Level 4 bar dismount

[gymnast87]

Are there any new drills or a different way I can teach the level 4 bar dismount. I am dealing with the girls piking around the bar and shooting their toes down to the ground for the under swing. I have them work on double back hip circles and back hip circle stop half way but once they go on their own the pike it around and don't shift hard enough. Any ideas or new drills???

 

[cher062]

Are there any new drills or a different way I can teach the level 4 bar dismount. I am dealing with the girls piking around the bar and shooting their toes down to the ground for the under swing. I have them work on double back hip circles and back hip circle stop half way but once they go on their own the pike it around and don't shift hard enough. Any ideas or new drills???

When my DD was a L4 they would tie an inflated balloon to the upper bar at the level they wanted the feet to go and the girls practiced swinging and hitting the balloon with their feet without the dismount first then when they had the move to kick higher down they took the balloon away and asked the girls to kick the same way but this time land. Seemed to work and the girls had fun kicking that balloon

 

[Linsul]

I use a mat stack for them to dismount onto after they can do 2 controlled back hip circles in a row. I make it just below back hip circle height from a solid front support. They should just clear the matstack with good form, so spot a few back hip circles at first to make sure they're good on form with the mat right there. After that, have them go for the dismount. They should land laying on their backs, with straight legs, feet together, toes pointed, arms straight overhead.

The mat being right there encourages them to push away from the bar aggressively from the correct position. Take away having to stick the landing and they can focus on the actual release. Spot the release at first too just to be sure they can get to the mat. After they can, I like to wait at the end of the mat and try to separate their legs from the ankle as soon as they land to check tightness.

 

[MissBear]

Also practise holding dish upside down, hands at the hips holding the bar. This is the position (or close to) that they should reach before opening the shoulders. Hips should be completely open. Check that the back hip circle is straight and not piked. Practise making the straight-dish and then you whiz them round the bar. The only thing they should be doing is staying tight and the wrist shift at the end. From there, they cast into the straight shape, then do 1 1/2 circles to the upside down dish. Then 1 3/4 circles to lie on the mat, as Linsul suggested.

 

[BlairBob]

I prefer to teach this skill early on, without a cast.

Start in a front support. Lean as far forward as possible without falling forward.

Then lean back, dropping shoulders back focusing on hitting that candle/cradle/inverted dish/hollow position.

Of course, if they are not strong enough to hold that position in the first place, it's going to be very trying.

Make sure there chest is hollow when holding it and that they don't try to use an undergrip or arch their chest to stay on the bar.

It is not an easy position to hold on the bar.

Even when they are able to learn it and hold it, I like to swing them back and forth in it like I'm rocking them.

Then we work a lot of handspotted leaning front support to cradle. Somewhere I add in the cast, but too often in the cast, the head arches back.

Using the strap as a target is good.