Women Full split in walkovers, kickovers and one-legged bridges

[ascarter1]

It's ironic that the "ideal look" for a gymnast is the wispy/hyperflexible/long lines etc. but the most dominant gymnast of our time is the powerhouse that is Simone Biles.

At our gym, we've lost many of our hyperflexible girls due to injuries or lack of progression at level 9/10s due to the lack of power.

It is the rare gymnast who can combine the hyperflexibility and long lines with the needed power for the high difficulty skills of modern gymnastics

I agree with this SO SO much!

 

[gymdog]

It's ironic that the "ideal look" for a gymnast is the wispy/hyperflexible/long lines etc. but the most dominant gymnast of our time is the powerhouse that is Simone Biles.

At our gym, we've lost many of our hyperflexible girls due to injuries or lack of progression at level 9/10s due to the lack of power.

It is the rare gymnast who can combine the hyperflexibility and long lines with the needed power for the high difficulty skills of modern gymnastics

Simone is maybe not the best example of this. I wouldn't describe her flexibility as like Nastia, but she is actually pretty flexible and has some instability in her back and shoulders - her shoulder has randomly dislocated before. But yeah, her joint type is mostly ideal for artistic gymnastics. Her lower body stability is good. Hyperextended legs tend to cause problems with tumbling and vaulting.

 

[gymnndance]

I agree with all of you! However, while I think those bendy backs are only given by nature, Erifilly is not a natural long-lines/superflexy girl, IMO. But she has incredible technique. I know girls who can fold in half and bend their back completely, but have a hard time even holding a hollow. Then there are girls who are so powerful, can do standing front tucks etc, but will lose the ability to do a split if they don't stretch regularly. And then there are the ones who have a little bit of both and can be trained in either direction, wich are definitely the ones that fit best for the sport, IMO.

But I think this is what makes the sport so interesting. And why the 2008 Olympics were my favourite: Shawn and Nastia, so different, but both so amazing in their own way. I love Simone, but I have to say I also really love performances that are very artistry and feminine, not only pure tumbling power. But the variety is what keeps the sport interesting!

However, to come back to the original question, I think that the kind of flexibility that Erifilly shows in the video is not unhealthy, as every movement is very controlled. I think this is what every young gymnast should aim for. But only taking it as a perfect example, not working towards it for hours, risking injury for something that is not necessary.

I tried it myself yesterday, and I am sure that the secret lies first in active flexibility (being able to hold a front split completely against gravity. Like lying on the floor, lifting one leg all the way up to your nose. And second a very flexible shoulder that is able to balance the arched body, weight almost completely over the hands.

Thanks to everyone for their input!

 

[gymnndance]

I'm gonna go out there and say that the average gymnast would NOT get there. It's a level of back/shoulder flexibility that is unusual. Most people who can do this have a natural propensity for flexibility above and beyond even the average JO gymnast. If you do NOT have a natural propensity for it, it can be dangerous to push too hard, especially for gymnasts who already face a lot of back/shoulder strain. (This is from my impressions as a gymnast, coach, and hobbyist contortionist - I don't have experience in any medical or PT field.)

@ayyyrial Do you make your kids train both sides on walkovers/kickovers?

 

[ayyyrial]

@ayyyrial Do you make your kids train both sides on walkovers/kickovers?

I typically work with kids who are working on learning walkovers/kickovers on their "good" side, so with limited time we don't work on the other side.
Eventually I would certainly want them to have both-side walkovers. Not necessarily with the same level of form, but it's good to stretch out both sides of the back/shoulder/legs.

As a gymnast I always did both leg walkovers in floor warm-up to even out the stretch on both sides. However, the strain is still primarily on one side because I did so very many walkovers/handsprings on my good side for beam.