WAG FHS Vault -- starting measurement?

[H.J.]

At her last meet DD (age 10, L5) scratched her first fhs vault attempt. She said her footing/pacing was messed up, etc., and I asked what she changed for her next attempt (she ended up with a good one, thankfully!). She said she didn't change anything. ... ? I mean, she obviously changed something but she wasn't aware of what it was.

I asked if she changed where she started (closer up, farther back), and she said no. Then I asked how she knew where to start at each meet and she said she doesn't; she just picks somewhere. She knows at practice where to start but only b/c there's a tape line (scotch tape) there. The tape measure ends at 50 ft. on the runway at her gym and she's quite a bit farther back than that but she doesn't know how much farther; she just looks for her scotch tape line. In other words, at a meet, she doesn't know what number to start at on the tape measure (which I assume all meets have set up?).

I asked the coach about this, figuring DD had been told "her number" but just didn't remember, wasn't listening, etc., but the coach said "we don't really care where they start -- it's just a FHS." She said they make sure the girls throwing more difficult vaults in the upper levels know their number, but she just shrugged her shoulders on the starting point for L7 and below. I was surprised by her response, but I know so little about gymnastics ... so I'm wondering, is this typical? Do your gymmies who do FHS vault have a start measurement or do they just sort of eyeball it?

Thanks!

 

[gymisforeveryone]

Could she bring an own tape measure to the practice and measure her starting point? It sounds a bit weird that the coach is not willing to find this out. Maybe the group is large and it would take too much time to measure everyone's starting point, I don't know. Knowing the number makes a difference, even in the lower levels. I don't bother measuring the run until after a few months of training the lower level vaults but before meet season I measure every gymnast's run and give them the number. They all have to take 9 or 11 steps and start with the same foot and hurdle from the same foot. If they get better with the run we adjust the number.

 

[Flyaway]

My dd (level 4) knows her number. I would think it would matter for hurdle timing, regardless of level?

 

[Ali'sMom]

That would bother me...
My daughter (14 year old L6 repeater) had some problems this season with her runs. Before this season, she'd never balked on a vault run. Out of 4 meets, she had 3 meets that she balked on the run. We had her meet for a private with the coach to figure out what had happened this year (growing 6" over the summer, without any tumbling or hard landings due to injuries,,, and nothing had been adjusted).
She knows EXACTLY where she's supposed to start. And now it's branded on her forehead "11 hurdle 12". If she doesn't take a deep breath and focus on counting when she runs, she misses it. So her last "step" is 11, she hurdles, and number 12 hits the springboard. If she can't do exactly that, it's not happening...

 

[H.J.]

Could she bring an own tape measure to the practice and measure her starting point? It sounds a bit weird that the coach is not willing to find this out. Maybe the group is large and it would take too much time to measure everyone's starting point, I don't know. Knowing the number makes a difference, even in the lower levels. I don't bother measuring the run until after a few months of training the lower level vaults but before meet season I measure every gymnast's run and give them the number. They all have to take 9 or 11 steps and start with the same foot and hurdle from the same foot. If they get better with the run we adjust the number.

My dd (level 4) knows her number. I would think it would matter for hurdle timing, regardless of level?

I know -- that's what I thought. Thanks.

 

[2gymkids]

My L4 knows where to start running/starts at the same place each time.

 

[H.J.]

That would bother me...
My daughter (14 year old L6 repeater) had some problems this season with her runs. Before this season, she'd never balked on a vault run. Out of 4 meets, she had 3 meets that she balked on the run. We had her meet for a private with the coach to figure out what had happened this year (growing 6" over the summer, without any tumbling or hard landings due to injuries,,, and nothing had been adjusted).
She knows EXACTLY where she's supposed to start. And now it's branded on her forehead "11 hurdle 12". If she doesn't take a deep breath and focus on counting when she runs, she misses it. So her last "step" is 11, she hurdles, and number 12 hits the springboard. If she can't do exactly that, it's not happening...

Thanks! So she knows both her starting measurement and then she also counts her steps in her head? I'll have to ask my kiddo about that. Honestly I never know if she pays close enough attention to stuff like this; with most things, for all I know, she's been told a thousand times but just didn't internalize it.

 

[H.J.]

My L4 knows where to start running/starts at the same place each time.

At both practice and meets, right? Thank you!

 

[H.J.]

