WAG Aerials

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xrachx

Coach
Proud Parent
DDs group have been working aerials for the past month but shes the only one not to have made one yet (working them on fast track). She has good flight, but as soon as her legs hit into splits, she touches her finger tips down.

She doesn't need to, it just seems like muscle memory. She can't keep her arms tucked up and away from the ground. Also, her hips aren't rotating quite enough as she drifts to the left on landing. Had her in floods of tears after training yesterday and she was so defeated it all. Shes watched the videos of her doing it so she can see where it's going wrong, but it doesn't seem to help.

Has anyone got any tips they can recommend, as starting to think we just need another way of explaining it to her for it to click. Thanks :)
 
if you don't mind, maybe you could upload a video so we can see exactly what she's doing wrong?? totally get if you don't want to though!
 
I think it's a pretty common problem, my dd did the same thing for months while working aerials. She finally got it without touching her fingertips down, and has been competing it this year, even though landing is still a tad off sometimes. It seemed to be a mental thing for her, as well as a bit of a muscle habit like you mentioned. Don't worry, this too shall pass and she will get it!
 
My DD learned it off panels. Can she do it just putting one hand down? Are they spotting any? I know once DD got a spot on a couple, it was easier to not put her hands down.
 
My DD learned it off panels. Can she do it just putting one hand down? Are they spotting any? I know once DD got a spot on a couple, it was easier to not put her hands down.

I find it better to teach it like this. Spotted until they are lifting it up themselves. You can feel when to step away. Track is too bouncy. They don't learn to push and lift hard enough.
 
She can't keep her arms tucked up and away from the ground.



Also, her hips aren't rotating quite enough as she drifts to the left on landing. :)


We teach straight arms , down back and side out of the way. The drive of the arms helps the lift into the air.

If she is drifting off to one side on landing it is often because chest is out during the cartwheel. Tucked up arms also tends to push chest out.

Harder to keep chest in on bouncy track or from a run or chassee. Also harder to coordinate arms at speed. Which is why we teach it spotted from standing on a panel mat/ small block etc.
 
What I see: She is not bringing her chest down to her knee. she is setting out and forward instead of up.

an aerial should have height, not length. so she should kind of undercut the cartwheel, bringing her chest down. then drive the leg really fast and bring the arms straight to the side. she basically does a dive cartwheel.

I would ask the coaches who can sport her on the first ones and give her some progressions!
 
Put her on panels and take her off the tramp.
Her arms are just there and they should be part of what is giving her lift. They should have a job, swing and lift. Hers are just tucking up and trying not to touch the tramp.
I teach them off a panel and with only a chase or step. This way they don't learn to rely on a 20 foot run! :)
 
The aerial is very long, it is extremely difficult for a gymnast to get her legs all the way around with no hands if it is long. She needs to think of an aerial as like a salto skill - it goes up not forwards.

When she hurdles into the aerial she needs a good deep lunge so she has the power to kick off her leg and kick the other one around.

As she goes into the skill she needs to put her chest down towards her leg. The higher the chest the more height she needs to get her legs over it.

Running into it is not a great way to practice it because the run will give her more forwards momentum. A good way to start is on the trampoline, as she will be more likely to go up than forward.
 
Thanks everyone :)
I thought the run and flight was too long, but DD kept telling me I was wrong. I've shown her the comments so she's going to give them a try when she's back in the gym. More up than long is the plan!
 

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