Drills for Front Giants and Blind Changes

My friend Bryon Hough texted me last week looking for drills for side stations for FRONT GIANTS and BLIND CHANGES. After I sent him a few I started thinking about the importance of side station drills in a gymnastics program. 

What is the purpose of them? What are you trying to accomplish? 

My rule of thumb is that side stations and drills are for the skills we need to have NEXT season or maybe even possibly the season after that. If I have to drill for the skills that are currently in their routine I am in trouble. 

Specifically for BARS, which is how this whole thing started. I treat their current routine as their warm up. We then work problem parts and more routines (during the season). Always trying to leave a few minutes for upgrade skills that may get into routines. Obviously NOT when we are in the championship part of the season (March-Nationals). 

Typically it will be your LEVEL 7 and/or 8s who are working drills for FRONT GIANTS and BLIND CHANGES.  Here is my approach. 

1. Get comfortable in UNDER GRIP. 
   1. Push up in under grip 
   2. Handstands in under grip 
   3. Handstand walking on floor in under grip
   4. Hanging on Bar and tap swings in under grip
   5. Bounce HS in under grip   

2.    Get comfortable with a basic pirouette 

1. One arm handstands on floor bar
2. Pirouetting out of under grip 
3. Hanging pirouettes 
4. Blind changes. Start in handstand. Progress to blind change INTO handstand 

3.     Swinging in under grip and understanding the front giant whip tap

1. Front flyaway from under grip. (Always good to know how to do if they rip off bar) 
2. Hanging tap swing
3. Progressively larger tap swings with front giant tap. 1st in over grip. Then in under grip. Do this OVER PIT or spotted. They will rip off the bar! 
4. Strap Bar tap swings.

4.      Strap Bar work. I think the safest place to teach a gymnast to swing for front giant is in strap bar.  They can be aggressive and really work the correct tap without fear of ripping off. For ease of entry (we do a whole routine on strap bar) we do everything in over grip. 

1. Progressively larger front giant tap swings. 
2. 3-5 front giants in a row  
3. Also incorporate front in bar skills 

* see strap bar work outs. 

5.    Grip shift on low bar. 

1. Mill Circle 
2. Seat circle 
3. Toe on around bar 

6.    Tramp and Tumbl Trak 

1. Front bounder on tumbl trak or tramp.  The hollow – arch action is similar to the front giant. 

2. progress to front layout.  Then do front layout holding a pool noodle in under grip.  

3. Front kaboom to handstand.  Progress to kaboom to 1/2 front layout. 

4. On TT bar front drop to handstand. 

I cannot stress enough the importance of being able to FRONT GIANT prior to attempting blind change or Jaeger. The gymnast needs to be comfortable with the front giant before you have them pirouette into it OR have them do a release move from it.  Even if they NEVER compete it, they should be at least able to do it on a single rail.  If your plan is for them to do a full pirouette, and they don’t make it, they better know how to do something in under grip- even if it is just how to hold on for dear life.  

Blind Change Drills. I have written a previous article on Pirouetting. You can see it HERE  

1. Handstand walking sideways on floor bar or beam 
2. One arm handstands 
3. Pirouette with partner 
4. Hang on Bar pirouette
5. TT bar bounce HS walk
6. TT Bar bounce hand stand 1/4 pirouette
7. Giant swing walking
8. Layout 1/2 on Tramp