gymnastics – introducing forward giants

7 comments ↓

#1 Dana on 02.12.10 at 9:32 am

Don’t like the shoulder angle on the bail – this should be eliminated pronto.

#2 Dana on 02.12.10 at 9:33 am

Ok, it’s not a much of an angle, but not enough stretched IMHO….I really believe in a bigger stretch. She is too “incurved”.

#3 wordsmith on 02.12.10 at 10:30 am

I think part of the point is to get kids comfortable with doing the bail at all.

Last night, I actually stacked two resi mats on the low bar like this, for back giants (facing the low bar). I think some of our girls just starting on giants are nervous about swinging down from a cast handstand. So they don’t push all the way out or cast as high as they can. My setup last night was an “in between” phase from starting handstand drop to stomach on the floor, and before going cast giant and swinging all the way down to “crash” into a vertical wall at the bottom, (to stop the swing through action).

#4 coach Rick on 02.12.10 at 3:01 pm

Like wordsmith says, this drill is essential for the psychology of the skill.

Too many coaches insist on an extended downswing from day 1 (Chinese coaches, for example) and the kids don’t know what to do when something goes wrong.

Here she learns how to “kill” the downswing. This will be essential the first time she comes out crooked after blind change.

Once confident she won’t “peel off”, stretching the descending swing won’t be a problem.

#5 TP on 02.12.10 at 10:04 pm

Agreed, I like this drill and have used it for years. It can be hard to set up if your gym is not managed correctly, however.

I tend to have kids cast to handstand and fall flat to a stack of mats to help them learn how to extend. This drill above is good for kids to get the feeling of what it’s like to fall forward and STAY on a bar.

#6 Dana on 02.13.10 at 9:20 am

Hmm, good point. I will consider it. I have always taught the stretch and never had a single problem….much more problem with back giant actually.
But I am all for the psych part of things – lets give a try…

#7 Will on 02.13.10 at 12:54 pm

This is definitely a drill to get them comfortable with the swing down.

With kids just starting front giants or even if they are just playing around with the skill this is a fun station that any level can do that can cast over the bar.

It is also a good drill if a gymnastics is going to do a straddle back from handstand.

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