WAG getting closer to manna

[leotardmakermum]

My daughter (9 yrs) and I were discussing her beam work this morning. She's been working on a pike press to handstand returning to manna, for months and months. She said she can do all the pike press to handstand bit just fine, and her manna is getting closer to horizontal. With her arm, she indicated that her manna is at about 30 degrees from horizontal.

I asked her how much of it she has put together, as opposed to working all the different parts separately. She completely surprised me by saying it is all together, she just needs to get the manna to horizontal and hold it there for five seconds. She's currently on the low beam, so then she'll need to move it up to high beam.

I haven't asked her about it for ages, so it was a big surprise to hear she is so much closer now! I believe this is a D or E skill once she's mastered it.

I love hearing about her progress. Celebrating each little step along the way is such fun for her and us! And I think she loves amazing her mother... ;-)

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

had to find out what a manna was on youtube! What a really cool skill! Congrats to your DD. She must be wicked strong to do that!!

 

[Fliptwisttumble]

Congrats! DD is doing a similar combo but to pike hold at the end. Mana to horizontal.... Wow!

 

[leotardmakermum]

Alex's mom, I think it is a combo of being strong, having a long torso and comparatively short legs, and being extremely flexible in the shoulders. Where she gets all that from, I have no idea...

 

[JMACAZ]

Wow, that is an impressive skill!

 

[luvmygymdtr]

That is an impressive skill. I'm always so in awe of these gymnasts. It's not about instant gratification, it's all about hard work and trusting that if they put the work in, they will get the result. I was not built that way. I'm glad my daughter was. And it most definitely sounds like your daughter was too. Congrats to her!!

 

[kitkat]

That is awesome. Lots of tummy muscles for that.

 

[kittycatcat5]

Wow that is amazing!
You will have to show a YouTube video soon!

 

[leotardmakermum]

YouTube video... Nice idea, but I don't think so. I'm not really into the whole idea of identifying my 9 year old publicly. And besides, I'd love to see it for myself before sharing it with the world!

 

[kittycatcat5]

Okay-sorry I was just suggesting....

 

[leotardmakermum]

No worries, Kittycatcat5.

 

[BlairBob]

Try straddled V sit to horizontal then closing legs.

Incremental steps.

Is she using a fingers back hand placement.

 

[leotardmakermum]

Thanks BlairBob. I have no idea what she's doing for it. All I know is that she's been getting closer and closer each time she practices. Slow and steady...

I just asked her about the hand placement, and she did one. She has her hands facing forwards. So I suggested turning them back and doing it again. She found that easier. Is that the desired effect? I suggested that she talk the hand placement over with her her coaches.

Then she tried the straddled V sit to horizontal (well, not horizontal on the polished wooden floors here at home!), and brought her legs together. (We assume you mean upside-down horizontal, manna-style, not normal L sit type horizontal.) We both wondered what that's supposed to do - is it a drill to help something? She said, "ask him." And so I am asking...

Thanks for your input! I wasn't actually expecting tips - bonus!

 

[profmom]

My DS also dearly wants to acquire a manna, all the more so after seeing Danell Leyva's in person at Nationals! He's been working it on parallettes. Don't know if that would help your DD or not, but he's gotten to the point where he can do it on parallettes with a light spot, which greatly helps with getting the hang of balancing it. (Like your DD, he wants to connect it to something else -- in his case, a press to HS on parallel bars and ultimately putting the manna on the floor when he reaches L8.)

 

[leotardmakermum]

Thanks for the reference of Danell doing it at US Nationals. I had a look at a few videos of him doing it (in other comps, not actually Nationals). It was interesting to see that he did the straddle version that BlairBob mentioned. I'd say Danell's manna is a work in progress because his wasn't horizontal yet in the videos that I watched!

My daughter is learning the manna because her coach saw one of the men do it at the Olympics last year and realised that one of her own tiny gymnasts had the strength to do it. So she put it into her program as a real challenge for her. Nothing like aiming high.

Set the bar low, and they'll reach it. Set it high and see what they can do!