WAG I have horrible form

[gymnast4]

My form on almost everything is horrible. No matter how hard I try, how long I practice, how hard I focus, I just can't seem to keep my arms and legs straight and my toes pointed. My tumbling looks horrible and this is the reason I can't add on a second bhs... I vault with my arms and legs bent. IM TIRED OF GETTING 7s! I know this question is very vague but if you think you can help me or give me tips on how to improve my form please comment. (I have pretty good form on a lot of things but some just look awful).

 

[Flossyduck]

Ok I'm not a coach, and this is something that your coach should be helping you with, but it sounds as though you need to spend some time going back to basics. Break down your skills in to component parts and concentrate on the correct form for each part. It's way harder to try and tackle form as an overall thing on bigger skills - easier to do it in stages.

Seriously though your coach should be concerned about your form and helping you with some drills designed to improve it...

 

[gymgurl]

Back to basics - do some practice of every lead up skill with good form, practice leg tension on its own sitting in pike by squeezing your legs then relaxing them so you can feel the difference. Its going to be a lot of basics work - trust me it's worth it in the long run!

 

[cbone]

I know this doesn't help specifically, but no matter how bad you feel your form is, I am 1,000% sure it's better than mine! Keep your head up!

 

[MaryA]

Have you talked to your doctor about it? It may be that there are physical reasons why it is difficult for you to keep your arms and legs straight. Not anything horrible... probably nothing you would have ever noticed if you weren't in a sport that demands straight arms and legs. But there may be something physical going on. If you make it to optionals, or decide to go the x-cell route, a good choreographer can help you come up with routines that de-emphasize your bent arms and legs. A girl on DD's team had these issues and is doing much better as an optional than she ever did as a compulsory. She definitely had lots of 7's!

 

[JBS]

My form on almost everything is horrible. No matter how hard I try, how long I practice, how hard I focus, I just can't seem to keep my arms and legs straight and my toes pointed. My tumbling looks horrible and this is the reason I can't add on a second bhs... I vault with my arms and legs bent. IM TIRED OF GETTING 7s! I know this question is very vague but if you think you can help me or give me tips on how to improve my form please comment. (I have pretty good form on a lot of things but some just look awful).

Do you work your strength with form? How many perfect form leg lifts can you do? If none (or few)...it could just be a matter of building more strength. Building strength is fun because it is the easiest thing to see results in almost immediately.

 

[beamer]

Take heart!

My daughter has the same problem and it is getting slowly better all the time with repetition (repetition, repetition), the building of strength, and the encouragement and support of a great group of coaches and teammates.

 

[gymgurl]

There are lots of gymnasts in your shoes I promise - there is a girl I train with who can not completely straighten her legs no matter how hard she tries even when just sitting in pike sit. She's just too tight. However! She ended up coming third at state because she worked so much harder on perfecting everything she could as she knew she would lose deductions for slightly bent legs on most skills.

 

[gymnast4]

There are lots of gymnasts in your shoes I promise - there is a girl I train with who can not completely straighten her legs no matter how hard she tries even when just sitting in pike sit. She's just too tight. However! She ended up coming third at state because she worked so much harder on perfecting everything she could as she knew she would lose deductions for slightly bent legs on most skills.

Thank you so much! I am going to work every day at getting the simple stuff perfect, working on my strength, then getting my form in harder skills! I hope I can be like your friend.. State is in two months and I feel like I can improve a lot in that time