Several vault questions

[Geoffrey Taucer]

I started working on Yurchenkos today, having never done them before. Set up some drills, and managed to do a few decent yurchenko timers over a block.

I have two questions. First, what is the preferred hand position on a yurchenko? I have always done and taught backhandsprings with the hands turned in, however my primary reason for doing so is that turning the hands in softens the block, which is necessary for a BHS to land at the proper angle to take off for a back tuck, double back, or whatever. Since that's not really an issue in a yurchenko, would it be better to do the skill with my hands turned out for a more solid block? Or would it be better to just do it the same way I do my BHS on floor, with the hands turned in?

My other question is how best to work a Yurchenko without messing up my tumbling. After 30 minutes of Yurchenko drills, I then had to spend another half hour un-screwing-up my RO BHS on floor. What is the best way to avoid having my Yurchenko mess up my floor tumbling?

Also, I have two more questions about the rules on vault (for MAG). First, the CoP says that for event finals, I would need to do two vaults from different element groups and with different postflights. Would a handspring double-front and a tsuk-arabian double front count as two different postflights? Aside from the 1/4 to 1/2 turn off the table, they are the same. So is that 1/4 to 1/2 turn enough to make them count as different?

My second question is how final score is calculated between the two vaults. The CoP says I would need to do two vaults for event finals, but it does not say where my final score comes from. Is it an average? Is it the best of the two?

[CoachL]

I prefer hands turned in on a yurchenko to prevent broken fingers as you reach back. As far as not messing up your robhs I would suggest you do alot of double layouts off the board into the pit, because thats all a yurchenko is. Don not think of it as a robhs and you shouldn't have a problem. The second you start thinking bhs you'll tend to mess it up.

The MAG questions I have no idea. We didn't have all those rules when I was class 1.

[hammy]

I learned yurchanko onto a big whale mat, then transitioned to the vault. As far as your hands I'd say either keep them turned in (because that's how your comfortable doing it) or have then straight. I vaulted with mine straight and never hurt any fingers, but it's most likely bound to happen sometime (like everything else in gymnastics). As CoachL said, try not to think of it as a bhs, but rather a double layout that whips (so to speak). Also, be sure to not think about the r/o bhs too much when you go back to doing them. Gymnastics is a mental sport and if you think a certain way, your body will react that certain way.

[EntrReality]

1. I use normal hand placement. My concern with hands turned in is that would both allow and create an arm bend in the support phase.

2. When I begin the drills I work a long time without a board and just with the RO mat for hand placement in the RO. Gymnasts typically will begin to "turn" their RO instead of keeping their hands in a fairly straight line. This begins to mess them up on their tumbling on floor. I never take my eyes off the hand placement on the RO mat.

Also when you introduce the board they begin looking over their shoulder instead of looking for their feet to make contact with the board by looking under the armpit. This can create lots of future technique problems and fears.

3. I begin with
First,
RO on RO mat at the same time RO up on panel mat (focus on rebound off hands, chest lift)
then
RO over RO mat and BHS on 8"
then RO over RO mat, BT on 8", working to layouts
then
RO over RO mat to board w/safety zone to flat back on resi (whale)
at the same time repeat the aforementioned drills with board.

I also have a station without the board that is just the RO-BHS up onto a Resi(whale)

then I turn it sideways in front of a pit and drill it without a board while adding 8" mats to the top for height. Then again introduce the board.

I could go on and on here.

Do you see where I am going? If they mess up the RO then they have messed up the vault.

In womens gymnastics I begin these drills in level 4 with the RO drills they really help them focus on this so when I introduce the RO mat and then the board RO problems are easily corrected.

Also, working double tucks and DBL layouts into the pit is a reputable lead-up also. You may use the RO mat and board here too.