WAG fix for split leap

[BarCoach]

I have a level 5 with a terrible leap on floor and I don't know how to fix it. Her leap is great on beam and is fine if she walks into it, but as soon as she runs into it, her front leg is bent and turned in and her back leg crosses over behind her to the opposite side (does that make sense?). She has a full split on floor. I can't post a video since I don't have permission from the parents. Any ideas or drills for how I might be able to fix it? Thanks.

 

[fliptwisttwirl]

We do a drill for these where you either get a rezie or a stack of 8 inchers and have the girls run next to it and when they leap they have to land in a split on the stack. Does that make since? Kind of like they're jumping side ways in the middle of it to land up there. It helps with not staging and getting the full split. Not sure about what to do with her leg crossing but since she has to land in a full split it might keep her squared. I think the stack should be a little above waist height..though you might have to start lower depending on the height she usually gets in her leaps.
I don't remember which side you're supposed to do it from (like good leg or bad leg closer to the mats) so you might want to try both ways. I can ask my coaches tomorrow if needed though. Hope this helps!

 

[marie83]

I've seen the drill above too.
We also do lots of fast leg kicks to the front, side and back on both legs with chest up, as it would be in a split leap. We don't have a ballet bar yet, so do it with the gymnasts facing a beam when they kick to the back. They do 10 really fast kicks joining legs together each time, then hold the leg up at the back for 5 seconds.
It's also important that the gymnasts do lots of active and passive stretching but ensuring they have square hips.
When your gymnast is running/chasse-ing into her leap she may also be going forwards rather than upwards which causes problems too.
What are your gymnasts arms doing on the floor? The easiest position is out to the side and then pulled back as if pulling shoulder blades together as she takes off which will help to keep chest up and lift the leap upwards.
Hope this helps!

 

[BarCoach]

We do do kicks but can always do more. I will watch her arms, thinking about it, she may lean forward slightly. And I will try the leap to split drill. I like that. I think I will put the mats on the side of her bad leg so that she will have to bring her back leg to the correct side in order to make it to the split. Thanks.

 

[stargazer]

That drill up onto the mats is genius, I've never heard of it before but now I'm going to try it! I've really found the rhythm of the chasse makes a big impact. I make my first 'step' is high, then the next two parts (where you bring your feet together then step in front again to prepare for the leap) are fast, and as long as I can make them. The long last step really helps me get by chest in the right position to and not lean too far forward. I hope that made sense. If the run/chasse confuses her maybe try having her do it from just a step and look at her body position as she takes off.

 

[iwannacoach]

It sounds like her lower "core" muscles are relaxed to the point that a larger stride gets her hips twisting just slightly, and the leap motion amplifies the "twist". Watch her vault runs.....I'm thinking they're kinda wild and loose. Try adding some posture "games" to your group warm up, like a variation of that race thing with kids trying to run with an egg balanced on a spoon.....or skip the games and come up with a drill that has them run smoothly and under control.

 

[BarCoach]

She actually has one of the best runs for vault, but is definitely weak in her core. She does leg lifts by pulling her hips away from the wall instead of bending at the hip and using her abs. It is something we work on a lot with her, but still needs work. How does that effect her leap? What can I do to help minimize it in the leap? I need as quick a fix as possible.
Also, anyone know the deduction for walking into a leap in level 5? Because her leap is so funky when she runs I've been having her walk into it like beam.

 

[Kiwi]

Over here the girls all chasse into their split leaps on floor, they don't run.

 

[iwannacoach]

She actually has one of the best runs for vault, but is definitely weak in her core. She does leg lifts by pulling her hips away from the wall instead of bending at the hip and using her abs. It is something we work on a lot with her, but still needs work. How does that effect her leap? What can I do to help minimize it in the leap? I need as quick a fix as possible.

I can't make sense out of any of this. She's lifting the hip of her lead leg and letting it "cross over" a bit toward the trail leg side.....right?....but only when out of a run, not from a walk. Hmmmm! Maybe she's working so much with her hip flexor during the walk entry, that she's muscle memoried that same motion energy at the end of her run entry, and isn't reducing the extensor effort to reflect the contributions of her run.

Here's a brief re-cap.......lead leg lift energy multiplied by "walk energy" equals nice leap with lift commensurate to push off and split......conversely......lead leg lift energy equal to walk entry multiplied by 3Xwalk energy (run) equals a lead leg that get ahead of the rest of her motion. When the lift leg hits the limit of it's "square/aligned" travel, it pulls the hip up and over.

Do you think that might be it. If so, one possible solution could be a set of 5 leaps where she adds just a bit more speed to each successive leap while concentrating on a slower lead leg and placing rather than kicking....and of course keeping her hips reasonably square and aligned. You can add the quick push off and elevation of the trail leg as soon as you're convinced she's burned into muscle memory the placement concept.

One last thought. Her lead leg will be higher than her trail leg when she begins to work on elevating her trail leg, kinda an opposite and equal reaction thing. The best que I've come up with is......your back leg's elevation efforts will make your front elevate on it's own....all you have to do is place it gently into the lift position and concentrate on square/alignment while the trail leg finishes everything else.