Safety first. One of the most important skills to learn when starting to tumble is a forward roll. Forward rolls provide athletes the skills to safely exit tumbling skills that may not be going well.
Four Drills to help your athlete learn a forward roll
Bear stance
Bear stance, push to tippy toes
Bear stance, vertical hop
Bear stance, elevated feet
Bear Stance. The bear stance position will help with balance, spatial awareness, and becoming comfortable with feeling upside down.
Start: Standing with feet together
Feet apart, wider than shoulder with
Place hands (fingers and palms flat) on ground, shoulder width apart
Look straight behind, through opened legs
Hold for 5 seconds (increase in 5 second increments)
Bear Stance, push to tippy toes. The bear stance, push to tippy toes drill will help with pushing from flat foot to toes, improved shoulder strength, and how weight shifts during tumbling.
Start: Standing with feet together
Feet apart, wider than shoulder with
Place hands (fingers and palms flat) on ground, shoulder width apart
Look for belly button
Push to tippy toes
Hold for 5 seconds (increase in 5 second increments)
Bear Stance, vertical hop. The bear stance, vertical hop drill will help with pushing off toes, improve shoulder strength, and how weight shifts during tumbling. It will also help athlete practice holding tucked position
Start: Standing with feet together
Feet apart, wider than shoulder with
Place hands (fingers and palms flat) on ground, shoulder width apart
Look for belly button
Slightly bend knees
Push off tippy toes, straight up
Practice sets of 3-5 repeats
Bear Stance, elevated feet. The bear stance, elevated feet drill will help with shoulder strength, the tucked position, and balance. This skill is similar to the bear stance, except the feet are elevated during the hold.
Start: Standing with feet together
Feet apart, wider than shoulder with
Place hands (fingers and palms flat) on ground, shoulder width apart
Place one foot on your panel mat, or cushion placed on floor
Place second foot on your panel mat, or cushion placed on floor
Look for belly button
Hold for 5 seconds (increase in 5 second increments)
A Special Thank you to
@maddisynrae
@amoi_minicheerdiva
Without your demonstrations this post would not be possible.
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