Gymnasts Learning RO BT vs RO BHS BT

[artsytumbler]

Hi, I’ve been in the process of working on my RO BHS BT, but I’ve had some painful back issues over the past few years and it mostly stems from power tumbling and bending my back a lot. I’m wondering if it’s a good decision to abandon the bhs entirely when tumbling and work on a RO BT, so that I can progress to layouts and fulls a little faster and less painfully. Due to a separate life situation, I only have around 2 years left of competitive gymnastics before I will have to quit, and I really want to learn to twist before I have to leave the sport. Right now, I feel like trying to get the bhs tuck part first is really only holding me back, especially since I don’t think it will be possible for me to develop really higher level tumbling in the time I have. Should I continue to develop the basics and work towards roundoff bhs tucks, or should I try switching gears to the RO BT?
Thank you so much, I’m really confused.

 

[raenndrops]

I would switch to the ROBT. Some coaches say that you can't progress a ROBT (My YG was told that by a coach at open gym ... so she went ahead and did a ROBLO 5 minutes later) ... but there have been NCAA gymnasts who didn't do BHS lading to their higher tumbling - they did it out of the RO. If you have the power, it can work!

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

There are very very very few cases where I'd say getting rid of the BHS is the right call, but this sounds like one of them.

 

[GymnastPotterhead]

Just to add on to raenndrops, you can absolutely progress with RO tumbling. A couple level 8s at my gym do fulls and 1.5s out of a roundoff and do doubles to mats in the pit.

I personally also don't do BHS because of back issues, and a very similar situation to yours where I started late and wanted to progress.

 

[GymnastMomX2]

My daughter no longer does a bhs on floor (she had elbow surgery) and is planning on a round off + double back, round off + 1.5 twist etc. I don’t think she’ll ever progress to a double layout or full-in but she does work them into the pit. There are plenty of college gymnasts who don’t do a bhs and tumble directly out of a round off.

 

[artsytumbler]

Thank you everyone for the advice! I will be making the switch to RO BT.
Does anyone have any tips/drills I can do to help my roundoff rebound straight up so I can set? Because I’ve been doing RO BHS BT for a while, my rebound tends to move backwards as well, and I would really appreciate some help in figuring out how to condition my RO to land with my feet behind me instead of in front, to set properly for the tuck.
Again, thank you all so much, this has been super helpful

 

[Scream4IceCream]

Take this with a grain of salt because I’m just a parent, but you might want to consider whether you twist the same direction as you do your round off. My daughter does her RO as a righty, but twists like a lefty. Those with more gymnastics knowledge noted that this may make it harder for her twist out of a RO (but not impossible).