DEVELOPING RELEASE MOVES
TONY RETROSI.
tony@gymmomentum.com
www.gymmomentum.com
WHO I AM
OWNER AND HEAD COACH ATLANTIC GYMNASTICS TRAINING CENTERS (www.atlanticgym.com)
FORMER REGION 6 ELITE CHAIRMAN
FORMER ELITE ZONE COORDINATOR
GYM MOMENTUM
Tony’s Rules
1. It takes time- lay the base early and be patient
2. Make sure the Base Skill is good/ great
3. Is it the right skill for the right kid?
4. Teach them to fall/ miss
5. Strengthen the parts of the body needed
6. If you are not close enough to hit your feet- You are not close enough to catch
7. Be creative!
8. Teach them how to catch (anything!)
Strength Issues
Core Strength is crucial.
Start with big muscles move to smaller muscles.
Take your “regular” conditioning exercises and relate them to specific skills
Work re-hab exercises. Most release moves really stress the body
balance flexibility
Strength
Make the muscle strong
Make it fast
teach the muscles what the skill feels like (muscle memory) first slow then fast
repeat!
Handstands
Every release move starts and/or ends in handstand
Plan
Over shoot or Pak (fall back- straddle back)
Toe shoot (hic-cup) work stalder shoot
Reverse Hecht (tkatchev)
Other release (Jaeger, Gienger, Deltchev)
In Bar Release (Hindorf, Schuposhnikova, Maloney, Ray, etc)
Base Skills
Back Giant and Back Fly away
Front Giant and Front Fly away
Clear hip circle
Toe Hand or Stalder
Back up rise (for straddle back)
Toe Front dismount
OVER SHOOT 1/2
PREREQUISITES
Giants towards the low bar
Swing 1/2 turn in a row
I like it in the same direction as blind change
Teach it to handstand but accept it as it “grows” and kids get comfortable
OTHER DRILLS
OVER SHOOT TO STACKED MATS ON DISMOUNT SIDE
OVER SHOOT TO TRAPEZOID ON DISMOUNT SIDE
OVER SHOOT OVER LOW BAR (COVERED) TO STACKED MATS
SPOTTED
PAK SALTO
PREREQUISITES and who it is good for
Giant toward the bar
Controlled flyaway
better for the shorter gymnast
disciplined gymnast
OTHER DRILLS
Similar to over shoot but NO turn
Seat Drop Back handspring on tramp
Layout 3/4 to stomach drop on tramp
Reverse Hecht
Tkatchev
WHY I LIKE IT FOR MOST GYMNASTS
Does NOT turn
Can be done facing either way
Not a full flip
Large margin for error
Reverse Hecht /Tkatchev
Prerequisites
Strong Giant and Tap swing
Reasonable shoulder flexibility
Reasonable straddle flexibility
Strong Shoulder
Air awareness
Progression
Giant Hop
Timer swing on Straps
Back extension roll to bridge
Back extension roll Sit up to straddle
Timer swing in single rail
Back drop to bridge on TT bar
back drop to stomach drop on tramp
Straddle sit up roll catch low bar
Back drop Reverse Hecht over TT bar
Toe front dismount
Spotted Reverse Hecht PIKE over bar
GIENGER
Prerequisites (and who it is for)
Strong Tap swing to Lay out flyaway
“floaty” flyaway
Cast handstand to fly away
Strong lay out shape
Progression
Giant Hop
Cast Handstand Layout fly away to back
Spotted Layout flyaway to stand on the bar (if they are little!)
Gainer pike (or layout) off TT or mini tramp
Gainer pike (or layout) with 1/4 turn off TT or mini tramp
Tap for Gienger in Strap bar
Layout to back 1/4 turn (on bounce) on tramp
Layout to stomach 1/4 turn to feet, jump 1/4 turn to stomach on tramp
Layout 1/2 to stomach on Tramp
Spotted Fly away 1/4 drill off TT
Spotted Fly away 1/4 in trench bar
JAEGER
Prerequisites (and who this is for)
Good for front tumblers and most visual gymnasts
Strong front giant
Good swing to front lay out
Blind change to front layout
PROGRESSIONS
Swing to front layout
Blind change front giant hop out
Correct swing in strap bar
Back drop front -straddle (or pike) through on tramp
Gainer front on TT
DELTCHEV
SORT OF A GIENGER TO A JAEGER. Combine drills!
Strong swing 1/2 turns in a row.
Great air awareness
strong front flip
PROGRESSIONS
Swing 1/2 turns in a row to a front pike
swing 1/2 to hop out
Layout 3/4 on tramp , roll over
