Giant swings are one of the more difficult “basic” skills that every gymnast must have. It takes strength (with out them fighting the natural swing) as well as a good tap and extension. There is also the FEAR that many gymnast have. Through the years I have had many gymnasts of all shapes and sizes giant. Here is a collection of drills that I use in that teaching sequence and drills that I use every day.
DRILLS FOR GIANTS
“Stay tight yet responsive to the natural flow pattern of the swing and it’s secrets will be revealed.” Dr. Gerald George. Championship Gymnastics.
High Bar (or any Bar where they do not touch their feet)
- Hang on the bar. Feel shoulders extended and relaxed.
- Hang in arch position
- Hang in hollow/scoop position
- Hanging Tap Swings (hollow,arch, hollow, arch)
https://youtu.be/dcq6ZQWj0Pg
5. Tap swings, small swing, working good technique.
* All the same drills but on RINGS. This started off as just an extra station but the more we did it, the more I like it.
Floor Bar
- Kick handstand fall FLAT to stomach. (Do Under grip, Fall to BACK as well) on 8 in mat
- Lots and LOTS of Back extension rolls. Everywhere, on level surface, down wedge, up wedge, up wall. https://youtu.be/99trc9KyAk0
- Back extension roll down incline mat over floor bar. It helps if you have a floor bar that “sticks” to the floor. A little velcro works! https://youtu.be/KSAp4zC7jNI
- Back extension roll down incline mat over floor bar – Fall FLAT on stomach on 8 in mat.
- Place a mat at an angle off low bar with floor bar at the bottom. Kick to handstand at an angle, Pull feet off mat (like the top 1/4 of a back extension roll) Fall FLAT to stomach. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcXwztxr-0I
Low Bar
- Cast to horizontal – push away from bar to work downswing
- Sole circles around bar to work wrist switch
- Seat Circles.
High Bar Progression
- Cast to horizontal away from bar
- Tap swings to long hang pullover
- Cast to horizontal to long hang pullover (Baby Giant). It helps if you pad the bar so you don’t hurt their hips and they can be aggressive.
- Baby Giant to immediate back hip circle (work keeping arm straight.)
- 3/4 Giant. Cast to Horizontal- Giant to Horizontal (clear support- like finishing a clear hip)
- Sets of 3/4 Giants in a row. I like to have them do 3 in a row, https://youtu.be/fFtpu7fSwoA
- Each progressively Higher. Giant to horizontal, 3/4, handstand. https://youtu.be/zjdacMkrOt0
Trampoline / TumblTrak
- Bounce on back 3x to “pullover”
- Bounce on back 3x to shoot to handstand (like a back extension roll)
- From handstand, fall forward, bounce on back, back up to handstand
- Handstand, drop bounce to back, bounce up to handstand, fall to front drop
Strap Bar
- Work good tap swings. over and over and over…
- Swing progressively higher until they go over the bar. I rarely, if ever, spot this. I want them to work and make it fun.
- Let them experiment
- Have a strap bar routineExample:
Swing to back uprise- clear hip to handstand
3 giants (last one turns toes in direction of blind change)
2 front giants
Swing with tap for Tkatchev then tap for otherrelease move (Gienger, Jaeger)
Once you teach them a BASE Let them play with in bar skills (stalders etc)
