Gymnasts Help and advice

[Gymnast_613]

I started gymnastics when I was 10 and im now in Xcel Silver.
I think I started to late but idk?? I feel like all the little kids on my tram are wayy better than me and I overheard some of my friends saying “I don’t know why shes on team, she doesn’t even have her BHS.” They might have been talking about one of the 2 other girls who don’t have their BHS yet but it doesnt really matter because that means they probably feel the same way about me. I really want to get my BHS but whenever I do it on the mat with a spot it feels so weak. I don’t know what to do and I have a round trampoline and I can do it well on there but I cant do it on my gyms long trampoline (the ones that are harder to bounce on) without a spot. I want to be able to move on to Gold and I think i have pretty much all the other skills but I need some advice. Sorry for the rant!

 

[GymnastGirlypop]

I don’t remember all of the tactics I used to get my bhs but I’m pretty sure I primarily used a cheese mat. What I would try is just getting your bhs on tumble track as good as you can and then either put a mat on the tumble track and do it that way or do it on an air floor/air track. Then you can move to doing it on the floor with a spot. Those are just a couple ideas. Good luck!!

 

[raenndrops]

Years ago (before Xcel), we had a girl on our team quit because she couldn't get her BHS. She came back a couple years later when there was Xcel. She still couldn't do a BHS a month before the first meet. She ended up learning a back tuck in that month and competed the RO-BT in Xcel Gold.

 

[Gymnast_Delia]

One of my friends has this. It could be so many reasons, but maybe it’s just because you’re used to doing it on a trampoline. How I got mine a few years ago, I started on a big mat and kept moving down (after I felt comfortable and with a coach). Until I did it on the floor.

 

[Mthegymqueen]

Things that helped me with getting my bhs was

- Doing one down a cheese wedge
- Back limbers (bwo with legs together the entire time)
- Practicing them with spots, on a bigger squishy mat, or a a trampoline/tumble track/air track

Im sorry about what the other girls are saying about and making you feel like that. That is NEVER ok, I think you should talk to you coach about it. But also dont think about what anyone says, its your own gymnastics journey.

Good luck getting your BHS and I hope this helps!

 

[LuluGymnast]

hi! I got my bhs a bit late too and here are some tips. Use a boulder to practice correct shapes. Use a wedge mat for more momentum. Practice handstand blocks to strengthen your shoulders to help you pop off of your hands in the bhs. Practice handstand snap downs and bridge shape. Do lots of standing bhs on your tramp until it’s perfected. Then in the gym have your coach spot less and less on the tumble track. Here are some things to remember about the skill: arms up and swing down while sitting on an imaginary chair. Push through your toes and legs and swing your arms up while jumping back and up. Make a bridge shape in the air and keep your arms strong and on your arms as you fall into a handstand, then snap your feet down far behind you. Those girls on your team are completely wrong and you definitely should be on team. You are completely capable of this and I know it!!! I know that WHEN you get your bhs it will be beautiful. I hope my tips help!

 

[HopefulGymnast]

I feel like all the little kids on my tram are wayy better than me and I overheard some of my friends saying “I don’t know why shes on team, she doesn’t even have her BHS.” They might have been talking about one of the 2 other girls who don’t have their BHS yet but it doesnt really matter because that means they probably feel the same way about me.

I see a lot of people giving tips for the BHS, but not much about this. so a few things.
1. I don't know how old you are, but it sounds like you and especially your teammates are pretty young. Some kids that age don't realise what they're saying is hurtful. If they're nice friends but this keeps happening and it bothers you, you could maybe tell them that it's kind of mean/hurtful. One day maybe they'll be stuck on their clear hip while everybody else has that, or who knows what else. Everyone has their own strong and weak points, and they're all on team for a reason. You know your friends best, so you know best if you can have this conversation with them or if that wouldn't work.
Which brings me to
2. I know it's easier said than done, but don't worry about other people's criticism. No matter how good you are, there will always be people who can find something wrong with it. You could be Simone Biles and you'll have people saying "her bar's isn't as good though". People criticising like that doesn't say much about you, just about them.
(I mean, definitely listen to constructive criticism like "point your toes more", but constructive criticism helps you improve.) You have your own strengths, and your own weaknesses, and that's the beauty of gymnastics. There's always stuff to improve, new things to learn. If you get your BHS, there'll be the next thing you don't have, because that's what learning and improving is. And that's okay.

Wow that got a bit long winded, I hope you can still take something good from it though.

 

[BluePinkPanda]

I'm so sorry for the comments being made.

Something that helps is practicing handstand blocks. You can do them balancing against the wall or not. They really build up the strength you need to block in a BHS.