help with back handspring on beam

[superflipgirl]

I have started doing back handsprings on a low, wide, carpeted beam with panel mats on both sides. And I just cannot get my hands in the right position! I know one is supposed to be in front of the other, but when I jump backwards I land on my hands so fast that I mentally can't put one hand in front of the other. It's getting really annoying! Does anyone have any advice on this?

 

[slkbeambabe07]

try doing them up onto a panel mat, or have someone catch you in handstand when doing the backhandspring and giving you time to adjust your hands before stepping out.

 

[marie83]

I'm afraid to say it is just practice practice practice!

My gymnasts aren't allowed up on the beam until they can do this on a floor line consistently - this has 2 benefits...

1) They don't get on the beam until they are 100% ready physically to do the skill
2) They don't want to spend too much time on the floor, so they work so much harder trying to get it right and be the first to be allowed on the beam!

However, having said that, I believe there are exceptions to every rule. If a gymnast finds a way of performing this with a different hand placement which works well for them, then I consider letting them use it.

Maybe you could, as the previous poster suggested, get your coach to spot you on the floor, and maybe just give you a lift (a bit of extra height and therefore time) to get your hands in the correct position, or practice bwo with the same hand position.

I have also found occasionally that gymnasts automatically get their hands in the right position when the HAVE to! (ie, it doesn't really matter on floor as they aren't going to hit their head on the beam, but when they are on the beam their survival instincts kick in and they get their hands in the correct position every time!)

Hope this helps and good luck!

 

[superflipgirl]

Any other advice? It would be appreciated!

 

[lilgymnast7]

I agree with the previous posters and their advice. I just started working on BHS on beam and my coach made me do it on a line on floor for a bit first. What way do you place your hands for a back walkover? One of the benefits from doing a back walkover with the same hand position as a back hanspring is that it makes it much easier to adjust. I originally learned a BWO with my hands next to each other and thumbs on the beam, but my coach had me change the hand position and try a BWO with my hands the way they are suppossed to be for a BHS so I would find it eaisier. It will take time, but as soon as you get it you will be able to do it with ease.

 

[Optionals United]

I agree with the poster who said to do it up on a panel mat!!!!!!! after doing this for a while do it on the floor and you will have more lift time to get your hands in the correct position!

 

[momof5]

DD is learning her bhs on beam too. They do some drills to help the girls get more used to the hand position. I have seen them straddle a low beam and practice a fast swing of the arms back and then quickly swinging them forward and placing their hands on beam in the correct bhs position. I have seen them take the same drill and lean on a wall and push off with some force and swing their arms over their heads and put their arms in the correct bhs placement on a block over their heads( held by a partner) They also practice baby handstands on a beam with correct bhs placement. I think the goal is to help them begin to feel the hand placement so that it becomes 2nd nature to them and its not so awkward to achieve been jumping back.

 

[BlairBob]

It's been awhile since I've coached this skill.

I can't remember if we would have girls practice BWO with the BHS hand placement.

It's an idea at least.

I have talk about that teaching them to do BWO with hands side by side (what I call the "beam-spider") is possibly dangerous in case their hands slip in the BWO.

 

[gymdog]

Correct hand placement for BWO is different than BHS. I have met SOME people who can BWO with their hands in a way that would be acceptable technique for BHS. But this is hard. There's no way I could do a right BWO the way I put my hands for a BHS (left hand in front) but I can do a BHS that way easily. I would fall off to the side trying to BHS hands in a BWO.

It shouldn't really be a slipping risk on BWO any more than HS. The issue with hands placed that way for BHS is the force coming down on the hands.

However doing handstands to get comfortable with the hand placement is important; so is doing the skill up to a mat. If there isn't enough a flight time it will be hard to get the hands stacked. Getting the BHS stronger is important.

 

[tumblerK]

I could never do a BHS with my hands on the beam with the panel mats there either. It's a brain thing; you know the mats are there so you put your hands on them. I spent quite a few hours on beam by myself throwing one after the other trying to get my hands on the beam to no avail. The solution? Take away the mats. When there's no mat and the beam is high enough, your hands will find the beam because your brain will simply not let yourself jump backwards on a skinny piece of wood and not put your hands on the beam in some manner. It's kinda magical!

 

[CoachTodd]

I have started doing back handsprings on a low, wide, carpeted beam with panel mats on both sides. And I just cannot get my hands in the right position! I know one is supposed to be in front of the other, but when I jump backwards I land on my hands so fast that I mentally can't put one hand in front of the other. It's getting really annoying! Does anyone have any advice on this?

By what you are describing, you aren't jumping high enough. I look at a BHS on beam differently than I look at one on floor.
The suggestion to go onto a panel mat is really a good one. Get used to the extra height in the jump and let the split pull you over. If you time the split correctly, your hands barely touch the beam.
If you have trouble going up hill in the BHS, get them spotted until you can feel the difference.

 

[GC1281]

I've seen the panel mat thing done before but never really understood how that helps get your hands together as the mat is pretty wide. Anyone care to explain???

 

[Optionals United]

GC1281- They use the panel mat to teach you how to jump and split at the right time. After you have done this drill you will have more time in the air to place their hands correctly. So, the drill is used more for teaching them how to jump instead of teaching the right hand position. I hope I explained a little bit!

 

[bswagger]

when i first started doing bhs on beam, i could only get one hand on, and the other one just wouldn't go in front, it would go to the side. Then i saw one of my teammates doing a bhs and her hands were on top of eachother. so i tried that, and it worked for me. at first your bottom hand will hurt and be bruised but after doing so many, it'll just be 'immune' to it. and for me after doing my hand one on top of the other, then eventually just moved to one in front of the other. it didnt do that till about a year and a half or so later, but i think thats because i got comfortable with the skill, and didnt think about my hands being on the beam anymore, so they just went there.

 

[gym4life123]

You could draw a chalk line on a trampoline or a tumble track and do some. This way you can have more time to watch your hands and plave them on the line. I had the same probleme with a BWO and my coach had me go onto a higher beam and do some with a spot, then my hands just went into the right place.