WAG Bringing toes to the bar? (Glide kips)

[Hannahmariee00]

For a while now, I've been having trouble bring my toes to the bar on my kips! I always end up bringing my shins to the bar, or just end up stopping. I have a decent glide though. I know this can be due to the lack of strength, but I also think this is becoming a habit. Please help! Tips and conditioning exercises would be great

 

[fliptwisttwirl]

Leg lifts on bars and v-ups on floor. Windshield wipers on bars too.

 

[iwannacoach]

Glide kips are the most complicated basic movement in women's gymnastics. The problem you're describing could be from just one thing, like abs strength, or a number of things like.......

Extending by letting the glide's energy pull you straight instead of pushing your hips toward your toes as they (hips) begin to pass below the bar.

Forgetting/failing/ no knowing to lift your hips as a follow through to the extension so they can drop down a bit as you bring your feet to the bar, because there is sort of a down-up-down-up motion your hips travel through during the glide-bring your feet to the bar portion of a glide kip, and missing either an up motion or down motion will mess up the motion that comes next......... I'm suspecting this is the part of the glide where something's going wrong, probably from lifting your hips and holding them up too much as you (try to) bring your feet to the bar.

Letting your shoulders get stretched, at the end of the glide, beyond your ability to work with that much swing once the glide peaks and begins to move back toward the bar.

Fortunately, for you, it seems you have the hardest part of the kip already figured out and behind you. That's the part of deciding you want the skill, and are willing to do what it takes to get one.

 

[BlairBob]

Possibly look at pike flexibility and compression and tight hamstrings.

Ideally any gymnast of mine ready for glide kips can hold a hanging V position for 10 seconds and fast hanging leg lifts. They master a L hang before the V because of the necessity to learn how to glide with a nice shape and not arch their lumbar spine. And of course, hollow hold.

 

[CoachTodd]

From what I've noted, bringing you shins to the bar just means you want to cast out of your kip. It's all in the timing. Keeping the legs close to the bar is the important part. I'm with BlairBob. Flexibilty is usually the issue. Your core has to fight your hamstrings for control of the compression that makes the kip work. You might either need to work core strength or flexibility (or both) to help. You also need to make sure you are pushing the bar with your hands. Most gymnasts learning their kips pull on the bar in the middle of the skill and fall short.

 

[BlairBob]

Yes, my coach and friend always used to tell me it's pushing the bar not pulling on it. Good cue.