Could she bring an own tape measure to the practice and measure her starting point? It sounds a bit weird that the coach is not willing to find this out. Maybe the group is large and it would take too much time to measure everyone's starting point, I don't know. Knowing the number makes a difference, even in the lower levels. I don't bother measuring the run until after a few months of training the lower level vaults but before meet season I measure every gymnast's run and give them the number. They all have to take 9 or 11 steps and start with the same foot and hurdle from the same foot. If they get better with the run we adjust the number.

I was wondering about having her just measure it out herself too, but I feel weird about doing that after her coach just shrugged her shoulders about it. Like we'd be undermining her. I guess it's not like she explicitly said not to, but ...

 

[Ali'sMom]

Thanks! So she knows both her starting measurement and then she also counts her steps in her head? I'll have to ask my kiddo about that. Honestly I never know if she pays close enough attention to stuff like this; with most things, for all I know, she's been told a thousand times but just didn't internalize it.

Yup! She starts at 64. She counts "11 hurdle 12". And the back of the springboard is 2 feet from the table. (I don't know exactly what that means, but SHE does).
But please note: She's SUPPOSED TO count in her head. She's always so anxious at meets that sometimes she needs to be reminded to take that breath and focus and count. And the difference is totally obvious - LOL!

I was wondering about having her just measure it out herself too, but I feel weird about doing that after her coach just shrugged her shoulders about it. Like we'd be undermining her. I guess it's not like she explicitly said not to, but ...

You could have her find the spot at practice that she starts from, and have her walk how many steps it is to the 50 mark (or whatever she normally sees at the meets), and then at a meet she could go to the 50 mark, and then take that many steps away. So, sort of measuring, but not in a sense that you're undermining the coach.

 

[gymmomx2]

Not typical or safe IMO. They are running at full speed toward an immovable object then hurtling themselves upside down over it. I don't understand how the coach expects them to do this well without knowing from where to start the run DD knows her mark and uses it during training and at competitions, this is since L1. She also knows the number of steps before she hurdles.

 

[duyetanh]

You bet she should know her measurement. Mine knew hers, and always has.

 

[ayyyrial]

I always knew my approximate starting place - I'd adjust it on my own during practice if I felt like I was coming in too close or too far, but I knew what it was. I don't think it mattered as much for the vaults over the resi mat during old L4, but after that we definitely all had a starting place. The springboard is a small target to hit at high speed...you want to make sure you are hurdling in the right place, which also means starting your run right.

 

[SMH]

My 7 yr old level 3 that does 'just' a handstand flat back has a start number that she knows. (57) She also knows to 'subtract 12' at meets. I'm assuming that has something to do with how everything is set up.

 

[amiandjim]

Yeah I just asked my level 2 and she know both her number and how many steps she is supposed to take.

 

[suebee]

Huh. My dd said she messed up her steps at a meet recently, but I did not notice it. Her vault looked the same as usual, which is not that great (FHS vault has been challenging for her). I've seen the coach make a mark for her to start her run from, but I don't think she counts steps. I've asked her before, but now will have to ask her again.

 

[2gymkids]

At both practice and meets, right? Thank you!

Yes, at both. She says there's always been a tape at every meet she's been to (except one at a very small gym) and she knows her number so she knows where to start.

 

[MILgymFAM]

My ODD has known where to start each of her vaults- flat back, fhs, new weird one (1/4 on/off or something like that). The last coach she had actually assigned numbers to the girls for where he felt they show their best. Even my YDD, who never made it out of rec in artistic but learned a fhs vault, knew her number.

 

[Mish]

Yes, my dd knows her number (65.6) and said there's a measure at every meet. She said she does not count her steps.

 

[raenndrops]

Our girls all know their numbers, but if their steps are off, they will adjust on the fly. After time off or a growth spurt, they regauge by running from the springboard sweetspot and doing a hurdle at their "end" where they end up is their new number.
If the coach notices the tape measure is off from ours at a meet, at the beginning of vault warm up, they all do this to find their start number for the day.
Our coach also uses a Velcro strip "last step"reminder for girls that need a visual reference... Which is about half of them and HC knows where it needs to be for each girl (most have it the same place, but a few have it a couple inches closer to the springboard or up to 10 inches farther away). One girl will mess up if the line is down anywhere, so she is either first or last.
Good luck to your DD.