Coaches Struggling with Backhandsprings

[coachmolly]

My group of pre-team kids (ages 7-10) are really struggling with bhs and I'm just hoping for some fresh ideas to get them on the right track. Two of the girls have done bhs on their own for brief periods of time, but have gone back to needing a spot. In October on of their teammates had a fall doing a bhs and very visibly dislocated her arm (she was with another coach and I have no idea what actually happened)- requiring an ambulance ride to the hospital, surgery, pins, big cast, the whole 9 yards- which they all witnessed which resulted in lots of fears. I completely understand this and we have done drills and lots of spotted bhs since then to attempt to build up confidence. I will not allow them to attempt on their own until I'm confident they can be successful, and perhaps am a little overly cautious, but would rather err on the side of safety. And really, bhs on their own is not the primary goal at this moment (though obviously it is in the coming months), I just want to see progress and increased confidence. For some, I feel like I am spotting just as much, if not more, as in previous months, and am afraid that I am holding them back by not doing all the drills and progressions I can be doing.
So after all of that, really what I'm looking for are some fresh takes and ideas on working bhs with pre-teamers. I have taught them for years, and feel like I have a pretty good repertoire of drills, but thought perhaps new eyes on the situation might jump start some creativity on my part to help build skills, but more importantly help build confidence so when the skills are there, they aren't too scared to go for it on their own.
Thanks so much for any help! I know it's a basic question, but after witnessing such a serious injury I feel I need to think a bit out of the box for this group.

 

[Gymsanity]

Kids witnessing accidents is never a good thing, and can be difficult to overcome. As for the actual bhs, it's hard to say without seeing the kids or your program and drills you currently do with them. Do the kids have enough PSF (power, strength, and flexibility) to do the skill? Can they do them down a cheese? Over a bhs trainer? Maybe a little more specific info, and we can help more.

 

[coachmolly]

It's not really a specific area i'm lookimg to target. The base skills are there, just looking for some bhs drills used by other coaches to get them jumpstarted again after the injury. Either new ones, or even old classics that have slipped my mind. They have done roll mat bhs, spotted bhs stop in a handstand, lots of jumping drills, and I'm sure others i'm forgetting.
Head coach doesn't use cheese mats for teaching bhs so I am hesitant to try that- she has some ideas that I don't necessarily agree with but go along to avoid conflict... I'm open to anything and everything.

 

[gymdog]

Do you have a trampoline or very soft resi mats? If so I would recommend utilizing these to get more repetitions in, spotting less and less.

But, if you think they are going backward, it might be worth taking a break got awhile and working on basics of going backwards and shaping, and roundoffs, etc. they can learn the whole thing in the summer, right? I forgot if you've moved states, are you somewhere where they'll have to be ready for a fall season?

For example, set up a circuit:
1. Three in a row backward rolls accelerating starting from top of cheese (this builds the vestibular system and awareness of going backwards)
2. Roundoff, fall back flat onto a very soft mat (needs to be very soft)
3. Cartwheel roundoff connection accelerating
4. Handstand shaping (pike and hollow handstands, pike handstand lifting one foot to vertical, switch, forward roll out)
5. Spotted backward roll to clear support/handstand

 

[pamred4]

We do a drill that has 30cm crash mat set longways and a squishy wedge may set so the small end is on the short end of the crashmat. A scatter mat is put in front of it (I think that's more for roundoff)
The gymnast will run towards the mat and roundoff on the floor then jump back Onto the wedge in a tight dish shape. Landing on their backs with arms down. If you need further clarification feel free to pm me

 

[coachmolly]

Thanks so much for the ideas! I love the backward roll series, I hadn't thought of something like that just to build up their sense for going backwards. Gymdog's post also reminded me that I had them do spotted bhs from a springboard to a 12" type mat which worked well and helped 2 of our girls (who are now on team) get their bhs.
The last time we did bhs quite a few struggled with bending their knees way too much at the start of the skill, so I figure going back to basic shaping and breaking the skill down into parts won't hurt. I can combine that with some of the drills above.
Another problem is they only come 1.5 hours 2x/week, meaning they get about 1 hour max of tumbling each week. Combine this with the fact that we share the gym with the team (not really enough equipment for 2 groups on an event at a time) and my group of 8-10 is left with whatever events the team isn't using- so sometimes we don't see an event at all one week . The lack of consistency and practice really doesn't help the situation.
They don't need to be ready until next season (late fall-ish) so we have time, so we have time but we have 3-4 kids who have been *this* close for months and I wan to do all I can to get them over that last little hump.

 

[gymdog]

Oh, also, back handspring fall to stomach on a mat typically goes better, they won't have to think about as much, just getting to the handstand.

 

[iwannacoach]

Take each child aside and ask them to tell you what they think the two most important things are in a back handspring. So if the could do only two thing to make the skill work they would.....?????

The point I want to make is that most kids want to learn the skill and spend a lot of time imagining what needs to be done to make any skill work in a way that makes sense to them. If they tell you the honest truth most will say getting upside down and flipping their legs over...... and both of those are deal breakers on a bhs because they won't jump into the skill in favor of reaching around backwards to the ground, and they won't block in favor of flipping their feet over.

So basically they'll do it their way and apply your corrections to their mental model..... which happens to be 180 degrees opposite of what works. Maybe a convincing explanation of why they jump backwards instead of jumping into an upside down position would be a good start.

Go figure!

 

[coachmolly]

Thank you! That might just work, at least for a few of them. And again reminds me that we might need to break it into parts again.

 

[gymdog]

Also, doing handstand blocks with straight arms and body and forward fly springs will help them. Use the track or springboard to start and have them land on a mat.

 

[Aero]

Below are DropBox links to two of my favorite back handspring drills that I use when they understand the shapes and how to be tight enough.

This first drill is great because it completely erases the landing part of the skill, which most kids mistakenly focus on, rather than putting their attention on the take off. It's a great time to focus on the sitting position and head position, and stressing a long distance jump, as well as staying tight and straight when the hands contact the mat. I usually need to spot this for a little while until they get it.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vs0t5d9btf9cp8f/Video Jul 21, 10 35 56 PM.mov?dl=0

The second drill is great to advance to after they've become proficient at the first. It focuses on all the things that the previous drill does, in addition to teaching the oscillation from a tight arch to a tight hollow, while still leaving out the landing. It really gets the gymnast to focus on details, such as flat hips and pointed toes, as well as getting used to being upside down during the jump. This drill can also be done with a block through the shoulders to add a little bounce off the hands. This may take a spot or two to get the gymnast comfortable jumping towards a wall.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/13sgu5krpnq43rn/Video Oct 19, 5 02 32 PM.mov?dl=0

Hope these drills help! They've certainly helped my girls.

 

[twinklytoes9468]

I like doing dropback to bridge and back limbers(with a spot if needed) down a slight incline .It flags up those kids with weak/inflexible shoulders who are the ones who will get injured