Wednesday, January 18, 2012

How to Develop Tumbling Skills in Gymnastics?


Tumbling skills are mastered on floor but can be used on other apparatus as well. Each tumbling skill you learn is a building block to another more difficult skill. Perfecting your form in basic skills will help you progress to harder ones more quickly. Use caution when attempting new skills. Proper supervision by a gymnastics coach or instructor and proper matting will help keep you safe.
HANDSTAND
A handstand is the building block for many different tumbling skills in gymnastics. The handstand position is seen in cartwheels, round-offs and handsprings. Train hard every day to perfect your handstand. Even after you have more difficult skills, review correct handstand form at every single practice. A great place to practice handstand form is against a wall. Once you have progressed, you can practice form in a free-standing handstand away from the wall. Step forward with a lunge to kick up into your handstand. In a handstand, your hands should be shoulder-width apart. Your neck should be neutral. Look at your hands, but do not arch your neck too far. Keep your abdominal muscles pulled in tight so your back is flat. Your legs should be straight and together, and your toes should be pointed.
ROUND-OFF
A round-off is used to transfer your power from forward tumbling into backward tumbling. It is typically done running, at the beginning of a tumbling pass. Start a round-off like a cartwheel. Step forward with one foot, placing the same hand on the ground first. As your second hand hits the ground, execute a 90-degree turn, hitting a handstand position with your feet meeting in the air. Once your feet are together, execute another 90-degree turn, pushing hard off the ground and snapping your feet to the mat. Rebound high into the air with the power from your round-off.
BACK HANDSPRING
Standing or as a part of a tumbling pass, the back handspring is an impressive tumbling skill that should only be attempted by intermediate gymnasts. This skill should always be learned and mastered as a standing skill prior to adding it to any running tumbling passes. Start with your feet together and your hands overhead or pointing straight out from your shoulders. Swing your arms down past your legs as you bend your knees, sitting back slightly. Reverse the swing of your arms as you explode off the ground, reaching overhead. Keep your body straight, not allowing it to arch. Land on your hands, moving through a handstand position before snapping your feet to the ground. Rebound up at the end with the power gained from your back handspring.
BACK TUCK
A back tuck should be learned standing; however, you may have an easier time mastering it without a spotter when it is placed after a powerful round-off back handspring. Stand with your feet together and your arms overhead. Swing your arms down, bending your knees to initiate power for your tuck. Swing your arms back up, jumping forcefully off the ground. Keep your eyes looking straight forward and your body straight as you jump. At the top of your jump, pull your knees in toward your chest, which will cause you to rotate. Grab your shins lightly as you rotate. Keep your neck neutral and look for the ground. When you see the ground, open up your body position to straight, landing firmly on two feet.

 
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