Help with Front Handspring Vault

[KipGirl91]

I have a good run up and a perfect form handstand on the vault, I just can't seem to get over. The coaches at my gym say I need to reach farther up on the vault. I've tried moving the springboard and mini tramp back a bit, and I've tried picking a spot on the vault, or just beyond it, and watching that spot only, but I still can't get quite high enough up. Any suggestions?

 

[newbiecoach]

Without seeing you vault it is hard to tell exactly whats wrong.

If you are hitting the table too low one of the things I do with my kids it put something like a carpet square on the lower portion of the vault table and aim to reach above it.

You need to have a good approach as well with a consistent arm swing, your arms should be reaching up as you you jump off the board. Dont aim for the vault jump up!

Hope that helps, if you can give me more detail I might be able to help more.

 

[KipGirl91]

Hey thanks, I'll try that out tomorrow at practice. If I can get my mom to video me, I should be able to put it on.

I have a good approach and all, and I hit the perfect handstand position, I just hit the handstand too low on the vault.

 

[ryantroop]

It sounds like you are focusing on hitting the handstand too much.

Focus more on hitting the vault on an angle with a lot of speed. You should be turned over soon after hitting the board, but before you ever touch the table. Im not sure if your coaches use the "super girl" metaphor, but you should be in a hollow position, a little short of the handstand by the time you hit the table. From there, flex your shoulers (put your shoulders at your ears) when your hands hit, and squeeze your rear end - and the really important part! Keep looking at your hands!! If you duck your head, you ruin the stretch, and you will fall short (unless you have a super fast run that will turn you over, but dont count on that since it's bad technique).

Over all, I agree.. it would help to see video, but it sounds like youre trying to hit a perfectly straight handstand instead of being a little short. You want your shoulders to act like a lever, and your body pivots over them.

I hope that helps!!

Good luck, and best wishes!!

Ryan

 

[BlairBob]

Ideally, you train to basically reflect/rebound off the table because your body is so tight off the board and in the air that you just bounce off like a properly down handstand hop. This has to go in effect with a lot of power being generated in the run and hurdle onto the board and that's it carried through in the pre flight.

 

[GymLyon]

Heel drive?