Hey all! So I'm an all star cheerleader who's really interested in learning front tumbling. I'm right on the brink of my double full (landing between 1 1/2 and 2 twists consistently) and its time to start considering my 'specialty' pass. I have a very good punch front step out and would like to continue learning front tumbling as it's foreign in the cheerleading world and usually gets an amazing crowd reaction. I can currently do a front front and can step out of it with minimal power currently but judges do not like the same skill repeated like that. So this brings me to try to learn a punch front layout (which down the road i could eventually learn to full). Whenever I try to layout it turns into a very open front pike. I cannot seem to get the arch that most people get when they do this skill. Also, I do Russian fronts, so I prefer to swing my arms aggressively behind me as i punch the ground and it gives me both more rotation and more height in my flip.
So in your guys opinion, how do you go about learning a punch front layout. All my attempts are piked and even the ones that I achieve a slight arch on, I begin the skill with a slight pike.. mostly due to me dropping my chest into the flip. My body cannot seem to grasp the concept of the arch. Additionally, is it possible to do a Russian punch layout? Or is there a separate arm motion I need for additional power when entering the skill? I have access to tumble tracks at the gym and crash pads so safety isn't difficult to achieve. Mostly I'd just prefer any drills, tips, or strengthening exercises you guys could throw my way in order to help me get this skill.
Also, I don't know if it matters, but I can front handspring but not very well, I have trouble with bringing my feet together and I guess arching a bit. I've since dropped the skill because I would prefer to simply 'punch' than do a fhs entry. I had learned bounders/flysprings briefly when I tried to do a layout in the past and I actually got it to be half decent but I feel it contributed to me dropping my chest to the ground before pulling the arch in my layout.