Parents Vault advice

[kaloss]

My dd is a new level 3 and just turned 6. She is a teeny tiny one and is struggling with vault. She is 41" and 38lbs, she can't seem to hit the handstand, she is kind of landing on the mats and doing a pike-press to a handstand then falling to a flat-back. Thats's with a spot. I think she just isn't getting enough power behind her to make it up and over. Is there anything we can do at home to help with her heel drive? I've watched some vaults and it looks like she is sprinting up to the board like she should. She just moved up to team in September, so vault is brand new to her, is it just going to take more time to get the whole process down? Thanks!

 

[GymnastMomX2]

When my now 10 year old DD moved to team she struggled with vault for a while. She's finally got the hang of it now. I'd just trust your coaches, she will get it with time.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

Vault is often a struggle for the tinies. My dd was 6 (old level 4) and the size of a 3/4 year old. That handstand vault -she could barely make it over the table (she did usaigc as well, for bronze level she did HS). At some point during her level 7 season (yes, it took that many years) something clicked and had her first (really good) good vault season. Last year, as a first year L9 she became Regional vault champ and took 2nd at States and Easterns with a yurchenko layout, the only girl on her team to do LO. She is still small- 4'10"

So... Patience... Vault will come!

 

[billise]

I agree. My DD is 6 (almost 7) competing level 3 also. Although she's bigger than your DD (48" and about 47 lbs.). Vault has been hard for her but it's coming along. I think it does just take some time for them to get the hang of it. It seems to take more coordination than I ever realized!

 

[kaloss]

I just worry because their first meet (mock meet) is in a month and her first real meet is early December. I just want her to make it over, at this point it doesn't even need to be pretty

 

[rjb123]

I remember last year being SO worried that DD wouldn't make it over on vault. She was 6 and fairly new to doing it (having been moved up in the spring). her first meet she literally did not make it over on ANY of the warm up vaults! When it came down to it though, she did great and actually scored like a 9.3. I guess a little adrenaline was all she needed to do it. LOL!

 

[gracyomalley]

DD 11 now competed for the first time as an 8 year old level 5(old). I left the room for all that seasons vaults! She was about 40 inches at the time...and the whole gym clapped the first time she made it over the table on her own - and she's a powerhouse with lots of upper body strength - table was set as low as possible, etc....She finally scored in the 9s at age 10 on vault. I haven't watched any Yurchenko work for the same reason.....but she's working them and will compete them next year (repeating 7 this year for fear reasons....not my fears LOL....)

Point being it will get there - trust the coaches, as long as they are spotting good vault technique in practices and she's safe (the level 3 vault is much less scary from a mom perspective I'd say....) the details come with practice and growth....DD is now no longer the smallest girl in the state at her level....taller than ONE! don't worry about scores this (or really any from a parent perspective) season...at 6 having fun, learning and being safe are the goals!

 

[htimcj]

They do get it eventually. I think there is a reason the FHS is the vault for three years! When DD was level 5 she was barely 4 feet and weighed about 40 pounds. She just couldn't get the spring from the board for anything! She has grown but is still little and vault is definitely still a struggle but it is SO much better than it was. Heaven help us when she starts learning Tsusk or Yurchenkos! I am NOT watching!

 

[kaloss]

DD 11 now competed for the first time as an 8 year old level 5(old). I left the room for all that seasons vaults! She was about 40 inches at the time...and the whole gym clapped the first time she made it over the table on her own - and she's a powerhouse with lots of upper body strength - table was set as low as possible, etc....She finally scored in the 9s at age 10 on vault. I haven't watched any Yurchenko work for the same reason.....but she's working them and will compete them next year (repeating 7 this year for fear reasons....not my fears LOL....)

Point being it will get there - trust the coaches, as long as they are spotting good vault technique in practices and she's safe (the level 3 vault is much less scary from a mom perspective I'd say....) the details come with practice and growth....DD is now no longer the smallest girl in the state at her level....taller than ONE! don't worry about scores this (or really any from a parent perspective) season...at 6 having fun, learning and being safe are the goals!

My DD is the smallest on her team, she's a little "sensitive" about it

 

[krisnkids]

It's just one of those things that eventually click. My older gymmie had a terrible time with vault, she was a lightweight forever, I think finally hit 40 pounds around 7. Her coach had a rule that if you can't compete all 4 events at the level you don't compete. My daughter kept begging to compete but still didn't have her vault but was solid on everything else. The coach gave in and let her compete 3 events. But then I had another little girl that I coached in mommy and me and kindergym who at 4 years old could do the level 4 vault, on the lowest of level 3 (old 4) vaulting system. She was tiny, maybe 30 lbs and just got it.

 

[Dahlia]

It's good to hear the vault will eventually "click". In dd's class they just do run, jump feet together off of the springboard onto a stack of mats. Dd just does not get it. I think it's because the springboard compresses maybe 1/16" when she jumps on it (she's around 30lbs), so she doesn't feel that "push" up. She tends to run, jump feet together onto the springboard, pause, and then jump onto the mat...

 

[raenndrops]

Depending on the type of couch you have (we have one that has a "chaise" end on it)... I used to have younger gymmie stand and practice jumping up to a handstand with her hands on it. Older gymmie was doing the same thing this summer (her choice - she wanted more power). It has helped both of them

 

[Sixmonkeyjungle]

My gymmie is a lightweight and had issues for awhile too. Her vault still isn't very competitive - highest she's scored is 9.25 but scores need to be much higher here to be competitive. But it isn't terrible. The thing that made it click for her was when a coach finally took a spring out of the springboard. She was able to feel how the vault should feel for an entire practice so when the springboard went back to normal she could work on approximating that feeling. Also she has said that for her the key was in the approach. She had to run much much faster than bigger girls to get the drive and momentum to fly over. Once she knew she needed to fly, she improved a lot.

 

[Kidsgym]

Keeping my hopes too for my little tiny gymnast , getting beter but still not flying thats for sure ...

 

[Tally Ho]

I too have a struggler with vault, although she isn't as small she has very powerful legs buts struggles with the heel drive upto a handstand, she is also 6, I have put it down to her age and think with a little more time it will just click even though I know it frustrates her

 

[Flipflopz]

My dd was training a Yurchenko (sp?) at 70 lbs. her size was an issue for her. But she kept at it and although still tiny in weight at level 10 (79 lbs) things are much better for her.