new to forum, looking for new F. Tuck Drills

momcoach · #1 10-08-2008, 12:34 PM

Hello! I was googling front tuck drills and came across this website. How cool! I already see this might suck up much of my time, so don't want to get too attached! I think it might be too late. I have not quite figured out how to use this yet, so really want to go over front tuck drills. I have a couple level 6's who do great front tucks on tramp, off the spring board, and tumble track. When it comes to taking it to floor, they totally crash. Looking for several more drills that are not as "easy" as tramp and board drills.

Valentin · #2 10-08-2008, 03:48 PM

Hi

Sadly there is no quick fix. The reason for the crashes on the floor, could be several, for example:
1- Lack the required strength and power to block the horizontal momentum from the run up and take-off up.
2- They have learned to pull their knees into their chest when doing the somersaults
which makes them rotate slowly, especially on the floor. You will get away with it of the springier surfaces (like tumble track, tramp etc..)
3- Their take-off position is poor. Usually leaning forward (=long low front somie), piking at the hips on take-off (low front somie), they are looking down at the ground (like i tell my gymnasts where you look is where you go).
There a couple of other things but generally these are the most common.

To develop the strength and power you need to examine their technique on take-off, and work take-off specific plyometrics such as:
1- Step down punch fronts (from a surface no greater than 30cm)
2- tempo jumps into front somie
3- Jumping over low height boxes.
4- Regular running punch fronts or just take-off onto a higher surface.

Check out the May 2008 Issues of TheGymPress it has an article on front somersaults that hopefully will answer more of your questions.

**Geoffrey Taucer** · #3 10-08-2008, 07:18 PM

THe problem may well be that they're too used to the extra bounce they get from a trampoline, springboard, or tumbletrak.

Do you have a pit? If so, have them do them from floor into pit. If not, try to set up a soft crash mat for them to do front tucks on. We have a couple of big squishy 16" mats that we use all the time for front tucks. The kids try to do their punch fronts onto the mat. When they start off, it may well be little more than a dive roll, but as they get the hang of the punch, they will come closer and closer to standing them up. This has the added bonus that it forces them to direct their power upward rather than forward.

momcoach · #4 10-08-2008, 07:43 PM

Unfortunately, no pit. I'll start working the repititions with our squish mats...it's just that sometimes they look a little scarey. I worry about them blowing out ankles and knees even on sting mat. One of my girls has awesome dive rolls, and I figured the transition would be easy for her. I think her front tucks were better BEFORE she competed the dive roll! I was hoping for a "miracle drill." As Valentin posted, unfortunately, no quick fix...my heart sank!Thanks both for your help!

gymdog · #5 10-08-2008, 09:36 PM

For an entire group that needs work/is beginning, I'd do this. Even if they were doing okay using a board I'd at least go back through and only "pass" out of that station the ones who are still doing it well. Otherwise they need to get it way good there before moving on.

Try two springboards front to end in front of a crash mat. Have them do small run, good bounce to bounce, straight jump stick to perfect landing position with hollow core, correct arm, strong knees and feet. See if their landing position can resist downward pressure, side to side. All muscles tight.

The two boards makes it so they will obviously mess up if their chest is down, hence starting with straight jump.

Then I'd probably move them to tuck jump with correct corresponding downward arm motion. Make sure landing is still "perfect".

You could move it to dive roll at this point but I guess I would just let the good ones go to tuck. If they don't have chest down problems then I'd probably move them to punching off/landing on a good 4 incher...little more bouncy than just the floor if you have to stay tight and punch hard, softer. I love front tumbling all on 4 inchers. After that, punching off a sting mat onto a 4 or 8 inch...then sting mat to sting mat. Then floor to sting mat (if one of the problems is visually assessing where the punch is in relation to landing mat - sometimes not a problem when the skill is taken floor to floor - you could put a small carpet in front).

another good thing for leg power/punch speed is can they do a couple good pike jumps moving forward (3 or 4). The pike jumps force you to move your legs fast and punch tight.

TuesdayPillow · #6 10-12-2008, 03:04 AM

Do you ever use plyometrics? I use it twice per week and they get a lot of work on bouncing with correct body line into front tucks. I also teach front tucks onto an elevated surface before they take it onto the floor. Elevate something in front of the springboard or tramp/tumbletrack, and for fun I like to see if they can do it on the floor onto a panel mat if they show good technique on elevated surfaces.

BlairBob · #7 10-12-2008, 02:25 PM

Besides what has already been said, make sure they are fully extending their knees and hips and not trying to flip too early before this extension. Helped me a lot.

kgymn · #8 10-19-2008, 05:16 PM

It's hard to know without seeing or having a description of what the problems are specifically. Are they too low? Are they not opening up soon enough, or too early? Are they rotating too slow or too fast? For height, we do tucks over various mats. I agree with the idea of doing plyometrics to make sure they have the power (jumps over mats etc). We line up a bunch of mats of varying heights to jump over and at the end do a front tuck (or dive roll) onto mats placed in our pit.

~Katy

GymLyon · #9 10-20-2008, 07:53 PM

A drill I use to teach front tucks is to set up a block with a landing mat on the opposite side. Adjust the height for the gymnasts doing the drill. Have them do a punch up to a forward roll to stand on the other side of the mat. Obviously the mat should be as high as possible to make the gymnast go UP onto the mat. I find this works well for FH FT also. FH land near the edge of a resi mat or large stack of landing mats, immediately punch into a front tuck, landing on top of the mat stack or resi.

Also if you have one of those fun noodles from a pool store, hold it out and have them do front tucks over the noodle.