Women front handspring vault trouble

[gymnast-mac]

I have been doing the front handspring vault for a year now, and it still isn't that good. I don't stand up when I hit the board, I just reach straight for the vault. My coaches have told me to stand up on the board, drive my heels, reach farther out on the vault, and many other corrections. I want to make my vault better, and I try to do the things that they suggest, but it isn't helping. Does anyone have any tips and/or exercises/conditioning that I could do to make it better?

 

[GymB4everything]

I have the same problem! My coaches keep telling me that I pike after I jump and it's so frustrating. I always make it over but it's so slow and ugly. Part of my problem is that I'm 5"4 and there are a bunch of really little girls and my coach always has the board way too close the the vault. I'm interested if anyone has any tips or even conditioning that would help!

 

[rd7]

Hi gymnasts, without seeing a video two things to think about.

1. Foot contact on the board - if your heels are down or feet flexed it will kill your flight on and cause all sorts of problems. You need a short sharp stab or punch (rebound) through the balls of your feet.

2. Length of hurdle step. If it's too short (eg you are too close to the board with your last foot on the runway) then you will be forced to have your chest going downwards on take off.

3. Practice, practice and more practice, you will get better

 

[Gymishome]

2. Length of hurdle step. If it's too short (eg you are too close to the board with your last foot on the runway) then you will be forced to have your chest going downwards on take off.

What I was thinking...

 

[Gymsanity]

Hard to say not knowing your age, height, level, vault height, board setting, etc. However, some general things that I do are lots of drills that require the girls to only think of part of the skill at a time. (running, hurdling, punching, blocking, shape, repulsion, landing, etc.) I spot thousands of them, even though it's just a front handspring, as I can 'adjust' them through the skill. If you have a tramp at your gym, have your coach teach you a front layout with your arms by your ears. Another favorite drill is I stand on a block behind the table and have the girls vault up into a hand stand on the table and catch and hold them in that shape. Keep at it and good luck.

 

[iwannacoach]

Working one thing at a time starting at the beginning is really really helpful because each part of a vault is set up by the previous part. If there's a problem in the 3rd part of a vault the following 3 or 4 parts won't happen as you'd like them to.

drills that require the girls to only think of part of the skill at a time. (running, hurdling, punching, blocking, shape, repulsion, landing, etc.)

This is a good check list.......

1. Foot contact on the board - if your heels are down or feet flexed it will kill your flight on and cause all sorts of problems. You need a short sharp stab or punch (rebound) through the balls of your feet.

2. Length of hurdle step. If it's too short (eg you are too close to the board with your last foot on the runway) then you will be forced to have your chest going downwards on take off.

Here's a different way of working on the "stand up" correction you've been hearing. Consider that it takes both ends of your body to create a standing position, and then understand that standing isn't based solely on where your shoulders are. If your feet aren't in the right spot below your shoulders you'll fall back or forward, and neither of those are "standing" up.

So lets say the thought of keeping your shoulders back a bit doesn't appeal to you. You could accomplish nearly everything you've been asked by shifting more quickly from your hurdle to punch (faster legs together and feet reaching into the stab) and placing your feet a few inches farther into the board.

It's kinda like a race between your feet and shoulders. If your feet will lose that race every time they aren't given a cheater's lead, because your feet stop breifly when you punch, and that gives your shoulder a chance to pass them by. If they pass them by right as the board is finishing the rebound from the punch, your shoulder get to move forward nicely while your feet get sprung up (by the board) and lift behind you.

 

[<3GymGirl<3]

I have been doing the front handspring vault for a year now, and it still isn't that good. I don't stand up when I hit the board, I just reach straight for the vault. My coaches have told me to stand up on the board, drive my heels, reach farther out on the vault, and many other corrections. I want to make my vault better, and I try to do the things that they suggest, but it isn't helping. Does anyone have any tips and/or exercises/conditioning that I could do to make it better?

I had the same problem with my vault, I fixed it by thinking more about jumping up and less jumping at it, technically the springboard is designed at an angle to send you forwards, at least this is what I have been told. Don't let a bunch of corrections confuse you, vault is definitely something you should not over think, at least not while your doing it. Sum up what all the corrections are trying to get you to do, and visualize a couple times what it should look like, if you find that you can not visualize it exactly you are probably confused about something, if so, ask your coach.

I have the same problem! My coaches keep telling me that I pike after I jump and it's so frustrating. I always make it over but it's so slow and ugly. Part of my problem is that I'm 5"4 and there are a bunch of really little girls and my coach always has the board way too close the the vault. I'm interested if anyone has any tips or even conditioning that would help!

How close is the spring board? For you height, putting the springboard at about 2 ft would work. Do you mean your hurdle to the spring board looks piked? It could be because of where you're hurdling from...

 

[GymB4everything]

I think the board is usually about a foot away and my coaches mean that I pike as I'm going up into the handstand position.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

would need to see it.