My first few weeks of gymnastics

[Horses_GymnastHope]

have been fun! We take things slow but whatever.. I tried a handstand vault. and I totally failed! LOL. Did some tumle track stuff.. turns out when trying to backhandsprings slowwwwlyyy with a spot i bend in some weird ways loll. I'm so close to my splits i can almost taste it.. I am starting to work toward my pullover with out a spot... I can get my legs up there but not my hips on the bar so i just bouce off... any suggestions on that one? and i finally did a back walkover with a spot whooo!

 

[gymnastjess]

haha sounds like fun lol, i had gym today haha lets just say my cast handstands on bars were um... interesting lol, i have the same problem with my pullover haha but i drop my arms instead of pulling up :/ congratz on your backwalkover....

 

[nicci1999]

This is going to sound silly, but depending on how close your hips are when doing the pullover, you need to PULL up and over. Have someone or your coach hold you when you get to that spot so you can continue to pull yourself over. I have found that while a pullover is essentially brute strength, once you have a feel for the concept of it, and what it feels like to actually pull your body over, it comes much easier. Feel as though your stretching your feet to the ceiling, then pull your toes backwards. Be really careful about getting into the habit of going forwards, it's really hard to get out of (I speak from experience lol). And there is nothing wrong with taking things slow, this sport is a marathon, not a sprint. By taking things slowly you will have proper technique, so that way you are both safer and stronger.

 

[Kiwi]

Feel as though your stretching your feet to the ceiling, then pull your toes backwards. Be really careful about getting into the habit of going forwards, it's really hard to get out of

Can you explain this more about toes going backwards or forwards, I can't really imagine what you mean.

 

[nicci1999]

The habit of pushing out away from the bar when you're trying to do a pullover. So kicking your toes towards the highbar, as opposed to taking your toes up and over the low bar. Does that make sense? Turning it into more of an undershoot instead

 

[Kiwi]

That's funny because I have more success with them when I think about my feet going over the low bar rather than up. That seems to be the opposite of what you're saying! Mind you, I can only do it at all when I step into it, can't do a chin up pullover at all.

 

[gymnastjess]

haha she means when your hips are at the bar to kind of make an arch with yourself like your trying to hook your legs on the high bar. but what you should really do is get your hips to the bar and make them go over/close your hips in

 

[nicci1999]

Succinctly put Jess, thanks I couldn't quite figure out how to move the picture from my head onto words. But that is exactly what I mean

 

[gymnastjess]

haha i knew what you meant somehow lol

 

[Kiwi]

I think I misunderstood you the last time I read this thread. Re-reading it, it actually does sound like we're saying the same thing. Over here we call it a 'circle up' and that is how I think of it, kind of making a circle around the bar.

 

[nicci1999]

That's a good description of it too. I know one coach who uses the phrase "toes to the nose". Seems to work It's funny how the same skill has many different names

 

[peace♥gymnastics]

I kinda have the same problem with my Pullover I CAN get it, I just can't get up. LOL its really embarrassing actually. but after a couple of tries i get up && i am soo close to my splits too! ah. so exciting huh? hehe. good luck! ♥