Introducing el-grip giants (also: alternative skills)

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Two questions on boys high bar:

First, I have to boys that I think are nearly ready to work el-grip giants. Both have excellent shoulder flexibility and decent front giants. What's the best way to move forward on these?

Both can do tap swings in reverse grip and jam through to tap swings in el-grip, and one can can also do an easy swing 1/2 turn to el-grip (like a higgins, but in a tap swing), but I have no idea where to go from there.


Second, I have one other boy who is naturally pretty strong on high bar, but just doesn't quite have that level of flexibility in his shoulders. This kid can hang in an el-grip with his hands a little outside of shoulder width, but can't jam or turn to it. Is there any way a kid like this could realistically get el-grip element group credit?

 

[gymdog]

I went to a session by a boys coach at regional congress and for these skills he said he sets up a sort of channel bar with two blocks (you probably have to lower the bar so if you don't have a single rail it could be hard I guess) and has them start in a crab/tabletop with feet on the blocks and hands in appropriate grip, then they rotate through the shoulders to push up to bridge. If they're strong at that then you can modify the drill to have them push off and swing down a little, and practice the extension into the swing (so the point they'd finish the drill at is probably about the 1/4 point through where they'd want to extend to). Then again if you could set up a sort of channel thing with blocks you could step across to it might be easier to spot (on the way up, if they can get to a sort of press/planche but not to handstand).

I can get into straps with my hands in reverse (front giant) grip and I'm pretty sure you can strap into el-grip too. I don't remember ever trying so I'm not positive, but you might want to play around with that. If you reach around (so your hand is coming through towards you, instead of away from you like usual) you should be able to do it. Maybe someone else can give better directions?

For the kid that doesn't quite have it, I'd keep working on being able to hold on out of the higgins. I don't know high bar so well but I think that's probably the easiest way. Our bar has a bigger radius obviously so there are people (ummm like me) who lack the shoulder and wrist flex for these skills. I can hold on in el grip okay, but when I try to turn to it, I usually peel off in the downswing or kind of collapse through the post shoulder (so I go way crooked). I could never learn it, even with one hand catching in reverse grip. We used to stretch our shoulders with elastic or a rod, the way you would do the shoulder circles from front to back, but in el-grip. That could help I guess.

 

[Valentin]

My turn to help here...i have the same issue Geoffrey.. (i need to teach boys to do it) however none of them have any real shoulder flexibility.. The drill is to a half turn out a cast (on a low bar) that is short of HS (top grip).. on the way down the gymnast does a half turn and reaches around to grap in el-grip..and swings through the bottom (of course because the bar is low to ground the gymnast feet hit first and it kills the swing..

The same thing can be down on a ground bar. Let me correct that it should be done on a ground bar..

I need to read into this as i know there are some specific rules (can anyone clarify them if they know them of by heart)..regard what counts as an el-grip and russian giant...

i spot the boys in el-grip handstand on the bars, because the need to develop the strength in support in this position + it its strengthens the shoulders to be able to catch and swing.
Swingining in el-grip is vital, and so its the front giants

So where to go from where you are...
I think you should have the boy learn that 1/2 turn into the el grip first...on low bar From cast... then take to HB bar but! either hand spot them and kill their swing at vertical (under the bar) or use soft mat that they crash and stop into.
Then when the gymnast can catch it all the time and swing out you are hand spot them progressively higher and higher. till the do the giant.

That is what i am gonna do pretty much..but i am start looking into it more.. Will repost with fresh and better ideas in time