Preferred Round off hurdle technique?

Hello,

I was just thinking about all the many different types of hurdles I see beginners and advanced gymnasts performing into their round offs and tumbling passes and I just wanted to get some input on what most people here prefer their beginner gymnasts to do and their higher level gymnasts. I personally make my younger kids try to do their hurdles straight body/legs instead of the really popular one knee up kind of hurdle. I do this mainly because when they bring that knee up it's just like in basketball when they go for a lay-up basket they bring that one knee up to get extra height in the jump and usually beginner tumblers are not trying to go for height and they end up going too high and often under cutting their round offs.

Anyways what are some of yourt ideas/ preferences when it comes to beginner and advanced tumblers?

So long as they push off the rear leg and lunge enough, I'm happy.

Too often the problem is the lead foot crossing over their middle (if we were to have them tumble on a line) or a small lunge which causes them to go around the side, or a zillion other things.

If I am going to do a RO into whip or arabian, I prefer to hurdle high versus long and use a straight leg hurdle.

I'm not a huge fan of the chasse type hurdle.

Blairbob said:

So long as they push off the rear leg and lunge enough, I'm happy.

Too often the problem is the lead foot crossing over their middle (if we were to have them tumble on a line) or a small lunge which causes them to go around the side, or a zillion other things.

If I am going to do a RO into whip or arabian, I prefer to hurdle high versus long and use a straight leg hurdle.

I'm not a huge fan of the chasse type hurdle.

Thanks BlairBob, I'm not a fan of the chasse type hurdle either. But yeah, with my kids I just have problems with them not lunging enough and their blocks but from past experience that's what most people have the most trouble perfecting. Also the problem with the straight, stretched out hurdle is a lot of them are scared to really push their hurdles/lunges out very far because they feel like they are going to dive into the floor head first.

Let's face it, most beginners do not or cannot hold even a basic lunge position. Until they can hold this position with tightness and torso lean; it's kind of a moot point.

I was having this problem yesterday when we were simply doing our kick to HS. Actually, let's be honest, I'm sure none of the rec or advanced rec or L4 boys can hold one to save their life for 5s. Maybe a few can.

If you can't hold a position, you sure as hell can't move through it and maintain form.

When it comes to the lunge, there is incredible amount of work that needs to be done with it and fine tuned. Making sure they even get into the position with the right distance. Sometimes they lack the ankle or hip flexibility to get into it, much less hold it. Other times they lack the torso control to keep their torso at an angle or they are just plain lazy.

I'd work on the lunge, then falling into the lunge, jumping forward and landing in the lunge, then adding the CW and RO before really bothering with changing the hurdle type.

I wouldn't try experimenting with hurdle type until L5 or 6 with the girls, or L6 with the boys. Sort of depends but I just doubt most L4 girls or L5 boys have the proper shape and focus to begin the process. And at that stage, typically there are all kinds of funky things going on still with their lunge and RO. Realistically, I've looked at very good compulsories and low level optionals, and it's never a pretty picture once you look at it on video or in depth.

I've got a feeling I'm thinking of a lunge as something else. Do you have a picture of a lunge, the one you say some beginners can't do correctly? The one I'm thinking of is pretty easy even for non-athletes. At least for a few seconds.

http://drillsandskills.com/images/display?path=lunge.jpg

Ehh, one of the problems is working with beginning gymnasts who are very young and weak or don't have the greatest coordination and balance or sometimes have limited flexibility in their hips or ankles.

Most people can stand in a lunge. Now do it and keep your body at a diagonal angle, straight in line from the heel to fingertips. The proper angle is diagonal, not vertical.