Coaches "Pulling in" on flyaways

[PalmTree]

I'm sure this has been talked about before, but I'm unable to search for it and I need an answer! For some reason, one of my gymnast has really started pulling in on her fly away and is about to hit her feet on the bar. At national Congress a few weeks ago, I think it was Tom Forster who was talking about this, and he said he never says that the kids are pulling in, but that it has to do with their tap. I tried explaining this to my gymnast, telling her to tap a little later, but it didn't click and didn't help. Can anyone please elaborate for me and tell me how to stop my gymnast from almost hitting her feet on the bar on her fly away? Any drills?

 

[gymjunkie]

Is she working them out of a handstand/giant swing or out of a tap swing? I agree that it's all about the tap, but to me a late tap is a good set up for anything done on top of the bar, while an early tap properly sets up the dismount to move away from the bar. We just discussed Neil Resnick's drill for keeping flyaways from rotating back to the bar in the Private Coach's Forum if you want to check that out (the discussion was about FA-doubles). If you can have someone else safely spot your gymnast while you watch, you'll probably see that she is completely omitting the tap. That's usually what leads to them coming into the bar.

 

[PalmTree]

Is she working them out of a handstand/giant swing or out of a tap swing? I agree that it's all about the tap, but to me a late tap is a good set up for anything done on top of the bar, while an early tap properly sets up the dismount to move away from the bar. We just discussed Neil Resnick's drill for keeping flyaways from rotating back to the bar in the Private Coach's Forum if you want to check that out (the discussion was about FA-doubles). If you can have someone else safely spot your gymnast while you watch, you'll probably see that she is completely omitting the tap. That's usually what leads to them coming into the bar.

Thanks for the advice. She just competed level five, with tap swings into a fly away, and did fine, although they were often kind of close to the bar. Now that she is preparing for optionals, she is doing a cast handstand into a flat back, and her head almost hits the bar when she lets go. I have another coach spot her on cast handstand to flyaway and she is still very close to the bar on her fly away, so should I have her tap earlier?

 

[Gymsanity]

I'm sure this has been talked about before, but I'm unable to search for it and I need an answer! For some reason, one of my gymnast has really started pulling in on her fly away and is about to hit her feet on the bar. At national Congress a few weeks ago, I think it was Tom Forster who was talking about this, and he said he never says that the kids are pulling in, but that it has to do with their tap. I tried explaining this to my gymnast, telling her to tap a little later, but it didn't click and didn't help. Can anyone please elaborate for me and tell me how to stop my gymnast from almost hitting her feet on the bar on her fly away? Any drills?

Yes, a later tap promotes coming back towards the bar, look at a giant, and a good fly away has an earlier tap. But my disagreement comes from the point that if you break the shoulder angle, yes you are pulling in (my opinion). Take it to the nth degree, and you get a monkey flip! So maybe we are just differing on semantics, but a good fly away needs arms by the ears and an earlier tap.
In your particular situation, it sounds like you need to break it down with lots and lots of drills. I'm sure the internet must have dozens of them, so look around and find several that look like they may be helpful to you, and give that a try.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Timer timer timer flip timer timer flip timer timer timer timer timer flip. Don't tell her when u r flipping her.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

+1 to the posts recommending timers and then flip.

One of the infamous JAO vids has excellent reminders for all of us! Here is the link:



Specifically watch at (1) around :58 sec to see the timer. I call them tip outs.
(2) 1:12 sec. shows the paused flip. This is an excellent example of the steps to a great rising flyaway.

Additionally the matting behind the HB and the channel are an excellent set-up. The emphasis on the counter, shape, tap and rising in a candlestick shape are helped by the drill set-up. The spotting block should put the coach at a height they can comfortable handle the athlete.

Flyaways - not fly-downs, not fly-far aways, not fly close aways are my mantra!

Best, SBG -