Coaches Spotting technique for a small coach

[FakeIt'TilUMakeIt]

I've been co-coaching with a muscular male gymnastics coach who has recently left me to coach the team by myself. As a 5' 2" 125lbs female coach, I can't just pick up the girls and flip them over like he could. A few of the gymnasts are taller and weigh more than I do. Do you know of any good resources for spotting technique when picking them up and flipping them over isn't an option. For example, how do I get a girl who can do a round off backhandspring onto mats to do it on the floor without the fear that she will bail halfway through and I won't be able to fully catch her.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[FakeIt'TilUMakeIt]

Spotting technique for a petite coach

I've been co-coaching with a muscular male gymnastics coach who has recently left me to coach the team by myself. As a 5' 2" 125lbs female coach, I can't just pick up the girls and flip them over like he could. A few of the gymnasts are taller and weigh more than I do. Do you know of any good resources for spotting technique when picking them up and flipping them over isn't an option. For example, how do I get a girl who can do a round off backhandspring onto mats to do it on the floor without the fear that she will bail halfway through and I won't be able to fully catch her.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[CoachGoofy]

I'm about your size, and coach some of the bigger skills & bigger girls.

I suspect my girls learn things a bit slower because of the zomgdroppage fear, but when they have a thing they HAVE it...we do a lot of lets-get-this-into-muscle-memory. And the whole mental component of bailing isn't an option.

I've not seen any good resources, but some of the "how to teach" videos or tutorials, they just make me laugh and laugh. Yeah, sure, I can just pull a kid around a bar to horizontal :lookaround:

Sorry I'm not much help. But I sympathize!

 

[bogwoppit]

Merged two identical posts.

 

[Linsul]

Same situation here. I drill drill drill. Minimum spotting required. These are at a speed where I can spot by tapping or grabbing problem areas without risk to myself or the gymnast.

First drills:
Step ro on a line

3 step ro on a line

Handstand pike down, fall back onto bottom with straight legs (8inch mat)

Handstand snapdown, fall back onto bottom straight legs (8 inch mat)

Backwards jumping drills onto a large mat

Backwards jump onto a large mat, as soon as they land grab ankles and try to pull them apart to check tightness.


After they can do the ro's with a straight leg rebound:
Step ro rebound backwards onto mat

3 Step ro rebound backwards onto mat

Spotted backhandsprings on a wedge, fall onto bottom with straight legs (8inch mat)

Spotted backhandsprings on a wedge to handstand pikedown fall onto bottom straight legs (8inch mat)

Handstand snapdown spot bh to handstand, pike down, fall on bottom straight legs (8inch mat)

Spotted backhandsprings on 8 inch mat

Step ro on tumble track + 3 step ro on tumble track, straight leg rebound


After they can Do the above proficiently:
Spotted backhandsprings on the tumble trak (they usually have no problem doing these on their own very shortly)

2 standing bh's (spotted at first)

Step ro rebound (count to 3) bh (by themselves)

3 step ro rebound (count to 3) bh (by themselves)

Step Robh (spotted)

3 step robh (spotted)


By the time they get to the 3rd set of drills, their straightness and stepping habits should be consistent enough to know what to expect. If they can do the the whole thing together just fine while being spotted, I tell them. Then I wait until they ask me not to spot them to back off. It's worked so far!

For tucks, I generally do them at the end of the tumble track into the pit. As they get better, I add a 4 inch mat to stick a landing on. After that, punch tuck. Then punch tuck land on the tumble track, followed by doing them off a block (on the floor) to a 8 inch mat. Sometimes I use vault boards for front tucks to a 8 inch mat. Jump from block, to springboard, punch front. I don't do back tucks with gymnasts who can't backhandspring. After they have both a tuck and a backhandspring, I find they are consistent and confident enough to play with shape and set with minimal spotting. I always start back at the tumble track and build up the landing surface gradually though.

 

[CoachTodd]

I make sure they have a good standing back hand spring first. Once they have a good back handspring and a good round off, I have them do a round off and stop, then I spot the standing hand spring. I eventually get rid of the pause but I am in a position to slow their fall should they decide to bail. A coaches job isn't to catch them, it's to protect their head and neck.
I'm only 5'4" but I'm about 150lbs. I get to coach the high school tumbling class. This translates into spotting 100 + pound girls that really can't tumble in many cases.
When spotting a heavier gymnast, you have to make sure you are more underneath them so you can support their weight if needed. At the same time, you have to be able to get out of their way if they actually do the skill correctly.

Again, I wouldn't try to make sure you can fully catch someone that bails. That is an injury waiting to happen no matter how strong you are. I've seen many torn biceps on coaches that tried to catch kids. Just be in position to direct their fall if the do everything wrong while staying in place to spot the skill should they do it correctly. Chances are, the spot will be minimal if they already have a good round off and a good standing back handspring.