Gymnastics/Tumbling Moms - continuing working on front walkovers at home

[Ting Tang]

For well over a year, my daughter has been trying to learn to do a front walkover.  She took private lessons at the YMCA last year and a couple of summertime clinics.  She is now enrolled in a recreational gymnastics class, which is mostly tumbling and some bar/beam.  The front walkover is a supplemental dance skill that would be helpful to learn.  She just lands with her feet too far out and struggles to get up.  She's made progress, but it has been slow, and that is probably because it isn't practiced enough.  The class she is in does not focus on this skill; they do a bit of it but also cartwheels, back handsprings (for her, drills). 

I noticed the next session went up in cost by $20.  She has fun there, but it isn't her main thing, and I really need to take something off my plate.  It's also a 25-30 minute drive, and I already drive super far for her other lessons.  I need to decide this week whether or not to sign her up for it again.  

Do you think if we purchased a mat, it would be safe for her to practice at home, given she's made progress?  She does cartwheels and roundoffs.  I've run out of options as the YMCA doesn't have enough staff to teach her anymore (she was doing that while my son was in his class there), and there really isn't anyplace else without joining a competitive place just as far away.  The one dance studio discontinued tumbling during Covid and never got it back. I don't want her to get hurt.  There are many online tutorials, but I always thought that was frowned upon.  

Edited October 5, 2023 by Ting Tang

[Dmmetler]

How old is she?  How is her backbend and backbend kickover? That back flexibility is essential for both back and front walkovers, and what you're describing sounds like a lack of flexibility and not getting the needed arch.  If so, that's where you need to work. It gets harder as kids get older and less bendy. 

 

Do you have any cheer gyms? They usually have a LOT of tumbling classes, and since walkovers and variations are used a lot, they work them quite a bit in class-and won't work handsprings until the walkover is mastered. They also usually have flexibility classes. The one L did classes at did either punch card tumbling, where you paid for a set number of classes, or you could pay for unlimited classes per month, and had special classes for dancers that included some of the variations more common in dance. The cheer gyms here usually have coaches who JUST do tumbling classes, who have gymnastics backgrounds. 

[Ting Tang]

39 minutes ago, Dmmetler said:

How old is she?  How is her backbend and backbend kickover? That back flexibility is essential for both back and front walkovers, and what you're describing sounds like a lack of flexibility and not getting the needed arch.  If so, that's where you need to work. It gets harder as kids get older and less bendy. 

 

Do you have any cheer gyms? They usually have a LOT of tumbling classes, and since walkovers and variations are used a lot, they work them quite a bit in class-and won't work handsprings until the walkover is mastered. They also usually have flexibility classes. The one L did classes at did either punch card tumbling, where you paid for a set number of classes, or you could pay for unlimited classes per month, and had special classes for dancers that included some of the variations more common in dance. The cheer gyms here usually have coaches who JUST do tumbling classes, who have gymnastics backgrounds. 

This place is the only place that has cheer classes. We don’t have any competitive cheer programs local to us. 😞 She can do the backbend from standing and gets up. She stretches daily, too. She does illusions, laybacks, turning leg holds, etc. I was wondering if it might be a strength issue. She is 8, and she skyways needs reminding to feel her muscles and make them work.  I didn’t want her to have to learn tumbling while older, but at the same time, I keep throwing money at this, lol. 

Edited October 5, 2023 by Ting Tang

[Dmmetler]

Can she do a handstand into a bridge, and then stand up from that? Getting the right position on the bridge would help her feel where she needs to land for a front limber and front walkover. One of the exercises my kid did over and over was handstand to bridge, bridge kickover, just going back and forth until it was easy and automatic, and then backbend kickover, handstand to bridge to stand, Backbend kickover, handstand to bridge to stand. All the slow stuff before the faster front and back walkovers. 

They also used a smaller handspring trainer or a folded mat to teach positioning-here's where your hands go, here's where your feet land. 

 

FWIW, handstands, bridges, kickovers, and walkovers were about the last tumbling that my kid was told to practice at home. Anything involving unsupported hips over head was not to be done outside the gym until 100% mastered-and especially not on a trampoline or air mat outside the gym. 

 

[Ting Tang]

1 hour ago, Dmmetler said:

Can she do a handstand into a bridge, and then stand up from that? Getting the right position on the bridge would help her feel where she needs to land for a front limber and front walkover. One of the exercises my kid did over and over was handstand to bridge, bridge kickover, just going back and forth until it was easy and automatic, and then backbend kickover, handstand to bridge to stand, Backbend kickover, handstand to bridge to stand. All the slow stuff before the faster front and back walkovers. 

They also used a smaller handspring trainer or a folded mat to teach positioning-here's where your hands go, here's where your feet land. 

 

FWIW, handstands, bridges, kickovers, and walkovers were about the last tumbling that my kid was told to practice at home. Anything involving unsupported hips over head was not to be done outside the gym until 100% mastered-and especially not on a trampoline or air mat outside the gym. 

 

She says she can do that, but I’m honestly not sure how well. I was thinking of having her do these drills at home to help, but I certainly don’t want her to get hurt since I’m not trained. Her ballet teacher said she could help, but due to her back, she cannot spot. And she doesn’t have mats in her studio.