How to help with fixing giants/improve tap

gymnastmom · 06-12-2007, 10:56 PM

My daughter is having a bit of a challenge with her giants, specifically her tap on the giants. She is very strong and can do a giant but her tap is off and it affects the form etc. She is working really hard to fix it and listens to her coach intently however this one area of bars is frustrating her as the rest of her bars skills are beautiful. I know it soulds odd that giants are a challenge considering she does much more difficult skills on the bars with no problem. And like somethings, sometimes someone giving her the same information to help but in a "different way" can make all the differences. Is there any advice I can give her other than what I am doing to keep her encouraged? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

**Geoffrey Taucer** · 06-13-2007, 07:16 AM

I'd have to see it to be sure, but the most common problem in a giant is arching on the way up. There's only one tap in a giant, and it's in the bottom; the rest of the giant should remain hollow.

**hammy** · 06-13-2007, 10:40 AM

Try having her think of it as a tap swing that comes from a handstand. Also, have her look at the low bar as she swings past it, keep her shoulders open on the way up and toes over the bar first. Giants really are a simple skill, but sometimes they can throw you for a loop. I had my giants for about a year then all of the sudden (for about a week) I couldn't figure out how to do them.

Mac · 06-13-2007, 03:54 PM

I've found this link useful in the past: http://www.gymnasticsrevolution.com/Parents%2021.html

In what way is her tap off? That affects the fix.

Sometimes it's useful to return to fundamentals--for example, tap swings--and review them for a day or two, and then reintroduce the higher-level skill as though from scratch. If one component is off, it's a way to relearn it. Sometimes that's easier than adjusting within the higher-level skill, be/c there can be too much going on at once for her to compartmentalize the problem area. Hope that makes sense.

**hammy** · 06-13-2007, 08:16 PM

Great advice Mac!

gymnastmom · 06-13-2007, 09:24 PM

WOW! thank you for all the advice, as most of the technical information went over my head I have shown it to my daughter so that she would understand it. She liked all the information and had this to say in response to the question as to what exactly her difficulty is:

"One of the problems is I don't fall, I hollow from the top instead of falling and then going hollow and the other is opening too early but still making it over"

Again, thank you for all the advice and information, the link was especially useful.

Mac · 06-13-2007, 09:54 PM

I think the focus at the top should be on stretching out as far from the bar as possible. Good luck.

**hammy** · 06-14-2007, 12:48 PM

Mac's advice sounds good to me. Stretch tall and try to kick the low bar. Good luck!

**Geoffrey Taucer** · 06-14-2007, 01:42 PM


Quote:
Originally Posted by gymnastmom "...opening too early but still making it over"

Sounds like she's arching on the way up. A lot of kids do a giant as if it has two taps, one under the bottom and one over the top. A giant only has one tap, and it's at the bottom; tap at the bottom, remain hallow all the way up until you hit a handstand.

When I'm teaching giants, I don't mention the handstand at all; I just tell them to hollow all the way over the top and down the other side. Almost always when kids actually try to hit a handstand on the way up, they do it early. I teach them to hollow all the way over first, then have them gradually straighten out from there.

Admittedly, though, I very seldom work with the girls who are learning giants, and most of my experience teaching giants is with boys; I'm sure there are additional things to keep in mind when there's another bar added to the equation.

**hammy** · 06-14-2007, 06:45 PM

Arching on the way up or not getting your toes over first is a very common mistake. Also, make sure you're shifting at the correct time--shifting too early puts the brakes on and stops the giant.

As far as adding the low bar---it technically should not make a difference unless you're over 5'5'' tall, that's when girls start to have to round a little more or put the bars even farther apart. A lot of girls get into the habit of piking down because they're afraid to kick the low bar, when really they're a couple feet away from the bar when they swing down. I encourage my girls to try to kick the low bar (if i know they're short enough to not kick it), because that helps them think about keeping stretched/open.