introducing Planche

ESSENTIAL for MAG.

And important for WAG – Cast Handstand.

Introduce it in conditioning from a young age.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. This is coach Alex McInnis who trained at Island Gymnastics Academy in PEI.

Jason Mortimer catches gymnast on Tap Swing

Yep. Coach was ready. You never know.

Tap swings (and backward uprise) are surprisingly dangerous, especially for kids who are really trying to get as high as they can.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Kazuki Minami – AMAZING landings

Check out some of Kazuki Minami’s landings in training and competition at the 2025 Cottbus World Cup.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Feeding the Young Athlete

Coach Melissa Coombes recommends this book.

Amazon

You can read the first 38 pages online for free.

introducing backward hip circle

Training back hip circles with an emphasis on getting into the tap swing in the level 5 routine.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

In addition to the cast to ‘hollow’ position, I like to have beginners do some from cast to ‘archy’ position. (The timing of the late drop is easier.)

Simultaneous with these drills, it would be ideal that the gymnast is learning backward uprise to backward hip circle on straps bar.

If you’re not confident to spot the ‘airplane propeller’, the alternative is to do backward hip circle series without spot until the gymnast can do 2 or 3 in series with speed and tight body. That will take longer, however.

correct position for L-sit

Bruce Craven is an owner of Craven Sports Services.

Currently Bruce assisted male gymnasts at Taiso Gymnastics Saskatoon. As always he’s focused on training the correct muscles for each element. And contracting those muscles in the best sequence.

Click PLAY or watch L-sit training on YouTube. (Flexibility and specific strength.)

Handspring βž™ Salto vaults with “Flyspring Technique”

This is one of the best Handspring forward salto half vaults I’ve ever seen

Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter.

Not the most common technique, Haleigh uses what my mentor Boris called “Flyspring” technique. First contact on the table with hips piked. She OPENS her hips while in contact to increase reaction force.

This technique works best for very fast, very powerful gymnasts. They tend to take off closer to the back of the Board and contact the front of the Table. GOAL = get the hands on the table as quickly as possible.

Forward Walkover progressions

A long and comprehensive video. Of course many are appropriate, as well, for Backward Walkover and combining the two.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.