underswing

[mado4]

Hi there,

my kids don't get the underswing. I tried to make them land on a mat but as soon as I don't spot their buttom hangs down. What drills can I do ? Help

Thanks already

 

[ryantroop]

Depending on how motivated your kids are, my suggestion is to present it as a thigh circle instead of an underswing. In my opinion, it is basically a lead up to free-hips. They need to learn to let their shoulders do the work, not their feet. That way, they are pushing the bar and staying hollow, not piking and dropping.

Would be interested in other coaches opinions too.

Ryan

 

[gymkat]

I assume this is out of a cast BHC?

I teach:
1. cast straight body BHC
2. cast BHC BHC (spotted and no spot)
3. cast BHC 1/2 BHC (stop in lever, thighs on bar-- keep them in a lever while correcting body shape)
4. cast BHC underswing (on LB, spotted)-- I alternate between #3 and #4 for awhile. I also do a very slow underswing, where I stop them in a lever and put them through the correct positions while showing them where to shoot their toes and how to open their shoulders

 

[fuzi]

I'm a fan of having gymnasts do lever holds (or candlestick holds) to learn the position. I find most L4s lack strength and body control, and this carries over to the L5 underswing to tap swings. I spot them at first, and eventually have them do them on their own.

 

[Linsul]

I wait to teach these until they can do 2 back hip circles in a row, ending in a tight front support with no pike-y hip angle for this reason! Drives me nuts, but they can't help it until they un-learn bad habits like the piked front support, throwing their head back, not engaging their core to get back to the front support with 'belly hang' on the bar, etc.

2 of my bar stations are usually hollow body drills. I like candlesticks, hollow body holds laying on the giant yoga ball, alternating between 10 hollow body rocks and 10 'supermans'...stuff like that. Lots of shaping.

Once they can do 1 cast + 2 back hip circles, I spot the second one as 2 halves. 1st half is under the bar, eyes on the toes, tummy tight, legs locked. They hold it about 3 seconds, then get popped over to their front support. When they can do that with no form breaks, I stack mats underneath the bar so that their toes *just* miss them if they're holding themselves properly through the skill. Make it a soft mat and spot it, they tend to bash the mat a few times with their feet before learning good form is their only avoidance.

Next I tell them to think of the underswing dismount as following a back hip circle and a half. The 2nd half being their dismount rather than a front support.
At first we practice them onto a mat about 2 feet below and 2 feet away from the bar. An underswing to a flatback essentially. I spot those until they can do it on their own. After 2 bar sessions of good tight releases, they can try for a stuck landing spotted.

Takes awhile, but worth it! The 'derriere drag' is a sneaky skill foe!

 

[mado4]

Thanks everybody for answering. The kids I teach are about 5/6 years old and we do the underswing from a standing position. The german levels are different than the american levels. They kind of don't get what to do with the arms and shoulders. They just bend their backs . It's the first time I have to teach this drill usually I teach more complicated drills and I feel a little stuck here. Most of them can't do a BHC. Any other ideas ?

 

[JAO]

Underswing Dismounts - YouTube