This is the basic drill that I've gotten amazing results with. I've used this with kids tumbling at every level, and even those with advanced tumbling skills benifit from it. The best part is that anyone who's got a reason to think they're doing a round-off can learn how to work the drill.One kid I sent it to is going level 9 this season, and her feedback about what it's done for her tumbling is very positive. I think it's a statement of how overlooked the round-off is, and shows that many coaches fail to understand it's purpose and how to teach them. I have to add that an adequate cartwheel should be learned brfore transitioning into round-offs. Get a folding mat to start your tumbling fromOpen it up so you can stand at the edge of a single layerLift up your lunge/front leg, place your arms and tension your body as if you were in a handstand and squeeze your lower core.Slowly lean forward until you fall off balance...put your foot down and continue as if you have no control over your momentum...kick your backleg straight up behind you as you let your handstand position fall into the floor. Make sure you kick that back leg with as much energy as possible.The idea here is to let gravity make you move forward...let gravity bring your hands to the floor, so no bending down to reach for the floor.Up to this point you save a ton of energy by using free energy from gravity. This will allow you to concentrate on keeping your torso tight and in the strongest position possible.You could youtube "olympic style weightlifting" and see the posture used to support the weight overhead at the end of the lift. That is the only posture that provides, oh lets say a 150 pound lifter to hold like about 350 pounds overhead. I like to call it power posture, and believe me it helps somewhere on every event.....Ok so back to the drill.....If you put your priority on falling as long as you dare, kicking your back leg with as much energy as you can give it while pushing off from your front foot, your hips will turn just a little bit an instant before your first hand hits the floor and continue to turn as you get further upside down. By the time your second hand hits you'll have enough turn energy to finish the round-off square after you push off with your second hand. The second hand doesn't just push...it blocks, and with the power posture you've so loyally maintained that block will stand you up really well. So it's not really a snap down, it's a pop up or push up that works well with your leg's momentum through the hanstand, and it is that momentum that swings your legs down during and after the second hand's blocking effort.Do the drill with a mat to fall from, place another mat next to where you'll be landing so you just have to step to the side to get on the 2nd mat so you can just do round offs in a circle so to speak. You'll be able to do a bunch of them in no time at all.Graduate to a two layer height, and beyond, as you become adjusted to each level. It may take a few days or more to get up to four layers (6 inches or 15cm), and that's as high as you should go.For the first few times you should tumble r-o bhs immediately afterwards if they are a part of your normal work-out. If you've done the drill right your round off will give you a power boost, and your tumbling will be either faster or easier, so be ready for the increased speed.[TABLE="class: cke_editor"]
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