underswing dismount question

[k-dog]

Hi My daughter has her first L4 competion this weekend. I have a question about her underswing dismount. She has been working hard at this skill and is finally getting it. She can get good height and distance now. The problem is that she tends to throw her head out. Any tips on correcting this? When she tries really hard to keep her head in, she tends to pike more and loses her height/distance. I know that she needs to fix this problem, but since her first meet is in a couple of days, if she can't fix it by then, would it be better (score wise) to do a powerful dismount with her head thrown back or keep her head in and pike/have a weaker dismount? Hope this all makes sense!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

in the whole scheme of things it's not that important. keeping the head neutral while performing skills is very difficult, requires lots of time, and will be mastered eventually. coaches don't dictate when these kinds of things are mastered.

in the meantime, the coaches could have her put her leotard in her mouth. it's 1 of the tricks that we use but can be a bad idea if the child has braces.

the 2nd trick is to purchase one of those foam neck braces. you put it on backwards so that the high side is to the back of the head and neck. when they throw their head, they can feel their head pushing against the brace. this is called proprioception. if they can feel it they might be able to fix it.

 

[k-dog]

Thanks Dunno! Glad to hear its not that important. DD is thrilled that she is finally "flying" (her words) and was rather bummed when she found out that she has to keep her head neutral and couldn't do the dismount nearly as well. I will tell her to keep working on the head thing - maybe we will try one of your tips - but for her first meet this weekend she will be happy that she can just go ahead and fly!

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

she will get it. Good luck to her @ her meet. Hope she has a blast.

 

[JAO]

Underswing Dismounts - YouTube

 

[Kiwi]

Is she actually throwing her head back or is it flinging back because of the momentum? I've found it helps to pull my chin in (not down).

 

[k-dog]

Is she actually throwing her head back or is it flinging back because of the momentum? I've found it helps to pull my chin in (not down).

I think it may be due to the momentum-I will have to watch her a little closer. thanks!

 

[BlairBob]

In the barbell lift, the deadlift, there is a drill called "stacking the neck." It refers to something that Neil Resnick also showed me prior till I came across it in deadlifting.

Basically you pull your chin in but do not pull your head forward. The head stays neutral.

Think of how a chicken's head bobs forward and backward. Now duplicate it how it bobs backward.

 

[k-dog]

Thanks for the info BlairBob - I wiil have dd think of a chicken during her dismount - she will probably get more out of that than anything more technical that her coach tells her