Front and back tumbling
Tony Retrosi
tony@Gymmomentum.com
Tony’s 10 Commandments for tumbling
1. PLAN. Proper planning prevents piss poor performance
2. Teach the big picture. – Don’t be so technical when they are learning.
3. Patience – not everyone learns at the same pace
4. Teach it right the first time
5. Safety rolls. Learn how to fall. It is going to happen, be prepared
6. Small muscles help big muscles Use all of them! Conditioning for success
7. provide training stations, twisting rules etc. and encourage simple basics. — Then let them explore
8. Same direction twisting front and back
9. Arms lead the way
10. Spotting is a step not a solution
Give the gymnasts an opportunity to fail… and to succeed…
failure is a prerequisite for success. let them know that it is ok.
they can not make a correction without risking failure
the base
all gymnastics starts with tumbling
teach it right the first time
go back a step if the gymnasts gets confused.
– THERE IS NO SHORTCUT.
Try to be very methodical.
Give corrections not observations
be patient
Preparing the Body
Tumbling is equal amounts legs and arms. Your conditioning should reflect that.
What do your legs have to do?
The stomach holds the body together, it is often the “weak link”
Arms need to be straight, need to PUSH, Pulling exercises for balance.
Strength issues
Make the muscle strong. Then train it to be fast.
The use of plyometric conditioning
body shapes
condition FOR SUCCESS
roll back stand (both leg, single leg- progress to roll back jump.)
jump lunges (FRONt AND SIDEWAYS)
step up kicks
leg curls
leg extensions
toe raises
lots of jumping!
jump up and off of mat
bounding jumps
lead into lots of rebounds
Prepare the mind
Common fears
Visualization
Relaxation
teach – muscle memory
break the skill down
teach what each part needs to do
find as many places as possible to do those positions
important body shapes
hollow
arch
side arch (for twisting)
straight
candle stick
handstand
open shoulders
neutral head position
tight body
basic line tumbling
done every day
base for every event
have a plan, what do you want them to get from this?
Split walk 3 sec. square, then flat
Handstand forward roll straddle through
Back and Front limber
back extension roll
3 steps kick front, side, back
kick front, side, back, bwo
alternate front walkover
forward roll tuck, pike, straddle up to hs.
front and side cartwheels
side and front aerials
Progressions
Safety rolls- there is ONLY 1 guarantee, you are going to fall, so be ready.
Forward and backward rolls
Handstands before cartwheels
Front and back limbers
Front and back walkovers before handsprings
the round off- a sideways handspring
Far arm cartwheel
Over stuff
Onto stuff
Uphill
Down hill
aerials!!!
The hurdle
Stretched out skip
Arm position.
I tend to do hurdle front handsprings before round offs
Front HS
Heal drive
Front Tumbling progression
Headspring before Handspring
Handsrping step out before together.
Work Tight Arch
FHS step out- FHS step out- FHS 2 feet rebound
FHS – rebound- bounder (eventually front tuck)
FHS – front tuck/ pike- rebound- bounder
run punch front- rebound- bounder
run punch front- bounder- rebound
run punch front- punch front
FHS- front pike- front
Back tumbling progression
rows of BHS (time these!)
Round off BHS “set”
be willing to spot “set” and layout for good body position
i teach lay out first. then pike/ tuck
make sure they know how to land
Twisting drills
flipping drills
Double back, full in, Arabian double
