Coaches What angle do you train for in clearhips?

[BarCoach]

Do you start with baby clearhips and work your way up or do you shoot right for handstand? We've been working them to handstand and they are getting better but I'm beginning to wonder if it was a mistake to do it that way. They are not close to hitting handstand on their own. When they make an attempt most are hitting right around horizontal. I feel like they're scared because handstand seems so far away. Should I back down and let them try for 3/4 or just keep doing what we're doing? We still have about 2-2.5 months before meet season so there is time.

 

[Gymsanity]

I definitely wouldn't call it a 'mistake'. I think it's good to get them to HS, especially in straps. I feel it's good for their courage, and seeing and feeling where they eventually want to go. On wood, HS are good because you can teach them what happens if one day they find themselves in one. No one wants to go to HS on any event, if they don't know how to safely get out of one. So, I would continue to do some HS work which equals lots of spotting, but also spend quite a bit of time on baby CH, focusing on shape, drop, shift of hands, etc. Once all that looks good, it's not that much of a reach to have them start to go bigger. In my CH group, I have all my girls do 3 sets of 10 perfect baby CH (horizontal) without coming back to the bar. Now that those are looking good, we will start shooting for 30, 45, and finally 90 degrees. Good luck, and let us know your results so we can learn from them.

 

[BarCoach]

Thank you. Do you spot the 3 sets of 10 clearhips?

 

[Gymsanity]

Thank you. Do you spot the 3 sets of 10 clearhips?

Only at first, to give them a feeling, but you will be amazed how fast they pick it up if you make it a contest. The one girl makes one and a half, the next makes two, by the end of the week I had two girls doing all ten in a row, now they all can! Be warned, their hands won't look the same at the end of the week, as they did at the start of the week! But they built up pretty quickly. Good luck and would love to hear how it goes.
Edit: I do spot my 'baby' group ages 4-6 on metal bars and only do 5 in a row to save their hands and they aren't strong enough yet to do them completely by themselves, but I do reduce the spot as they get better and allow them to try them on the 'big girls' bar if they can prove to me they are ready.

 

[gymdog]

You teach 4-6 year olds clear hips? Why? Can they do kips?

 

[Gymsanity]

You teach 4-6 year olds clear hips? Why? Can they do kips?

I actually had a 4 year old that could do a kip on wood, and it looked like a kip! But no, most are just learning. As to the 'why', I try to introduce them as early as possible. They already have straight arm, hollow BHC's so toe ons, sole circles, clear hips, long hang pull overs, baby giants, etc. are next in line. As I get older and weaker, I'd rather spot 30lbs. instead of 130lbs.!

 

[BarCoach]

Love the idea of a contest. They are aged 9-11 so contests are right up their alley. Thanks!

 

[BlairBob]

Generally start with daylight, horizontal, 3/4, HS.

Some kids will freak out even when spotting them above horizontal. We had a little hotshot who was doing 7 or 8yo TOPs and she cried on her first clear hips. That was quite the ordeal.