Use of trampoline or tumble track for teaching back hand springs good or bad?

[aerialriver]

I am trying to get other people thoughts on this issue. It has been bothering me for a while. Do you feel it is useful to use a tumble track or trampoline as the first place to learn a back hand spring? I am talking about older kids/teens/adults that do not do any other type of gymnastics, mainly cheer and people who come for privates just to learn a bhs. In other words they are not used to pushing on their arms for skills as if they had come from doing gymnastics.

I am now clueless on what direction I want to take. I have been teaching a cheer tumble class for a couple of years and I notice a trend, these kids have to bhs on hard surfaces, before I even starting coaching them many of them has been in this class for 2 or more years and can do a bhs on the tumble track but not on any other surface, they try and end up doing a back head spring develope fears and it is back to square one.

So my question is what are your thoughts? Do you use a tumble track or just begin on a harder surface? I am starting to think tumble track is great for tumbling when fatigued if you already have the skills and great for drills but I am not sure how great it is to teach skills on it when they need them on the ground. Looking forward to your thoughts.

 

[gymdog]

I think it is useful but I generally switch among surfaces. Initially when they are first learning I may be most likely to have them stand on the trampoline part of the tumble track, but on the edge, so they go back and put their hands on the resi. I think this is a little more controlled than the bounce the trampoline gives. For smaller kids it doesn't really matter as much because I will hold them the whole time and I will probably just teach them on a 4 inch mat or maybe a wedge mat or whatever we are near. I understand what you mean about the older girls in cheer though.

I try to work on it but some of them don't really have the strength to do it on the hard surface. So we try to keep working on it and if they do the conditioning exercises maybe in some time they will get it. But for those who lack upper body strength it is just a long process I think. What you can try is to unfold some panel mats on the tumble track, this is still bouncy but a little less so. If you use more than one just velcro together. or, have them go from the track onto a mat of some sort, then move to a springboard in front of the same mat (like an 8 inch mat), then a panel mat in front of the mat.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

when they achieve a certain level of competence they should use both surfaces until they get to a point where they are weaned from the tumbl trak.

 

[aerialriver]

Another thing I forgot to add it do you find it advantageous to not use the tumble track at all while learning them?

I also find the tumble track seems to teach these kids incorrect bhs form. They don't really have to jump as the trampoline springs them and they don't have to push through their arms, they also all tend to undercut as it does bounce them so they tend to go upwards rather than back, so by the time they get to a harder surface it is like starting all over.

Funny thing is this doesn't seem to be the case with younger kids, most all of them get their bhs on the tumble track and soon move it to the floor.

 

[GetaGrip]

I personally thought that the tt and trampoline made back handsprings easier to learn. Its nice not having to jump or flip so fast and being able to concentrate on form and how it feels to do the skill.

On the other hand, its always good to remember that once you leave the tt and tramp you need to jump harder on floor. You can't simply hop and reach backwards.

 

[CoachGoofy]

(disclaimer: at least half of my cheer tumbler kids are bigger than me so I work with what I've got)

I like the tumble trak. I don't let them use the Olympic trampoline. We do angle bhs & standing bhs on the TT and into a resi.

I *also* like the wedge-ours isn't all that squooshy. When they can do it down the wedge I have them do it down it with their hands hitting the floor. And I like their first flat surface bhs to be into the resi. Oh, and then from rod floor to the landing mat. And then on an 8 incher. And then on a 4 incher...

 

[gymnastbeth]

My gym doesn't teach BHS's starting on tumble track, but on 8 inch mats. They would put a box in front of it, then the gymnast does a handstand snap-down from it, into a spotted BHS. That's always seemed to work, and then when there has to be a progression to RO BHS, it's a LOT easier. The momentum from the RO is so much more than the HS snap-down.

 

[cazoon]

I just recently got mine, and my coach didnt like using the tumble track or tramp. We just jumped on our backs onto a tall mat a bunch of times, did handstand snaps, and did it with spot onto a mat until we all finally go ***. It seems to work well.

 

[gymgurl]

Well, I think its good for confidence more than anything, for some people going backwards is pretty scary and by creating a surface that is more forgiving it can help them build up the confidence

 

[gymgirl8]

i think it is good because it would be scary to get right up on to the floor and do a tumbling pass or just a standing back handspring with a spot or not it is better to start on the tumble track even if it takes a while to get it on the floor it is safer calming and a better way to learn the skill right.

 

[ivyagogo]

We use the trampoline for bhs. I also like to alternate between the trampoline, the floor, and a wedge mat. We use the tumbltrak for robhs. We put a folded mat toward the end of the trak and have them roundoff with their hands on the mat and the feet land on the trak. Then they bhs onto a resi at the very end of the trak.

 

[CoachTodd]

I would say for standing back handsprings the tumble trak is a good place to work form. If they are doing a round-off on the tumble trak, all they are doing is messing up their tumbling. I spot new back handsprings until I'm sure the kid can do it without injury. I usually cringe when I hear "I got my back handspring on the trampoline". I spend the next 6 months trying to fix it.

 

[JBS]

I get the best results using an overhead spotting rig that is NOT over a trampoline. We have a rig on our ring tower...I just put a wedge mat under the ring tower and away we go. We have 4 belts (2 small and 2 large)...there is no change over time. Just clip in and clip out...the next kid in line gets sized up in one of the other belts.

I have other stations around the area while they are waiting...including 'The Boulder' from Norberts:

The Boulder™ Handspring Trainer : Norberts Athletic Products, Gym Mats, Gymnastics Mats, Cheer Mats, Cheerleading Mats, Martial Arts Mats, Stunt Mats and More

We have the largest Boulder...it is great for your kids that are 5' tall and taller.

To answer the question...yes...I use trampoline and tumble track from the very beginning...but more so because it is fun. I get better results in cheer/tumbling classes using the rig over a wedge with no tramp.

EDIT: The rig and Boulder saves your back also!

 

[tumble-ready]

I found the tumble-track to be very effective and an easy way to turn them loose quicker. I prefer to use the end of the tumble-track to a resi also. However, I do not use the tumble-track until they are fairly close to doing it by themselves on a custom incline (panel mat folded, but open so one side has one or two more panels in it's stack than the other with the 8" on top to make the incline). I think the manufactured inclines are too steep. Just my opinion. When the athlete is doing the skill properly and really close to doing it themselves, I will move to the tumble-track with spot to see if I can get them to do it by themselves. I remind them to pretend they are still on the floor/mats and not to try to use the tramp. If they succeed, I have them do it over and over to prove to me they have it and are comfortable with it. This could take a few workouts, but always starting on the custom incline first at each workout. From the end of the track I will move them to the middle of the track until they are comfortable doing it there. Then i move them back to the custom incline mat. By this time they are very comfortable doing it by themselves, so they usually succeed quickly on the incline mat. From there, I have them inch there way down the incline until they are starting and finishing on the same level. After that, I will trade the 8" for a 4", then panel mat or floor depending on the confidence of the athlete at this point, reassuring them at every stage of these progressions that no matter the surface you are on, the skill is still executed the same way.