WAG Question about L2 vault

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LJL07

Proud Parent
I know most areas do not compete L2 seriously, but our area does. DD is doing great on everything but this handstand flat back vault. They use a low mat (same as L1 vault). She has a lot of power and is basically propelling herself through the air like she's doing a front handspring. On some of her vaults, her hands are barely hitting the mat. One of the judges at her last meet used to coach her and said she has "too much power." Would a higher mat help and is that allowed? I saw her once practice onto the vault table and the resi mat, and she actually looks better doing that (not that I am a judge, but her coach noticed it too). It's not the score so much that we care about. The judge mentioned that if she keeps doing it this way, she might have trouble with "blocking" later on at higher levels?
 
I think I understand what you mean. There is a gymnast on my L3 daughter's team who has this problem. I have seen the coaches put chalk on her hands and make it a "game" for her to leave her handprints when vaulting.
 
In vaulting, it is my belief that you can never have "too much power." This will serve her well down the road when she begins true vaults that go over the table and require all that power. I wouldn't worry too much about it because she has plenty of time to figure it out, and when she does, she will be a gorgeous vaulter! Besides, the flat back vault isn't very crucial in the big picture. I think the real question is if your gym has a good optionals program. If they are competing level 2, are they more focused on compulsory levels?
 
Do not spend one minute worrying about it . Too much power is best left alone. What seems like a problem now will be awesome soon.

A coach would be crazy to try to wind her in. This is why L2 is developmental; in many areas.

Whatever you do, please do not tell her to slow down or that she should try to give less to it.
 
Yes, very focused on compulsory levels-- very few gyms (if any) with good optional programs around here. We have been round and round with that. I took her for a couple of evaluations recently. We have a game plan after this season to get her somewhere where she can progress faster--her bar skills and tumbling are coming along great. I'm not sure exactly what "blocking" is. I assume something to do with hand placement on the mat or vault table? I was just worried if she was going too fast and not getting her hands down that it would turn into a bad habit and she will struggle later down the road. Interestingly, her coaches did tell her to slow down for the second vault. But thanks for the reassurance! I won't say a word!
 
Higher mats ARE allowed. I don't know what the rules are, but my DD competed on L3 mats when she was a L2.

Yes, my dd also competes L2. Her team competes on L3 mats but I noticed that most other teams use the lower L2 mats. Her team's scores are usually better than the teams that use the lower mats so I don't think there is a deduction, although I don't know for sure.
 
Yes, my dd also competes L2. Her team competes on L3 mats but I noticed that most other teams use the lower L2 mats. Her team's scores are usually better than the teams that use the lower mats so I don't think there is a deduction, although I don't know for sure.

I thought I noticed some of the teams using the higher mat at the meet, so it must be an option. Also seems like a reasonable plan since they would just be using that higher mat for level 3 anyways.
 
Level 2 Vault is done on "MINIMUM of" (I think its 16") mats. They CAN vault on higher mats. We have some L3s that vault on the mat stack PLUS an additional mat... and I have seen one girl on another team have 2 mats stacked on top of the regular vault stack.
Hopefully her coach starts using the higher mat with her for practice and meets.
Good luck.
 
Higher mats ARE allowed. I don't know what the rules are, but my DD competed on L3 mats when she was a L2.
My little bit also competed on L3 mats as an L2 for this reason as well....she's an itty bitty 5 yr old but had too much power too.
 
My little bit also competed on L3 mats as an L2 for this reason as well....she's an itty bitty 5 yr old but had too much power too.
Ok, this is great. Is there a nice way I could ask the coaches if they would consider letting her try that without sounding like "that mom?" If the other kids are using the low mat, they might think it's a pain to swap out the mats?? Or just let it go if it's not going to mess her up in the long run?
 
Ok, this is great. Is there a nice way I could ask the coaches if they would consider letting her try that without sounding like "that mom?" If the other kids are using the low mat, they might think it's a pain to swap out the mats?? Or just let it go if it's not going to mess her up in the long run?


I just let the coaches do their own thing....that's why they get paid the big bucks ;-). No really, they would probably look at me like I was crazy if I suggested anything like this...but I understand that others have a more open dialogue kind of relationship with their coaches.

I've notice lately they have been leaning a folded up panel mat up against the L3 mat for her and a couple of others to vault up and over. Not sure for what end but they are actual L3s now so I guess it's a progression of some sort.
 
I just let the coaches do their own thing....that's why they get paid the big bucks ;-). No really, they would probably look at me like I was crazy if I suggested anything like this...but I understand that others have a more open dialogue kind of relationship with their coaches.

I've notice lately they have been leaning a folded up panel mat up against the L3 mat for her and a couple of others to vault up and over. Not sure for what end but they are actual L3s now so I guess it's a progression of some sort.

They might argue about actually getting the big bucks. LOL! Yeah, if it's not really going to hurt her to keep doing this on the low mat through March or so, I'll just let it go. :)
 
What they mean is her hands are contacting the mat past vertical. This makes it impossible block to vertical which is the goal. So it's a huge deduction in every level of front handspring vaulting. Even in a yurchenko if you contacted after vertical you'd be going down, right into the floor.

If the mats are 16" though I'm not sure I'd be super fearful of that affecting her down the road, she could probably approximate it better with a higher mat but there's something to be said for figuring out the timing on lower mats also. Vault takes a long time for them to get.
 
I've notice lately they have been leaning a folded up panel mat up against the L3 mat for her and a couple of others to vault up and over. Not sure for what end but they are actual L3s now so I guess it's a progression of some sort.
That is a drill to get them to use the right body shape between the board and the mat.
 
What they mean is her hands are contacting the mat past vertical. This makes it impossible block to vertical which is the goal. So it's a huge deduction in every level of front handspring vaulting. Even in a yurchenko if you contacted after vertical you'd be going down, right into the floor.

If the mats are 16" though I'm not sure I'd be super fearful of that affecting her down the road, she could probably approximate it better with a higher mat but there's something to be said for figuring out the timing on lower mats also. Vault takes a long time for them to get.
Yes, hands contacted past vertical, so she got a score of 8.75. On the first vault, it didn't look like her hands hit at all, and I guess they gave no credit for that one. Maybe the too much power has nothing to do with it.
 
at my daughters meet this weekend I noticed they switched to the higher mat for her team but removed it for the other teams...I think most of the girls on her team would have this issue if they were using the lower mat!
 

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