I’ve never liked this drill. Especially NOT the GAME of racing in bridge position.
It has little value for gymnasts. Encourages bad form, bad technique.
And some kids have been injured while attempting it.
I’ll always recall when the great Russian Power Tumbling coach, Skakoun Senior, told us at a clinic in Canada:
“If you can do a bridge, get out of my gym. You can’t tumble.”
His demonstrator, a 3-time World Champion, did not even know how to get into position to try a back bridge.
That’s going too far, in my opinion. There are powerful tumblers who can do a back bridge, but it’s not essential.
related – discussion on Chalk Bucket
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Some kids have gotten hurt doing a lot of things in gymnastics and doing them correctly. How is that making your point?
I like letting the kids do Bridge Wars. It’s a fun game once in a while.
I remember Brian Ginsberg of UCLA not being able to do a bridge (not well, at any rate).
But he was a very springy tumbler.
Er, was it if you ‘can’ do a bridge, or if you ‘can’t’ do a bridge then get out?
He feels that flexible athletes are not tight enough to rebound powerfully. NO BRIDGE is best.
Is it possible that some cant do tumbling? Specially the back skills?(BHS, FF). Can there be people who simply dont have much back flexibility who cant attempt those skills?
Some of the least flexible athletes I’ve ever known have been Power Tumblers.
i know a 2012 aa qualifying Olympic gymnast who Cant do one!
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