Summer Gymnastics

[johnsongirl15]

Okay, if you read my bio my parents are starting me up in gymnastics again. I can do cartwheels, press to handstand, round offs, pullovers, where you are on the bar and flip over. No idea what that is called. A front limber and a front handspring, front walkover, back bend, mill circle, I am really close to cast to handstand, I have a bar at my barn that I practice on. I have landed front somersaults too, but for safety reasons, I use my mattress. My Mom spots me on back handsprings. I can't do them alone yet.

So basically that is what I can do, but my back handspring is not that good. I could do it 5 years ago but now I am freaked out at the thought of throwing my body backwards. Any tips. I have a coach who teaches my gymnastics class at school, and I have mats, but I am too freaked out. Please, help.

 

[All Chalked Up]

I suggest you WAIT until you start having real training time with a real, certified coach. DEFINITELY wait your back handspring and your front somersault (front tuck) and your cast to handstand until you have your coach around. I've seen and heard about too many at-home accidents to practice skills like that. Please don't practice them at home; it could end your life, walking and gymnastics.

 

[bogwoppit]

Work on strength and flexibilty at home. That will help prepare your body more than anything. Do plits all three ways as often as you can, five minutes a day will bring you closer to getting them. You can do handstands, many handstand, against the wall is the safest and AWAY from furniture. These will make you stronger. Push ups and hollow arch holds are good. Calf raises and v-ups are great too. If you have a bar do chin ups and leg raises, this will prepare you for bars.

Back handsprings at home with Mom are a very bad idea for many reasons. Doing the skill incorrectly over and over again will just mean endless hours in the gym with a coach trying to fix the issues. It is dangerous, as Mom is not a coach.

If you can put in a few hours a week you will be so much better prepared for starting gym, if you put more time in you will progress much faster at gym if you are already very strong.

 

[johnsongirl15]

My Mom used to take gymnastics. She was also an assistant. She remembers a little about form and back handsprings but a lot more than I expected. She is really helpful. My school gymnastics coach is really helpful too. So were these comments. I have a bar. And tons of mats. My friend next door is doing summer gymnastics with me. She has a beam and a couple mats too. We also have some mini trampolines and mattresses.

We are pretty well protected. My friend's coach comes and helps us too. Thanks for the comments. I didn't think anybody would answer.

 

[bogwoppit]

Still say you shouldn't be doing more than basics at home. Accidents happend more at home than anywhere else. I would NEVER coach my kids at home, and I could!

Hope you're well insured.