How to fix not setting for a punch front tuck? Drills?

[Coach.Simon]

Hello!
I'll make this as concise as possible. A new girl just joined one of my T&T classes, and everything is pretty solid aside from her punch front tuck.

She will not set, and as she punches she starts dropping her chest/looks down...also throws her arms down, basically she tries to start her rotation while she's still on the ground.

What would you guys do (coaches)?

Did you have this problem as well? what did your coach have you do (gymnasts)?

I'm kind of embarrassed to have to ask this question, as I feel I should know how to fix it - but I'm honestly at a loss.

Thanks in advanced for replies!

 

[CoachTodd]

If you have a pit, set up a drill where she does the tuck over a stack of pit blocks into the pit. Start with the blocks low and keep stacking them higher after each successful attempt. If you make it a game with multiple kids, you'd be surprised at how high the stack of blocks will get and the kids will still make it over.
You can also have her do the punch front onto a stack of mats. You may need to spot these. Start with a single 8 inch mat and add to it or use a level 4 vault mat depending on the kid's height, or any mat in between in size.
On tumble trak, you could have them bounce the length of the trak with their arms by their ears and their bodies tight or even with a slight arch. When they get to the end of the trak, they do the tuck.

I'm sure there are tons more drill but these seem to work well for most kids.

 

[Coach.Simon]

Thanks for the ideas!

 

[CoachGoofy]

Oh, front tucks...

I like to have my T&Ters front tuck uphill--both on floor & off DM. The over-things game is a lot of fun too. I find it very helpful to remind them to pull their hips up instead of throwing their heads down (or, with the mathematically inclined kids-I've had a few-their shoulders are the midpoint of a circle & they need to draw the circumference with their hips. Things I never thought would be things I said at work...)

One thing that sometimes they don't understand is when the tuck happens...run-punch-tuck jump (off springboards, rod floor, TT, etc) can help these kids.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

What I've done for this: suicide 3/4 front layouts to back.

If you have a pit or a resi, have the gymnast do this skill onto it. The idea is that they should keep the head up as long as possible, and then duck under to flip to her back at the last possible second. This way, she's practicing taking off without immediately pulling the head under.

Good luck!

 

[gymdog]

I do something similar to GT. A resi or mat stack or something (a high wedge is good too) at the end of tumble track or tramp or mini tramp. Have her squeeze a block of foam between her shins (not just hold it, compress it - a block is better than a small piece). Straight jumps down track or tramp pushing through the toes, then basically a front pullover onto the mat stacks.

Also use a block of foam to demonstrate directionally the difference between a free throw action and just throwing the block down to the ground. The takeoff should be more like a free throw action. You could also then have her do punch jumps tapping the foam to the wall over an obstacle, so she has to lift her hips slightly on the way up to lean over the obstacle, but still jump up.

 

[Coach.Simon]

Thanks for your advice, going to test these ideas throughout the week!

 

[coachcasie]

On the Tumble Track, I'll have them use a block or soft ball to throw overhead just as they punch for the tuck. This gives them a good throw of the arms up and most of the time they watch how far they throw before they flip, which is nice.