Coaches Spotting Injury

[lifesentencegymmie]

I've been working a lot of backhip circles and casts with my advanced recreational girls, and they all need help getting their casts high enough. I've been using the outside of my arm to push their legs while holding on to their shoulder with my other arm...and now it seems I cant move my left "push" arm away from my side. Wonderring if I there is a more efficient, less painful way to spot casts. Also, if I have to work this hard to help with their casts, are they not ready for the back hip circle? Has this happenned to anyone before? I'm kind of worried!! Thanks

 

[Deleted member D3987]

obvious to me, you're not positioned correctly to the athlete. to high above them. to far below. to close...to far. standing on soft...instead of firm floor. need more info from you to possibly help.

 

[coachinkal]

Are they older girls? The heavier/bigger they get any spotting is harder/more physical.

You would need to provide less support by improving how they are doing the skill (bigger cast back to bar, not throwing the head back, tight body, keeping hips to bar etc).

 

[BlairBob]

A BHC is more about speed of the drop and in early stages making sure they get their hips back to the bar. Many kids won't which is why they fall under the bar or peel off (besides arching their head back).

Basically you are putting load on an outstretched limb, many times. Repetitive overuse.

 

[ryantroop]

For the cast, the spot should be correctional, not assistive. You are doing too much work.

I do 2 spots depending on need. One, spotting on their left, my left hand is on their lower back, the other is on their quad. You basically end up with a pancake spot with your hands staggered.

If the gymnasts are falling back, I put the left hand on their shoulder and help them remeber to lean forward, the rest is the same and you may still need to move your left hand to assist in weight bearing.


For bhc/clear hip, move quickly from a cast position to grabbing their legs above the knee and helping rotationally. You will be amazed the first time how much support you have from this spot. Guide them, don't do the work for them.

Good luck!

Ryan

 

[CoachTodd]

Get rid of the cast for now.
I have the gymnast hold a tight bar shape. (i.e. Hollow, shoulders in ears....)
If they can stay tight, I will spin them around the bar in the BHS just for them to get the feel.
After they are used to the wrist rotation, I make sure the learn to hold the bar against their bodies as not to fly off the bar and come back. I basically have the hold the bar shape and tell them not to let me push their legs away from the bar.
After this, I get the to fall into the BHS without a case. I place one hand on the back of their shoulders, the other on the back of the legs and have the "lay down on my hand" as quickly as possible. Once they get used to this, we add a small cast. Most kids seem to get this pretty quickly this way.

Some things to note:
Most folks seem to think that BHS and casts start with the shoulders above the bar. This makes it really difficult to do many of the skills correctly. Make sure they get used to leaning over the bar. Many gymnasts cast and come back to the bar with the shoulders already back. This works for a clear hip but gets kind of painful in a BHS. make sure they come back to the bar with the shoulders a little forward so the circling part of the skill takes them around the bar instead of up and away from it.