little ones to help them understand tightness, but sometimes it's an older kid (especially after a growth spurt) who understands the concept, but just can't make everything squeeze at once.

The one I'm thinking of right now is not strong enough to do a handstand or cartwheel at this point in time. I'm thinking some good body position drills & things for working push on the hands, leg positions, core, etc will make a cartwheel an attainable goal, but I honestly can't think of anything basic enough...holding a hollow pushup position with hands elevated was extremely difficult for this child.

Suggestions cheerfully welcomed.

 

[coachmolly]

Sounds like you have quite a challenge there, but I know the exact kind of kid you're talking about. Have you tried having her lie on the floor on her back and squeeze as tight as she can as you lift her up by the feet and try to get her to stay like a board? If they aren't tight they'll just bend at the hips. In my experiences it can be really helpful with helping kids learn how to squeeze everything at once, especially their butt.
Hollow holds are good, even if they can only lift their shoulders up at first while their feet stay on the ground. Work up to a full hollow body hold as she gains strength. You could try having her do "handstands" against the wall- stomach facing the wall. Just have her start with her hands pretty far out (not in a push up position though) and gradually work her hands closer to the wall- you will probably need to spot her until she gets the idea. Pre-schoolers are capable of doing that pretty well, but if she has a weird strength to height ratio and body control issues it might be a little harder, at least in the beginning.
I also do a lot of carthweels over panel mats (hands on mat) with kids struggling with cartwheels to help with the kick- sometimes holding a pool noodle over them with a goal to kick it.
These are all pretty basic, so I'm not sure I've really been that much help, but I'm also interested in hearing from other coaches about what works. It seems to be a pretty common problem.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

A few ideas...
* Sitting in L sit (body upright, legs straight in front) and just squeezing legs so muscles show, you can test by pulling trying to pull their feet apart.

* Lying on the floor with feet on a block/panel mat, and they have to squeeze their body into a straight line.

* Block handstands, easier than wall handstand (see poor paint attempt attached). You will probably need to assist them into the shape.

* Bear, crab and caterpillar walks.

* Bunny hops side to side over low beam (increase height).

* Bunny hops on floor, 5 in a row.

* Push up position with hands on wobble board.

* Push up position, turn over to rear support shape and back to push up position.

* Angry cat bounces on trampoline.

* Lots of trampoline.

* Hang on a bar and try to make the handstand shape. Progress to moving the gymnast on an angle.

* Once they are good at the first drill coachmolly suggested you can turn it into a game by dropping a foot and/or pulling feet apart.

* Holding a straight body between two boxes/panel mats, they can then turn over. we call this the spit roast.

* 'marching' in push up position, hand lifts and tap shoulder, a variation is to do it with a partner and clap hands (facing each other).

* Games/competitions that incorporate the push up position (or easier angry cat) such as stuck in the mud, the one where a ball gets rolled under the team.

* Using sliders with feet or knees on slider, can be a tag game.

*Wheelbarrow walk with support at thighs.

* Push up position walk hands around in a circle.

 

[All Chalked Up]

My coach's strategy for team.... poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke poke until we tighten up. Not as fun as the following, but it works on us!

My strategy for preteam: I pile up a couple folding mats- 3 on each side- and have the kid lay on it so only their head/neck and heels are on the mat. They have to turn around maintaining a straight body position. They absolutely love it, and I must admit it is pretty fun to do

 

[gymdog]

Wall walk handstand walking feet up the wall. Unless the child has some kind of motor delay or low tone they should be able to do this. Hold 5 sec. Then try lifting one leg and then the other off the wall.

When they can do this then they do sideways wall walk. Walk up to 3/4 HS, then five steps sideways. In order to do laterally moving skills the kids should be able to do this coordinating the hands and feet to walk. Ideally they will do five steps one way and five steps back without coming down - at first they will need a break in between.

Then cartwheel drill. There is a raised surface at the point of lines perpendicular at about 90*. Sort of like this: o< but the point will be covered. Start in a straddle stand on one line. Move laterally to the other line, placing the hands on the raised surface and ideally the feet will land 1, 2 on the other line in a straddle stand. Always finish in the straddle stand on the lines facing inwards. Correct this position every time and also spot their thighs to make the feet land 1, 2. When they can move laterally in a low angle, start kicking higher.

If the child has low tone or a motor delay, I would recommend spending a lot of time on forward and side hands and feet walks (whatever animal you call this) and also doing this on raised surfaces, P bars, uphill, uneven bars, backwards, etc. The sideways crawl on hands and feet like this is the first step to coordinating the hands and feet to move laterally with the body slightly inverted.

Of course you can also do it with a crab stand but the body is not inverted.

The next step would be forward hops hopping the hands away from the feet, and the feet to the hands (not a frog jump where the hands and feet move at the same time). This will be very challenging for some children, but it is essential to have this movement very smooth in order to simulate how they will land on their feet from an inverted position and not their knees.

 

[CoachTodd]

Pick them up and shake them . just not too hard. I used that to teach vault. I'd catch them. If they were tight, I'd flop the on the mats

 

[CoachGoofy]

Thank you everyone so much. Lots of stuff I can work with there & make side stations or conditioning & modify for the whole class so this child doesn't feel singled out-10 year olds are self conscious. Kid has low tone & is big for age, but that's just a challenge, right?

Unfortunately picking up & tossing isn't an option. In a couple months we will get a ROCKIN' seat drop war going on though.

 

[gymboymom]

With low tone as an OT we use a lot of bouncing (fast) and vibration to "wake up" the muscle fibers. Some kids respond to going upside down as well (over barrel might work)