Coaches Leg Lift Issues

[coachmolly]

We have a requirement that girls be able to do at least 5 leg lifts unassisted before they can begin working spotted glide kips (they can do spotted drop kips & all the other kip drills), and I have 2 kiddos- both otherwise strong kids- who can not do a leg lift. One can maybe manage 1 or 2, the other cannot get her toes to the bar at all. Both can do a static L-hang and toes to the bar hang for at least 20 seconds and are proficient at v-ups, but the act of putting it all together is a problem. Both are slightly more limited in flexibility than their teammates, but tremendously improved- could there be some kind of mobility issue going gone here? We have been working lots of hip and hip flexor stuff, and both are weaker in that area. Any ideas for supplemental work I can add to their conditioning program?
One of them can do drop kips with a very light spot and is otherwise very strong, but something about putting her toes to the bar is just not happening. Curious to know if any other coaches have seen this issue and what can be done to work through it?

 

[Jenny]

It is a basic I insist on - being able to do 2 sets of 10 good leg lifts. However yesterday I saw a girl who can upstart cast handstand fail to do 2 leg lifts to the bar..........

I would maybe do them lying down to start with and then on an incline and then on the bar allowing a little arch to start with and then from dish shape. Maybe spend a little time on sitting pike fold? Straddle half lever holds and presses to handstand.

When they do their toes to the bar hang are they closing their shoulders instead of using core muscles?

 

[marie83]

However yesterday I saw a girl who can upstart cast handstand fail to do 2 leg lifts to the bar..........

Haha I helped 'tutor' the level 1 coaching course that a group of the British squad girls did just before the 2012 Olympics - 1 of those girls (who made the Olympic team I might add) couldn't do 1 pike leg lift!!

 

[Jenny]

Maybe it is not so essential then !

 

[marie83]

Maybe it is not so essential then !

It still shocks me now when I remember it! All of our gymnasts have to do leg lifts pretty much every session in various warm ups/ conditioning, including the top ones!

 

[gymdog]

They need to lay on the ground and do leg lifts overhead with good form and keeping their back on the floor as much as possible. My guess is they have no pike compression and when they hold toes to the bar it isn't with their shoulders shrugged down and open.

 

[Aussie_coach]

99% of the time our prerequisites are accurate and then every now and again a kid comes along who is a little different. Some flexibility is needed in our coaching occasionally.

 

[coachmolly]

They need to lay on the ground and do leg lifts overhead with good form and keeping their back on the floor as much as possible. My guess is they have no pike compression and when they hold toes to the bar it isn't with their shoulders shrugged down and open.

That was my inkling, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something bigger. We have added a few newer girls to the team who are working leg lifts on the ground, so I have the other team girls doing them as well now. Hopefully that will lead to some progress. Thanks!

 

[coachmolly]

99% of the time our prerequisites are accurate and then every now and again a kid comes along who is a little different. Some flexibility is needed in our coaching occasionally.

I whole heartedly agree! There have been a few occasions when I have found myself making an exception for a prerequisite based on the needs of the child. I think I would be willing to waive this one for one of these kids were they able to show me readiness in other ways, but that has not been the case thus far- because the ability to get your toes to the bar for a kip is sort of important. They do work glide-spotted toes up to the bar at this point which are still a struggle. So if they somehow improved massively on those and still couldn't do 5 leg lifts, I might budge.

 

[gymdog]

That was my inkling, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something bigger. We have added a few newer girls to the team who are working leg lifts on the ground, so I have the other team girls doing them as well now. Hopefully that will lead to some progress. Thanks!

Make sure they keep as much as their back on the floor as possible - that will help.