split/straddle jumps

[emm'sgymmom]

My dd is struggling with split/straddle jumps. She doesn't get up into a full split when she does a split jump on beam, and her straddle jumps need some improvement. Any suggestions? She was doing them on her tramp with leg weights, but it is getting colder and that isn't an option any longer.....unless she doesn't mind freezing (which she DOES). Thanks.

 

[marie83]

At our gym we put the girls into groups of 3.
Assuming the gymnast is doing the split jump with her left leg in front:
Have the 'jumper' stand up. Have one partner kneel down on her right hand side, just behind her and the other parter knees down on her left hand side, just in front of her. Each partner holds out their arm and the 'jumper' has to try to kick each of the partner's arms with their legs - We have a rule that if a gymnast is about to kick you hard you move your arm out of the way but tell them that they made it! So far nobody has been hurt doing this - sometimes just in case we only get adults to hold their arms out!

If you don't fancy this one, get her to do lots of leg kicks forwards and backwards, holding onto a chair or similar. Encourage her to keep her body upright.

when she is jumping into her split jump, make sure she is using her arms - I don't know if there is a specific action she needs to use, but here it tends to be coaches preference and I prefer the gymnasts to start with their arms by their side and swing them up to their ears for a split jump as it helps to get more air time.
Also tell her to concentrate on lifting her back leg up.

Good Luck!