Yuck.
I was going to write a post on yet another bad invention designed to get cheerleaders over on backward handspring before they are physically and technically ready to do so.
Then I saw the ludicrous price tag — $1450 plus estimated $240 shipping.
That’s even worse than the product itself.
The Handspring Trainer is shipped via a truck and shipping is added based on shipping destination. The Handspring trainer weighs only 55lbs. and it’s dimensions are 60″x48″ when the mats are folded up.
see a video on CoreAthletics.com
In the hands of a good coach, this invention could be useful. In the hands of a cheer coach not capable of spotting bigger athletes, it will — at best — teach bad habits. Spend your $1450 on paying for a spotter, instead.
(via Chalk Bucket)
6 comments ↓
[...] Bad review on Gymnastics Coaching: Gymnastics Coaching Blog Archive CoreAthletics back handspring trainer [...]
I agree with Rick that the price ($1450) is a bit much, so I built something similar out of some old bungee cord that I had at the gym. I must say, this concept has some potential.
Does it teach correct technique?…depends on the coach you have working with it and the student.
Would I put my hot shot pre-team/level 4 gymnasts in it?….no.
Does it satisfy parents that want to see back handsprings from kids that aren’t ready for them?…heck yah!
Does it save your back?…heck yah!
This device has money written all over it. I would love to have 2 or 3 of these for my cheernastics classes. Cheerleaders want to flip, flip, flip…and this device does it for you.
If they cut the price in half, I’d buy one.
For that price, I could buy 3 octagons, including those really big ones for the cheerleaders that are above 5’6″ ( the 40 and 44 inch varieties ). Or Pac-man trainers of various sizes.
The worst thing about the trainer is the video. The coach is not paying attention, mocking the whole thing, not being a safe assest to the athletes and not offering any critiques. If their own staff can’t take the machine seriously, why should anyone else?
I watched the video and kept waiting for “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!” It’s so bad it almost has to be a spoof on their own product. To me this thing just encourages all the bad training/teaching techniques that cheerleading coaches are sterotypically guilty of. Just keep throwing it until you make it… You could almost pad a set of quad bars and do the same thing. By the way, in case there are any cheer coaches reading this, that’s not an endorsement for padding star bars and teaching a back handspring.
Ouch…gymnastics enrollment has been declining in the US. Cheerleading is one of the fastest growing sports in US.
It’s funny how most gymnastics coaches refuse to coach cheer and then complain about the limited tumbling knowledge of many cheer coaches. Remember, tumbling is a relatively new concept in the world of cheerleading.
Why don’t we work together with cheer and build safe, strong, tumbling programs for them. Most cheer programs that I have come across would love to have a gymnastics coach help them with tumbling.
As someone that hires (and sets salaries) at our gym, a coach that is willing to coach anything is much more valuable to me. After all, they say good coach can coach anything.
…and once again…I think this device is too expensive, but I had great results with the home made one that I whipped up.
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