WAG Help with Glide Kip

[elle]

I'm in Xcel Silver, working on Gold. The main thing I need to get to move up is my glide kip, but it feels almost impossible! One of my coaches said it's mostly my abs that aren't strong enough (and I've been conditioning every day at home to try and improve that) and another coach said that my main problem is that when I jump and glide out, I lift my feet too high, so then it's almost impossible to kip up from the point of after you get your toes to the bar. I also need help with the actual part of getting up after the bar, because gliding and getting my toes to the bar I can do, but it's like when I try to get back up I just jump back down onto the mat and do somewhat of a half-kip.

 

[iwannacoach]

Well, you sure chose a "doozy" to ask for help on. Glide kips are one of the hardest skills to learn, just look at the thread
"Why do kips take so long" for some ideas of what the skill takes. Working on ab strength is a great start, and you out to be proud of the way you're trying to help yourself by working at home...... just don't over do it.

You said one of your coaches said your feet where held too high right from the jump, and that is a problem. After you jump for the bar your hips should go up and there should be as straight a line as possible from your hips to your hands. As you swing down from the jump you should keep your feet low until your hips are about to pass under the bar, and then they should rise at the same rate as your hips.

The thing about keeping your feet low on the 1st half is that your body is building energy when the swing is on the downward side of the bar, and that energy is going to yank your feet down when you get below the bar, unless you hold them way up high. No matter which you do, slightly high or way to high, the result won't be pretty and your kip pretty much has nothing to work with from there...... so start with getting the 1st half of the glide, then the 2nd half, then the feet to the bar at the right time in the right position, and then........

 

[coach4life]

Ah, the glide kip...that gymnastics nightmare and dream rolled into one... I'd have to say it sounds like you're doing the right things to get it! IMO, key word= AB STRENGTH!!! iwannacoach is completely right in saying that you should be careful not to overdo things (otherwise you'll end up unable to practice at all while you deal with pulled muscles. Trust me. Not fun), but, especially if you're older (and likely taller than the teeny-tiny pixies that stand at barely four feet tall), having strong stomach muscles is key. I remember years ago when I was learning MY glide kip (i was pretty tall), I came in on my own for extra bar conditioning during rec classes for probably three months before I finally got my kip (and we're talking ABOVE the 12-16 hours I was already practicing). Conditioning at home is great too! V-ups, crunches, leg-lifts if you have access to a bar... Keep working hard (which it sounds like you already are!) and you WILL GET IT!!!

 

[BlairBob]

Solid L-hang, solid V-hang toes to with head in. Solid hanging leg lifts. These are your bread and butter. I've had kids who were able to kip before they really had great hanging leg lifts or strong L and V holds because they just happened to figure out the timing. Eventually they figure it out, sometimes.

Until then, work on those 3 strength exercises and do a lot of V-ups and hollow holds and rocks afterwards.

 

[sbonham]

Elle,

I hope you have mastered this skill by now - BUT - if not here is a piece I just completed on the glide kip on men's P-bars. It is similar in many ways to a variety of women's bar skills. I think it may be worthwhile to look.

Check it out at: Glide Kip - YouTube
Ganba!
Steve

 

[Hayleigh]

If its the coming back up after your toes reach the bar that's the problem you need to exaggerate your hand shift so that you move enough to pull your weight up also once you have shifted try driving your heels straight up into a cast. This should help you learn to kip and to link it into your routine.

 

[Flip_Twist_Tumble]

You probably have your kip since it's almost a year later.. But if you don't, I'll tell you one thing: It took me almost 2 years to get my kip, and I just got it 3 weeks ago, so yeah. And I'm not really sure what your problem is, but you can't push away from the bar. You have to throw your body over the bar and shift your wrists (but not so hard you get whiplash from throwing your head too hard.) But again, you probably have your kip by now, so this is probably useless.

 

[ivyagogo]

I have a girl who has been so close forever. I took some video and from that it's very easy to see that she is bringing her feet back to the bar just a little too early. She needs to extend a little more on the glide before she kips to the bar. Video yourself so you can really see what you are doing. I really like the Coach's Eye app.