Ideally, gymnasts should not need a spotter in competition. Not for warm-ups. Not in the meet itself.
If I see a gymnast being spotted, I question whether they are physically, technically and / or (especially) psychologically ready.
There are exceptions. Spotting or sliding a mat for release moves on Bars can be good coaching.
That photo was linked by Gymnastics Zone — The Perils of Coaches Standing There Instead of Spotting
When is it appropriate to stand-in for a gymnast?
If something goes wrong, are you ready to spot?
9 comments ↓
Okay… so I don’t ‘spot’ at comps. If they can’t do that skill safely, confidently and consistently in training, you won’t see it in competition. That’s that.
But I have on occasion ‘stood in’ on skills. One of my girls was doing great double backs off bars for months in training, but was nervous performing it at comp for the very first time. I stood in for that, and haven’t had to since. I am pretty happy to stand in for my girls who are doing their new ‘big’ skill in a comp for the first time.
If they continue to need me after that then we have a big ol’ chat about whether that skill should be part of the routine yet.
I agree. I feel many elite women’s coaches spot WAY, WAY too much – in practice, in training before competitions, and in warm-ups. It becomes such a habit for them that some even can’t keep their hands off in the competition itself. Often I feel the spotting is more for the coach than for the gymnast. Leading up to a competition, I feel a gymnast should be comfortable doing all of their skills without a spot, and thus the emphasis should be on fewer numbers, but minimal spotting. A common place is on bars, where many coaches feel the unnecessary need to spot overshoots to handstands and Pak saltos in training and in warm-ups.
Ya know.. as a currently dedicated bars coach I have to take a little exception… some releases are just that dangerous if the athlete screws up…
Yes, we strive to hit 10 for 10 in training.. but quite frankly, it doesnt always happen.. adrenaline and nerves get the best of everyone, and I don’t want to be the coach who was standing 30 feet away when my athlete does a release to the back of her head.
It also comes down to knowing your athlete. How they were trained, and how experienced they are with the skill…
Unlike floor, we do not have a tumble track to practice a series of big skills into a soft surface that is easily repeatable. (or a trampoline to do multiple executions of said skill in a single turn).
Unlike beam, we do not have a floor version that can replicate the feel and execution of a skill on a lower, safer, environment where a failure is not as potentially catastrophic.
Unlike vault, we are not traning only 1 or 2 specific additions to movements that stem from mastery.
Maybe it is my limitations as a coach… I know how to teach a full in on floor without ever touching an athlete… I still don’t know how to teach a tkatchev without hand spotting. I know tons of drills and developments to help get the feel, but that first time over and many of the lead ups are generally hand spotted before putting them in a belt or letting them try. In a competition, if my athlete feels more comfortable with someone standing there, more power to them! They are still doing the skill as prepared and developed, independently and with precision. It hurts to fall. Why cant we spare them that? Even if just a little..
It’s a comfort thing for the coach. It’s a comfort thing for the athlete… it’s just risk management! Who cares if a coach is standing there for the safety of the gymnast? I sure dont. I look up to Valeri Liukin for his spotting, and applaud him for it.
I find it bewildering that on one hand, many are spouting “Change FIG rules so they are less dangerous!” and they turn right around and say “But in the mean time, try to spot a little less, k plz thnx!”
Same story in Canada. I was surprised how many over-spotters we had on the Floor at our National Championships.
Full disclosure — I spotted one girl, one skill in the training day. But she didn’t compete the skill, so no spot needed anywhere, anytime during the competition itself.
Ideally the coach should be able to sit in the stands and videotape.
We don’t disagree.
I’d rather see the coach in place, or a mat slid, for every big release.
But Shoot high to low on Bars? … Does she really need you to hold your hand up like that?
Dismount?
There is too much spotting on the WAG side. Especially on Bars. Also Floor. Not much on Vault, however. Nor Beam.
I agree with RyanTroop 100%. Keeping the girls safe should be number 1 priority.
I will ALWAYS stand in between the bars for the first few competitions they complete a simple pop on bar change. I know it is a baby skill, but for 7-9 year olds,
a) its a long way to fall
b) if they fall with an arm out, they will break something (seen that before a few times – my club & others…. DESPITE teaching safety falls)
c) It reassures them (and their parents!)
there are kids in the levels system that are scaredy-cats. (even some of the bigger kids!) Just like there are kids who loose all common sense at a competition – should they be prevented from competing (if the skill is a core requirement?) NO!
It also does not mean that they are in a level “too high” for them…. some kids mental block on skills. Others just need to know you are there.
If the coach knows they CAN do it consistently in training, I don’t see why spotting should be an issue.
In terms of elite kids – it makes SENSE that a coach wants to ensure they COULD be there to ensure a SAFE landing should the gymnast fall.
the COACH too, wants to get them to the Olympics – one BAD fall could PREVENT that dream from coming true.
Imagine if Nastia in 08 had had a bad fall in a comp warm up during a high to low transition……. valeri spots to keep his daughter SAFE & to PREVENT INJURY.
he may be spotting more for nastia now (and for good reason….)
I don’t like seeing any spotting (to include standing in) at a competition. It is incredibly distracting to the performance for the audience.
And sure, it is safer, but so is dismounting into the pit…
Nice spot by Valeri yesterday
She was flat and square. No immediate danger. Had he did anything he could have had her land off kilter and hurt her more.
Not sure if you’ve ever spotted one of those layout geingers before, but there is a tendency to pull in on the bar and clip the feet which leads to a head first landing backwards. He reacted the best he could and made his split second decision. Her hands were over the bar, she just missed. It sucks, but it happens.
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