Coaches Girls Cannot Leap

[coachmolly]

I have a group of girls who just cannot leap. Not on floor, and obviously not on beam. They have improved in the months I've had them and most can do something that sort of resembles a leap, but it's a struggle. I'm looking for any and all tips, drills, whatever that could possibly help them (and me!).

 

[Gymsanity]

'I have a group of girls who just cannot leap.'
Welcome to the club!
When you say they cannot leap, are you referring to their height off the floor, the size of the split, the symmetry? We do lots of explosive jumping drills that take off of each leg (don't let them do it just off their predominate one), and then off of both together. A panel mat is a good starting point, but later they can go as high as two and even three mats. Then have them do a step leap onto the panel mat, making sure that they do not bend their front leg in the air, only on landing. I then like to have them practice them in front of the mirrors so they can see what they really look like, and ask them 'would you give that gymnast a gold medal? If not, then keep working until you would.' Hope it helps, and keep at it.

 

[gymjunkie]

Do you have a ballet barre?

 

[coachmolly]

Do you have a ballet barre?

No. No mirrors either.

 

[flipandtwist]

It's important to know what part of the leap.
If they don't have the flexibility, stretch.
If they have or are close to the splits, but aren't able to get the flexibility in the air, work on their dynamic flexibility. Front kicks, side kicks, and back kicks will help their muscles get used to swinging and reaching higher amounts of flexibility.
Also, get them up on a trampoline and do leaps on there.
If it's height/power, then do leg conditioning.

 

[BlairBob]

Are they lunging before they go into the leap? Many gymnasts learning their leaps at the lower level end up barely stepping into the lunge before leaping.

Little lunge = weak leap.

 

[coachmolly]

All of it! I had taken a break from leaping because I just couldn't handle it anymore, and when I did them last night a few surprised me with something that actually vaguely resembled a leap. I think part of the frustration is that each one has a slightly different problem area. Some have a nice split but no height, others have a chronically bent back leg, others can't hit a split (not even a 90 one) or height off the floor, some can't get their front leg up, one has a pretty nice leap but absolutely no control over her body. There are 2 that are to the point of mostly working on refining arm placement and getting a little more height, but the other 6 are all over the place. It's especially frustrating because almost all of them have beautiful splits on the floor, so it's not just a flexibility issue. I wish we had a mirror, maybe I'll put a bug in the HC's ear about that.
We've been working split jumps to try to help them feel what a split in the air feels like, but that's sort of a mixed bag too. I've tried the panel mat trick and it was a mess, but maybe now that they are doing a little better it will be a bit more successful. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[chalkbowl]

MOST (not all) of my chronically bent back leg kids...lack flexibility. They try too hard to go for the big split I'm asking for, but aren't actually flexible enough to do it so end up with a bent back leg. It's also important to work some step hops to get the feeling of pushing through that bottom leg UP into the split...sometimes I think my kids are trying to fit in as few leaps as possible making them as long as possible

 

[hawaii_gymnast]

Not sure if any of these drills are really different then normal but I will throw them out there:
Choose an arm position for all the drills, something simple- I do hands on shoulders. Change arm position once the leap is a little better, then they don't have to think about so much.

Hanging on either a high bar or in cross support on p-bars, lift legs up into split and down quick, add a dyna band tied to ankles once they get good.

Standing back to a hip height mat, lift one leg up onto mat straight behind with just top of foot on the mat. Relax and then squeeze knee. Once they have figured that out, keep leg squeezed the whole time and do small back kicks lifting higher than the mat without bending (start with a lower mat if you need to.)

Stand facing padded wall (I toss a cheese mat standing up against wall), hands on shoulder lift knee up and kick it up the wall. To mimic the develope in a split leap.

Step to split leap next to porta pit, land in splits on the porta pit. Try to hit split before hitting the mat.

If you had a problem leaping onto a mat, try going off of a box or panel mat. It gives them more time to think about it, just make sure they are prepared for the landing. I have seen a lot of kids face plant on the first one, due to unexpected time.

This is all I can think of right now, I will try to add more drills if I think of any.

 

[BlairBob]

Portapit drill sounds cool.

 

[catou]

I used a drill that I'll try to explain clearly. I can't find the video where I found the drill. If you have wall bars, have your gymnast face them. They have to put their front leg on a bar and their knee has to be straight. Make them hang with straight arms so their hips are at the same height as their foot. Have them do kicks with the back leg.

This one might help you with the bended back leg...