Parents Split leap question

[Ariekannairb]

I am just curious to see if this is something that your gymnast has problems with? DD can do an ok standing split jump, she has her splits on 1 leg and nearly on the other, but when she does a split leap her back leg barely comes off the floor. My thought is maybe it is a strength thing? Maybe she just can't jump high enough to get her back leg off the floor? The new gym we are at is not happy at all with how little conditioning she did at her previous so we are encountering a whole host of strength issues vs how they expect her to perform her skills (the other gym was ok with just being able to vaguely perform it). Anyways, rambles. I am just curious if there is something in particular that might be hindering her.

 

[Gymsanity]

All the flexibility in the world won't do her any good if she isn't strong enough to lift and hold her legs. That's why conditioning is so vital. Sounds like you are at a gym that recognizes that, and hopefully they will get her on the right path. Good luck.

 

[iwannacoach]

Flexibility is important because a gymnast doing a split leap isn't pushing down int the splits. That's why she can do a decent split jump, but not a split leap. Split jumps use the principle of equal and opposite reaction with one legs mass forcing the other legs mass in the direction opposite the first legs abrupt motion. Spit leaps done with classical technique seem more graceful and lacking the abrupt forceful action needed to force legs apart. That's why you see so few of them done that way by gymnasts.

I give the kids something to do that looks like a split leap, and they do that until they can do a split leap that kinda resembles a classical split leap. If you see other kids doing nice leaps alongside your dd, or in other groups, it's a matter of letting the skill develop. If the entire team form l4 to l8 looks the same as you dd, then there 's a bigger problem with respect to leaps.

 

[Ariekannairb]

Yes, all of the girls on level 3 have a pretty good split leap. Definitely much more developed thank DD's. She does struggle with passive flexibility, another thing which her coaches have told us must be worked on. I imagine it is probably a mix of both strength and flexibility. Seeing that all of the other girls have progressed makes me comfortable in knowing that DD will as well. This gym change has been very difficult for her. She went from being the top scorer at her old gym to being "behind" at her new gym. It is just a different level of training even at the lower levels. She is motivated and persistent though and we already see some vast changes in her. I know she will eventually get it with some hard work

 

[iwannacoach]

"She is motivated and persistent though and we already see some vast changes in her. I know she will eventually get it with some hard work "

That's the way it works.

 

[Kiwi]

Hmm, my DD has the opposite problem. Her split leap isn't bad, but her split jump is terrible. I think because in the leap she has more time to get her legs up. In the jump both legs have to get up and down in a very short time, so she doesn't get much of a split at all. At gym the coach has her practice it over and over but it doesn't really improve.

Maybe your DD isn't remembering to kick her back leg in the leap? More glute strength might also help, but if she can get it in the jump it would seem she has the strength and flexibility.

 

[iwannacoach]

Hmm, my DD has the opposite problem. Her split leap isn't bad, but her split jump is terrible.

It may not be the issue you think......

I see many kids get the same amount of air time on either leap. Some kids like to travel forward in the air, and feel more secure about going high and making it back down when they have that forward component. When they have that quirk about them the issue is usually solved over time and thousands of repetitions.

 

[Kiwi]

It may not be the issue you think......

I see many kids get the same amount of air time on either leap. Some kids like to travel forward in the air, and feel more secure about going high and making it back down when they have that forward component. When they have that quirk about them the issue is usually solved over time and thousands of repetitions.

That's interesting. I think the leap may be easier because moving forward you can see where you are going and where your foot will land, with a jump you can't. With the jump I think she may be scared she won't be able to get her feet back down in time. It seems she has done thousands of repetitions without it getting any better.

 

[iwannacoach]

Just a few more thoughts on both skills.....

The jump itself has to be done in good posture because that's a major contributor to straight take offs and balanced landings. The problem presented with this good posture is that a kid can't look down to see where they're landing, and haven't the experience of thousands to give them the confidence the beam will be exactly where they left it when it's time to land.

If you ask me, I think kids prefer the split leap because they have a better sense of having gone up straight when they only have one leg to keep track of during the releve' into the take off. The forward motion also gives them a sense of having taken of straight and centered over the beam. The last advantage is when doing a split leap the run into the plie' rocks them into a forward leaning position they can use to cheat a peek at the beam, and then the back leg lifting behind them demands they pull their shoulders back..... viola, you get good posture anther having peeked at the beam during the take off.

The reality is if a kid disciplines herself to keep good posture with a tightened core that stays centered over the beam, the split jump is easier to get done because kicking/lifting the back leg will nearly lift the front leg to it's 180 position, and that motion can start as soon as their foot leaves the beam.

Sure, they can kick/lift their back leg on a split leap, but they can't really catch that back leg up with the front leg unless they hold their front leg in position at the apex of the jump to allow their back leg to catch up, and that takes a ton of practice on the timing of the front leg lifting and stopping as well as the back leg finishing the push off in a posture and tension that promotes getting that leg to lift. Failure to time and posture the back leg is easily seen in beginners who have their front leg level with the beam and haven't left the beam even though their hips are a foot or more past their back foot, which drags along behind them the rest of the way.

I just don't see all that happening in a split jump, but for some reason there are kids who prefer them over split jumps.