Coaches Which is Correct?

[PalmTree]

I was watching YouTube videos on the sit position and arms on the standing back tuck. Which is correct:

Mary Lee Tracy: Bk Tuck basics - YouTube
Keep chest up in sit, arms go only to horizontal.

Or Coach Frank: How To Back Tuck - YouTube
Lower chest way down, arms behind legs, then arms go up to ears in set.

Personally, I would do what MLT says, and her athlete obviously does a better back tuck. Are these just two different techniques? Is one better than the other?

 

[catou]

If you look to the very last skill of the firs video, you can see that the gymnast is actually bringing her arms by her ears when she does the the back tuck.

As a coach, I would use a combination of both techniques. (I say I would cause I'm not coaching gymnasts who are there yet in term of skills. I did spot a couple of them though and I competed it as a gymnast).

From the first video, I would keep the idea of having the chest up. From the second, the arms by the ears, because I think it helps you not to throw your head back.

That said, if you stop the second video at 6'21 you can see that the gymnast chest is nowhere as low as in the beginning of the video. I you stop the first one at 5'18... you can see the difference between the two positions is really not that big.

Secondly, if I'm not wrong, the first gymnast is Lexie Priessman. Obviously, the second one isn't at the same level.

Is one better than the other... I'd say the best one is the one that works for your athletes.

 

[anetalato]

As a coach and gymnast that's gone through the learning process using each set (individually) I think both are effective but personally recommend the more popular bent leg set. I used the eagle set to prevent gaining by undercutting but found it challenging to really take advantage of it in any other aspect. I would say it depends on the athlete as the eagle set is slightly more involved and they need a good understanding of it and the skill. I ended up going with the bent leg set because I stopped gaining forward and it felt more stable and easier to get maximum power from.

 

[CoachTodd]

I like to have the downhill on top of a mat for the gymnast to jump up onto and land in a hollow shape. I understand the physics behind the straight legs in the 2nd video but, from what I've seen, most kids still gainer that one. The example kid in the first video seems to be sacrificing height for rotation. I really like the diagrams in the beginning of the 2nd video. I think the challenge is figuring out how to word it and break it down so the kid you happen to be working with understands it. I had one boy gymnast who slightly gainered every tuck he did but the lowest point in his standing tuck was about a foot above his head. It would have been impossible to teach him method number 2 just because of how his brain worked.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

they're both saying the same thing essentially. both will get you to an end result for beam.

 

[stargazer]

Thanks for posting this, I was wondering the exact same thing! I definitely prefer the first version. For me, throwing my arms up to my ears makes me arch. MLT has another similar video, but the girl in that one actually does only set to vertical, and still has a gorgeous, high and fast back tuck.
The Back Tuck - YouTube
So jealous!