Coaches Neat item to try out.

[Drowning123gone]

I was at a gym over at Virginia Beach and I saw a team of level 10's using these:

YouTube - gymnastics shoulder stretching device

They were doing vaulting drills and doing most of their tumbling with these on. So me being the handy man I am, I tried to make a few of them myself. They work pretty well except the glue isn't holding very well.

Has anyone else used or seen these and do you have any advice on how to fix mine or where I can order some?

I appreciate any response.

 

[jasmine196]

Thats funny, cause I tried to make one too. Didn't work out well. I was going to use it with my lower levels, obviously helps with keeping their arms by their ears. We tried a number of different objects, but nothing worked. I hope that someone will sell it soon. I'd have each one of the girls I coach get one.

 

[peace.love.gymnast]

Ahh...those are awesome!! I want some!!! I make my girls use "belly bands" (1" elastic sewn together & placed around the upper arms & behind the head) to help keep their arms next to their ears. Those work pretty well.

 

[ryantroop]

...on the odd chance a kid falls forward... wouldn't that seriously hurt?

 

[gymnut1]

I thought that too and you shouldn't run in them just in case

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

I might use this for a select few drills with a spotter present, but there are definitely a lot of safety issues with this device.

 

[Drowning123gone]

My girls have used this thing doing drills for vault and have done like round off 3 handsprings with it on. We even use it to do back tucks in a row on tramp and wear it doing double backs off the tramp into a pit.

The way they are made, it is very easy to drop your arms to the sides if you do get in trouble.

 

[gymnut1]

If it is easy to slide your arms out you risk falling on it while doing somersaults and stuff. If you cant get your arms out you fall flat on your face or trip and smash face into a beam). Big risk of bad face/ eye and teeth injuries either way. Double backs in them? Mad. What are the safety reccomendations that come with them? Anything outside of that you won't have insurance. I think they are good for the handstand work though. I wouldn't risk it in the UK where the safety regs are very tight.

 

[gymdog]

It doesn't seem very useful for double backs. Maybe the set, but I'd keep it a layout (assuming I used it, I wouldn't). For an actual double back, it seems like it would mess with the timing of the snap and pull.

When I was a L6 we did BHS and layout with the elastic straps around our upper arms though.

 

[justcallmecoach]

I wouldn't use this, but for shoulder stretching on Beam we use dowels. They put them behind their backs thumbs on the ends and lift up where their arms would be if presenting/saluting. They do their warm-up with them and try to push the dowel back as far as they can. I've seen others using them during splits to help with girls keeping their chest up and staying square.

 

[Gym-Nice-tics]

We use the elastic bands too and I feel like that might be a tad safer... The girls can get their arms down with the bands if they really need to. This would make me really nervous on anything other than handstands and light basics.

 

[BlairBob]

Any ideas on how you made it? Should I just get to using theraband straps instead? I can't stand telling my boys to stop dropping their arms by their ears in their HS and CW/RO.

 

[emacmommy]

Our gym manager is a great handy man and made about five of these for us. I will ask for sure how he did it, but I know he used a type of PVC that is flexibile when you heat it (not sure if it was a torch or hot water). There wasn't any glue involved. Unfortunately they do get brittle and break, especially when used incorrectly, like when his tween age boys come over and play swords with them (grrrr), but for the most part, they are pretty sturdy. Ours did last for a good year and a half... but we only have two left now.