Coaches Spotting - front limber (eventually front walk over)

[ryantroop]

So, Ive been coaching a lot of rec groups lately, and one skill that I never really emphasized (because the kids I used to work with usually just... had them) was front walk overs, or, more basic, front limbers.

I use a shoulder spot for back limbers (back bends) to help gymnasts feel how to control the way down without falling repeatedly, and I generally help them understand the motion quickly (assuming they are flexible enough).

Is there a similar spot to help gymnasts feel their way down (and break apart) a front limber? The help Ive gotten so far is "just let them fall a few dozen times and they will get it.." to "use the shoulders."

Right now, I have them kick up a handstand, and try to feel their way to a wedge. It isnt nearly as effective as hand spotting and shaping the back bend, and it's frustrating me that I can't seem to find an effective way to help these kids move past this point.

Any suggestions?

Please note, Im aware of elbow/head-stand drops. I've been considering them, but I feel that emphasizes the use of the lower back a bit much for rec kids, when they already have stiff shoulders to begin with.

 

[nevertooold]

Have the gymnast hs in front of a waist height spotting block/mat stack, use one hand to help keep their shoulders over their hands and the other on the back of the legs to help them lower with control until their heels are resting on the block. Will look like an upside-down L position. From here they can lift one leg and push with the other heel to kick back over or adjust to flat feet if you prefer.

When they can do this by themselves with control, move to a lower block/mat until they are down to floor level.

 

[Linsul]

I usually do these 2 things as floor rotation stations for limbers:

Using a 8 inch mat: Have them alternate doing handstand flatbacks and handstand bridge (feet landing on the mat) Alternating highlights the difference in position, and how to control the 'fall.' It usually looks disastrous at first, but I promise it works!

The station I spot is the actual front limber. I put one hand between the shoulder blades, and the other grabs their ankles to guide them down to the bridge. One thing I've found is that if they stick their head out a little bit after the handstand, it practically guarantees a bridge. They may not put their feet firmly on the floor enough to hold it, or flatten out their back as they feel the strain on their shoulders, but they will go down in an arched bridge position.

 

[Linsul]

Wow I completely brain farted and left the other drill out. It's having them bridge on the wedge, shoulders on the higher end, and try to stand up. Another good drill is having them stand with their arms up, arch back over a barrel, and stand up while keeping their arms straight and by their ears.

Rocking in a bridge can be helpful too. The rock forward from the hips is something they need to feel about infinity times! They are then aware of it enough to get the timing of the shoulder push + core engagement to stand up.

 

[ryantroop]

I usually do these 2 things as floor rotation stations for limbers:

Using a 8 inch mat: Have them alternate doing handstand flatbacks and handstand bridge (feet landing on the mat) Alternating highlights the difference in position, and how to control the 'fall.' It usually looks disastrous at first, but I promise it works!

The station I spot is the actual front limber. I put one hand between the shoulder blades, and the other grabs their ankles to guide them down to the bridge. One thing I've found is that if they stick their head out a little bit after the handstand, it practically guarantees a bridge. They may not put their feet firmly on the floor enough to hold it, or flatten out their back as they feel the strain on their shoulders, but they will go down in an arched bridge position.

This is exactly the kind of controlled spot I was looking for. Thank you for a great explanation. Do you find that there is trouble with kids who bend their elbows and bail out? Do you do it on an 8" as well, or do you just do lots of handstands as practice to make sure they support it well? Our floor area is right in front of all the parents, last thing I want is a kid faceplanting while in my hands

 

[CoachGoofy]

Oh my gosh I have a passel of drills for these

(I train front walkovers/backwalkovers/backbend and up at the same time. That way all the movements get trained and I don't end up with a kid who can get into a backbend 2 ways but not out of it at all, or can only do handstand bridge kickover, or something. That drives me all sorts of crazy. Also, I work with limited equipment and my progressions are based on that):

1. Handstand with back to wall, walk hands out to an arch

2. Handstand bridge onto folding mat

2a. In theory, handstand bridge over barrel or mailbox, but I've never had one big enough that they didn't just flop over it

3. Handstand bridge onto 8" mat (hands on ground, feet onto mat)

4. Handstand bridge up cheese mat

5.Handstand bridge on 8"er

6. Front limber downhill (this assumes stand up drills have been mostly mastered)

7. Front limber on thin mat/floor.

And the rest of my like 15 front bridging skill drills are for front walkovers. I have backbend and up progressions too.

To spot, I catch their handstand, then put on hand on their shoulders and one on their lower backs. It's not always as pretty as holding their ankles, but I can control more any collapses if I have their cores instead of their appendages.

 

[Linsul]

This is exactly the kind of controlled spot I was looking for. Thank you for a great explanation. Do you find that there is trouble with kids who bend their elbows and bail out? Do you do it on an 8" as well, or do you just do lots of handstands as practice to make sure they support it well? Our floor area is right in front of all the parents, last thing I want is a kid faceplanting while in my hands

You're welcome

I hear you on floor being in the middle of the 'fishbowl'. Falls don't look so great, but they can be avoided by spotting from the shoulder and ankles. That position gives you a practically perfect tactile sense of how much tension is in their shoulders, as well as if their elbows are buckling.

I always attempt one with every gymnast (even I know chance of success is slim) just because of the fishbowl. I want the parents to see we tried even if it didn't work out. Again, that spotting technique is great for falls as well. You can quickly get the shoulder arm beneath them (to the base of the neck even, so they can't arch their head back to support themselves on), as well as control their legs from the ankles. It's not a complete flop so much as a controlled fall.

I do at least one handstand station every time I do floor. We do them very often! For newer or less coordinated children I will do the handstand to bridge with hands on a panel mat, feet to a trapezoid piece. One just to try it; if they bend at the elbows or flatten out of the bridge arch I'll spot some handstands with them rather than continue the limber. If there is too much tension in the shoulders, I'll spot bridge rocking just to make sure they know what to feel for and understand how it will improve their shoulder flexibility.

For kids that can do a handstand bridge on floor easily, we progress right to standing up from the bridge. To spot the standing portion, I put my right hand between their shoulder blades, and my left hand grabs their right wrist. It's easy to support them through the standing; and I find that when I hold the right wrist that they naturally keep the left arm even with the right. I ask them to look at their fingers as they stand up.

I spot it the same way once they put the whole skill together. A couple feet ahead of them on my knees, grab the wrist as they contact the floor, apply slight pressure to the shoulder blades as they rock forward to stand. As they get better at it, I apply less and less pressure until they do it on their own. It's a very streamlined way to spot it that allows for lots of support or barely any. If a gymnast can stand from a handstand bridge with very little help, the momentum of the full skill is usually all they need to do it on their own. This spotting makes it easy to be there if they need it, or to just watch it happen.