Cartwheels, Roundoffs & Backhandsprings

[pristinechanges]

What are good drills for cartwheels, round offs and backhand springs.

We’ve been working handstands, and I set up a panel mat and have them work handstand snap downs. Also I’ve had them working roundoffs off of a panel mat.

Cartwheels on the line. And drawing out the way they need to go, even going back to bent leg bent arm baby cartwheels over little wedge blocks.

And backhand springs from a hard surface onto a mat into the pit. I’ve also had them work back limbers.

These are drills I need for my pre level 1’s, al the way up to my level 4s.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Candace

[BlairBob]

Cartwheel front/back and side for distance focusing on a push off the hands and not letting the arms go wide.

Cartwheel step in/together focusing on turning the chest up.

Cartwheel/RO uphill and downhill.

Handstand walks, handstand walk up to a short panel mat. Handstand hop on a panel mat, down, and then up to the mat.

Cartwheels and round off from a lunge on the front knee. Focus on deep lunges from a lunge position or step into a position. I don't really let most of my levels do anything from a 3 step run and hurdle until it's time to connect multiple skills. Everything from a step hurdle, power hurdle, or step. Especially if we are on tumbl-trak.

Another one I just remembered is side cartwheel from one leg, starting with one leg at horizontal and ending that way. Side handstand rocks through the top of the cartwheel position with a spot or on the wall ( basically so they learn to lean on one hand at a time ). This also can be down with a step together in to a hollow standing position like a cartwheel step together.

Cartwheel step together overrotate and run back. This also can be done to the back with a soft mat stack or pit behind them ( like a tsuk timer ).

Round off rebounds to heights like a panel mat folded out.

Besides that, I just go for lots of conditioning be it legs, middle or upper body and handstand development. All the drills in the world don't mean squat if the body isn't prepared to handle the force generated or cannot generate force.

[pristinechanges]

Awesome, thanks so much. I'l give these a try and let you know how it turns out!

[BlairBob]

Yeah, this topic is very much on my mind as it looks like I will be taking over the girls training level 4 perhaps competing their first year.

Currently the gym is small and there is no set curricula for the rec and the team and preteam levels just sort of follow the handbook. I spent today going over L1-L3 again with the supplementary skills and any other curricula I have from my prior gyms. Our gym might implement whatever I come up with and I may end up training them our rec coaches on it as well. OTOH, I want to have something to start tracking progress for the rec kids and get something of lesson plans ( I have to admit, I just do my own thing nowadays usually and have an idea typically per session and the group of kids I have ( and their/my goals ).

Personally I wish our gym had some octagons and a longer firmer wedge mat, as I'm not looking forward to hand spotting so many back handsprings. I'm not fond of pac mans comparatively.

I used to also have them do bridge kickover to back limber or put a wedge in the pit and have them stand on it and do backhandsprings into the pit ( hands landing in the cubes first and eventually jump off the side or top and have them land on the wedge and feet in the pit ). This is one of those stations I can set up so they do zillions of as a return station and I only have to spot the first few to get their confidence up.

[coachamyamerican]

if you have any tips for building confidence, that is what I need!
I have a very powerful tumbler that has her robhs by herself but will not attempt it without two spotters standing there. No one touches her, and they are beautiful!
She has never landed on her head or had a bad experience (at least not with me), but came from a cheer coach that she didn't trust. Any suggestions??

[TuesdayPillow]

Oh gosh, I could put a million drills down here. DO you need drills for the development of the skill primarily or are you looking to perfect skills the kids already have or both?
Also, consider incorporating plyometrics into your conditioning, even if it's just a few minutes a day. You can work the dynamic strength in both the legs and shoulders.

[BlairBob]

I really like to have a tumbler be able to do BH-BH before they do RO-BH. This can be learned fairly easy if you access to an air-trak or tumbl-trak.

Another one I like is handstand snap-down to immediate back handspring. I set up a block or stack of panel mats at the same height or slightly higher than the highest part of a wedge lying lengthwise. Stand on the wedge, kick into a handstand on the panel mat stack or block ( firm surface is a bit nicer on the wrists though I prefer to spot this as I want them to end up in an arched handstand ). Snap down, push off the hands and go into an immediate back handspring. You can make a really long incline with multiple cheeses and blocks and mats to connect 3 or 4 and a 4" or sting mat at the bottom to connect one at the bottom. Of course you can also do other skills with this ( snapdown, BHS, BT )

With the smaller tumblers I like to have them do series of BHS, while I shuffle sideways and spot each one. Just have to have quick hands and they need the ability to do something of a decent backhandspring. I prefer doing this on tumbl-trak, but you can do it on floor.