Parents Vault table fears

[JumpingQueen]

Hi again! Now that Susie* can kip, her next hurdle is that vault table. Going from the level 3 flatback on a mat to the giant table is rough. Did anyone else watch their kids struggle with this? Is it just a time thing? Besides the table she also struggles with punching in general (on the floor, too, with front tucks, etc). Can anyone share any tips on how to help with the fear and/or punching? Her coach is working on these, I know, but she’s really the only girl in the group struggling so she gets very little time devoted to it. The pressure is on because they are currently evaluating them for moving up and I know she’s worried about it.

*her name is not really Susie

 

[Flyaway]

Yes. Dd has done a FHS vault over the table for 3 years and she still has yet to break a 9.0 in competition. It is just HARD. And if your gymnast doesn't have the right combination of power, timing and technique, it's even harder. My only advice is to remember that with the vault it is a long, long journey. Our team doesn't spend a tremendous amount of time on it in practice and it shows in meet scores. But I believe that the coaches are in it for the long game, not the short one. Patience is a virtue and one that is needed with this event for many many parents!

I used to pray that dd would just figure out how to clear the table. Now I'm wondering how in the world she'll ever flip anything off of it. It never ends!

 

[3cats]

My dd had a terrible time with level 4 vault. She got in the low 7s a few times that season. Right before state a coach worked with her step by step on her run and form. And she pulled it up a whole point at level 4 states. A couple years later she won states for level 6 vault. It will come. It may just take a while.

I hear ya though. Some can make that vault look easy. My daughter, to this day, has to go over it with everything her little body has.

I had read here, several years ago. That a good block on vault isnt something you do. It's something that happens when you do everything else correctly. It is true. You daughter just has to put the pieces of the puzzle together in her own time.

 

[tucktwisttumble]

it took me 5 years of competitive gymnastics (at level 4....) to finally learn how to vault correctly (or technically well). It clicked in my last season. Now with that said, I grew, I got stronger, and something just happened. 12 years later.. and I actually tried a vault, I could still do it - maybe not to a high degree of technical correctness, but i could do it. The moral here: Keep her chin up, it will come and click for her.

 

[JumpingQueen]

These are all so helpful!! Thank you!

 

[mommyof1]

My daughter has always despised vault, even the L3 vault, and was terrified of the table until quite recently. (She may still be scared of it, she just hasn’t complained to me about being scared recently, just that she hates the event in general. ) That table is huge, and it takes a lot of courage to run full speed and hurl yourself directly at a large immovable object, especially if you are tiny and not especially springy. I keep telling her the same thing others are saying above—just keep working, and one day it will all fall into place. She has also got it into her head that the L6 timers may be easier than the FHS, which I am sure is not exactly true but at least it gives her hope.

I also remind her that everyone has their own relative strengths and challenges. She is one of the top two bar workers on her team, whereas the strongest vaulter really struggles with bars.

For parents, wine, chocolate, and looking away during vault warm-ups are all helpful.

 

[GymDadWA]

I don't think my DD was ever scared of the L4 vault but she isn't great at it. The phase where she was doing the bent arm handstand over the table was super scary for mom and dad.

 

[Flyaway]

My daughter has always despised vault, even the L3 vault, and was terrified of the table until quite recently. (She may still be scared of it, she just hasn’t complained to me about being scared recently, just that she hates the event in general. ) That table is huge, and it takes a lot of courage to run full speed and hurl yourself directly at a large immovable object, especially if you are tiny and not especially springy. I keep telling her the same thing others are saying above—just keep working, and one day it will all fall into place. She has also got it into her head that the L6 timers may be easier than the FHS, which I am sure is not exactly true but at least it gives her hope.

I also remind her that everyone has their own relative strengths and challenges. She is one of the top two bar workers on her team, whereas the strongest vaulter really struggles with bars.

For parents, wine, chocolate, and looking away during vault warm-ups are all helpful.

My dd would agree with her - she finds timers easier for some reason. And she is also a strong bar working who is not especially springy. We've just resigned ourselves to the fact that vault is not going to be a strong event for her.

 

[Flyaway]

I don't think my DD was ever scared of the L4 vault but she isn't great at it. The phase where she was doing the bent arm handstand over the table was super scary for mom and dad.

Or the handstand walk? Watching level 4 vault is so scary at meets. I cringe at how many near misses there are.

 

[mommyof1]

Or the handstand walk? Watching level 4 vault is so scary at meets. I cringe at how many near misses there are.

Or the double block...

 

[ausnat83]

I was not a fearful gymnast as a kid, but I distinctly remember having big issues with vault early on. Dating myself here - when I started competing, we went straight to level 5 doing a handspring over the horse (yes, horse). I remember scratching vault in my first meet because I was still balking half the time. I think at the second one the coach made the decision to spot me and have me take the deduction.

I remember doing a few things - one was a couple of private lessons (not something I did on a regular basis) with a coach I got along with well. Not having my teammates waiting on me or watching helped. They also had me move waaaay up the runway temporarily so my run was much shorter. It limited my power some, but the shorter run helped me get over the fear.

I got over it within the season, and vault became one of my strongest events. But I definitely remember this as one of the only big blocks in my gymnastics "career."

 

[Curlyfry7]

My daughter had a lot of fear last year about vault.....she was doing that stupid Xcel silver vault that used the vault but then turned into a handstand flatback onto mats. She is tiny, and as some above, has trouble punching for both vault and front tucks. Last year she ended up falling between the vault and the mats at her first meet...the coach caught her but it scared her death,and we struggled the rest of the year (I say we because I spent a lot of time helping her through it mentally) This year, she does a FHS and while it isn’t super strong. At least she isn’t afraid. Her coaches say she doesn’t know how to punch the board, but they aren’t really helping her with it. I am hoping time and some eventual growth will help (she is 10 but only weighs about 53 lbs)

 

[MuggleMom]

DD is not a great vaulter in practice but actually does middle of the road at meets so there is hope. She got over the vault for the first time by herself I think a week before the inhouse meet lol. She tends to get mid 8s on vault. Also a strong Bar worker lol--seems to be a pattern.

 

[John]

Vault in scary. With enough practice and resolve they figure it out.

Last week google sent me remember this from years past.
For fun and a laugh if no one minds I would like to share this:

 

[GymMomA3R]

My daughter is in the same boat as the original poster’s... vault is her weakest event and the table is roughly equal to her height at the 110 setting. Hoping she gets it figured out by comp season in August!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Moving on to DFV......

Time

How to help?

Say, “Don’t worry honey, keep working hard with your coach. Take your corrections. You’ll get it. Just like you worked hard and got your kip.”

 

[Deleted member 18037]

My kid never placed on Vault in L4. Placed 1st at L5 states.