Different Ways To Do A Front Punch?

I would stick with the method she will be asked to do in a routine. What do her cheer coaches teach?


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cheer25mom said:

I would stick with the method she will be asked to do in a routine. What do her cheer coaches teach?


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Thanks! Arms up method-- but the gymnastics coach says the arm swing method is better! So now I'm confused and trying to educate myself and decide if CP should learn a new method or not.

AnotherCheerMom said:

Thanks! Arms up method-- but the gymnastics coach says the arm swing method is better! So now I'm confused and trying to educate myself and decide if CP should learn a new method or not.

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Ask her cheer coaches what they would prefer.

AnotherCheerMom said:

Thanks! Arms up method-- but the gymnastics coach says the arm swing method is better! So now I'm confused and trying to educate myself and decide if CP should learn a new method or not.

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Sometimes better for gymnastics isn't better for cheer if it's something she is going to have to um learn later because no one else does it that way. A gymnast doesn't tumble with 20 other girls she needs to match technique with. I would definitely check with her coaches.


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Stick with what she can already do. If she has the skill solid and pretty one way there is no need to change it. The circle method is just one coach's opinion.

I've been a competitive gymnastic in the past and was also taught the arms up method. Honestly, ive seen way more coaches teach this method

MakeYourMark said:

Stick with what she can already do. If she has the skill solid and pretty one way there is no need to change it. The circle method is just one coach's opinion.

I've been a competitive gymnastic in the past and was also taught the arms up method. Honestly, ive seen way more coaches teach this method

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I appreciate your input, thank you!

In all fairness, the gymnastics method is probably the correct method and the one that will lead to a decreased chance of injury. The cheer industry has bastardized a lot of gymnastics skills for some reason (probably the perception that it makes the skill easier or prettier to look at). For years, the basic tumbling skill taught and appreciated by the cheer industry was the backhandspring. This progressed to the standing tuck. It wasn't until USASF came along and created levels that rewarded more basic skills that cheer even thought about teaching those skills.

So you've got generations of cheer coaches that are teaching skills using the jacked up techniques that their coaches taught them from the jacked up techniques that their coaches learned in their back yard.

On the flip side, the progression through skill sets in USAG facilities has been fairly standardized for many years.

OldskoolKYcheercoach said:

In all fairness, the gymnastics method is probably the correct method and the one that will lead to a decreased chance of injury. The cheer industry has bastardized a lot of gymnastics skills for some reason (probably the perception that it makes the skill easier or prettier to look at). For years, the basic tumbling skill taught and appreciated by the cheer industry was the backhandspring. This progressed to the standing tuck. It wasn't until USASF came along and created levels that rewarded more basic skills that cheer even thought about teaching those skills.

So you've got generations of cheer coaches that are teaching skills using the jacked up techniques that their coaches taught them from the jacked up techniques that their coaches learned in their back yard.

On the flip side, the progression through skill sets in USAG facilities has been fairly standardized for many years.

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Thank you for the input. We are trying to do the best with juggling cheer tumbling vs. gymnastics tumbling. We want our CP to have correct technique and not be a "back yard" tumbler. Cheer is a young sport so there are some shortcomings; and, like you say, there are many young tumbling coaches who are self taught. Our CP loves cheer, so as the parents, we are just trying to find the best way to overcome the shortcomings of an otherwise awesome sport.

The gymnastics coach confirmed that the "cheer" front punch method that CP already knows is a good technique, he just feels his technique is the newer, better one, which I don't doubt. But for now, we are sticking with what CP knows and is consistent with what other cheerleaders will be doing on the team. Overall, tumbling at the gymnastics center has helped her a lot and CP is learning how to keep legs together, toes pointed, and in general all the finer points of tumbling that makes it look good that is inherent in gymnastics based training.