Coaches Spotting bigger girls

[caraburn]

Hi!
I coach levels 5 and 6 at my gym and most of my level 5s are small and younger, but I have 3 level 6's. One is almost 13 and the other two are going to be freshman in high school next year. All 3 have decent clear hips but my ultimate goal for them is handstand and I think they have the ability to do so. I know that spotting them is very important to be able to feel the correct timing, but it is very difficult for me. I am a fairly small 22 year old, i do lift weights, but I just don't have the strength to spot them over and over again, and still be able to keep them in a good shape and get them to the correct angles, plus I have some shoulder problems already. I do coach with another girl and we sometimes double spot them, but then we feel that this takes away from being able to oversee the other stations and takes away from giving sufficient attention to the level 5s. We do alot of other drills working on getting an aggressive drop and doing underswing shoot drills, backextensions, etc... Does anybody have any suggestions on how to handle this issue, or have any drills that would produce good results without alot of spotting? I really want to help them improve, but I know that I am very limited in my spotting abilities with girls of that size.

Thank you!

 

[gymnastbeth]

Doing/attempting 3 clear hips in a row definitely helped my clear hip.

Also, this: gymnastics - FANTASTIC set-up for Bars - YouTube We set up something similar at my gym, it works wonders, and there's no need for a spotter.

 

[Aussie_coach]

If you are not 100% sure that you can safely spot these girls without wither them or you getting hurt, then don't spot them. By level 6 they should have a good understanding of basic body shapes so the need to spot is reduced. This is where you have to be a very creative coach and come up with me drills to teach the correct positioning. Do the double spot when they are trying the skill for the first time. It does not need to happen that often.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Doing/attempting 3 clear hips in a row definitely helped my clear hip.

Also, this: gymnastics - FANTASTIC set-up for Bars - YouTube We set up something similar at my gym, it works wonders, and there's no need for a spotter.

someone heard the message.

 

[gymdog]

Doing/attempting 3 clear hips in a row definitely helped my clear hip.

Also, this: gymnastics - FANTASTIC set-up for Bars - YouTube We set up something similar at my gym, it works wonders, and there's no need for a spotter.

Yup - this is the best set up for your situation. They'll get it, but it might take a few days. However it's a great way for them to get instant feedback of what angle they achieved.

 

[iwannacoach]

The above, the above, the above, and the next above. I love the set of 3 clearhips. It's a good way to get "real time" feedback and inspiration for timing the skill. Speaking of inspiration....I know you care about these girls, and you want to help then get their clear hips, but remember they are working on "their" clear hips, and they need to put a few "burdens" on themselves.

This skill is not about how many times you get spotted, it's about how many times you force yourself to change your timing on the "pull" that stops the spin and "converts" it to verticle motion. Teach them the correct body position and how to enter the skill properly, so they are working with a consistent amount of energy (the drop) and very few variables ( consistent body position). Once that's been done, they have to convince themselves, with your urging, to go early enough to have a chance. Until that happens all the spotting in the world is going to do nothing for them.

Here's a concept I've used to help them understand how early they have to pull....A true, balanced, hanging upside down below the bar position will place the gymnast's head and collar area on the "drop" side of verticle, and it's a position that very few gymnasts come to understand on their own. That means that the pull should start before their image of upside down, especially when you explain to them that the spin has more speed than they can "catch up" to. If they wait until they feel their head moving "up", it's gonna be too late every time X 5000.

 

[CoachGoofy]

I don't coach artistic any more, but I also have athletes my size (and one who now has an inch on me & she reminds me on a daily basis). For free hips, I 3rd (4th?) the free hips in a row. If you have a strap bar, that's good for a lot of bar skill timing as well. Some drills on youtube are good, though others I watched them and was like "HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA no."

My general rule if I am going to spot someone I cannot just chuck over is that they HAVE to commit to the skill. If they aren't going to commit, I can get a second spotter, they aren't in trouble, but when they say they'll give it their strongest try then that's what I am expecting & what I need. I try to present it as "I trust your ability to do this. Do you trust my ability to spot you? Yeah? Alright! Team Trust Eachother, GO!" because I'm ridiculous, but yeah.)