Another Standing Bhs Help!

[Carly H.]

HI, I know this is the like 2ooth post asking for help about my BHs, I am not scared whats so ever to throw my backhandspring, my problem is i go to high in my jump, and i can't fix it. As a result i can't properly land my handspring because of how my hands are hitting the ground. Any tips that will help me go back more in my jump?
thank you so much!

 

[cheerheart4life]

Think about stretching it out and making your handspring longer not higher. Focus on overstetching your shoulders when you swing your arms back.

 

[Matt Faherty]

Cheerheart4life has some good advice. I'm going to build a little bit on that response.

As you sit you need to begin to FALL back a bit. Notice I did not say "lean." There is a reason for that. When I tell people to lean back, their first response is to arch their shoulders back. This is NOT what you want to do.

Think of it this way. Do a straight jump. Picture as you sit and jump a straight line that runs through your shoulders, knees, and toes. At the top of your straight jump your hands act as an arrow pointing which way that line runs. As you jump your body follows that line and travels the way the arrow points. At the top of your straight jump your shoulders should be fully extended up by your ears and hips should be in line, but seem to stretch forward.

Now when we do a back handspring, we want to do the exact same jump as the straight jump. Only, we need to tilt that straight line from straight up and down, to a diagonal running up and backwards. Note that the line must remain straight when jumping, so you should NOT drop your shoulders, but instead keep your chest up and head neutral.

It is hard at first to learn how to sit for a back handspring correctly because if you sit into the correct position you will begin to feel unbalanced. People's natural reaction to this unbalanced feeling is to drop their chest to act as a counterbalance, and to rock back on their heels.

Try a straight jump again. But this time try jumping using only your heals... Go ahead. I will wait. ... ... ... can't do it can you? That's why it will be important to jump through your toes as we learn to fall back correctly into a back handspring.

One of the best ways to learn to jump back is to practice jump back drills onto a resi-mat. Or there is an amazing back handspring trainer called the boulder. I have also seen it called "the smarter spotter" and "the lemon" due to its shape.

Anyways, I hope this helps you out!
Best of luck fixing your back handspring,
Coach Matt

PS. Read my other work at Full-Out: Cheer & Fitness

 

[Nadair5]

Cheerheart4life has some good advice. I'm going to build a little bit on that response.

As you sit you need to begin to FALL back a bit. Notice I did not say "lean." There is a reason for that. When I tell people to lean back, their first response is to arch their shoulders back. This is NOT what you want to do.

Think of it this way. Do a straight jump. Picture as you sit and jump a straight line that runs through your shoulders, knees, and toes. At the top of your straight jump your hands act as an arrow pointing which way that line runs. As you jump your body follows that line and travels the way the arrow points. At the top of your straight jump your shoulders should be fully extended up by your ears and hips should be in line, but seem to stretch forward.

Now when we do a back handspring, we want to do the exact same jump as the straight jump. Only, we need to tilt that straight line from straight up and down, to a diagonal running up and backwards. Note that the line must remain straight when jumping, so you should NOT drop your shoulders, but instead keep your chest up and head neutral.

It is hard at first to learn how to sit for a back handspring correctly because if you sit into the correct position you will begin to feel unbalanced. People's natural reaction to this unbalanced feeling is to drop their chest to act as a counterbalance, and to rock back on their heels.

Try a straight jump again. But this time try jumping using only your heals... Go ahead. I will wait. ... ... ... can't do it can you? That's why it will be important to jump through your toes as we learn to fall back correctly into a back handspring.

One of the best ways to learn to jump back is to practice jump back drills onto a resi-mat. Or there is an amazing back handspring trainer called the boulder. I have also seen it called "the smarter spotter" and "the lemon" due to its shape.

Anyways, I hope this helps you out!
Best of luck fixing your back handspring,
Coach Matt

PS. Read my other work at Full-Out: Cheer & Fitness

This guy, knows what he's talking about. I looked over the answer, and couldn't find anything to critique, everything looks perfect. I''m Impressed.

 

[lovecheer13]

don't focus on getting height, stretch yourself out and make it longer. When you sit remember to sit like your in a chair so your almost falling backwards before you go.

 

[Carly H.]

Cheerheart4life has some good advice. I'm going to build a little bit on that response.

As you sit you need to begin to FALL back a bit. Notice I did not say "lean." There is a reason for that. When I tell people to lean back, their first response is to arch their shoulders back. This is NOT what you want to do.

Think of it this way. Do a straight jump. Picture as you sit and jump a straight line that runs through your shoulders, knees, and toes. At the top of your straight jump your hands act as an arrow pointing which way that line runs. As you jump your body follows that line and travels the way the arrow points. At the top of your straight jump your shoulders should be fully extended up by your ears and hips should be in line, but seem to stretch forward.

Now when we do a back handspring, we want to do the exact same jump as the straight jump. Only, we need to tilt that straight line from straight up and down, to a diagonal running up and backwards. Note that the line must remain straight when jumping, so you should NOT drop your shoulders, but instead keep your chest up and head neutral.

It is hard at first to learn how to sit for a back handspring correctly because if you sit into the correct position you will begin to feel unbalanced. People's natural reaction to this unbalanced feeling is to drop their chest to act as a counterbalance, and to rock back on their heels.

Try a straight jump again. But this time try jumping using only your heals... Go ahead. I will wait. ... ... ... can't do it can you? That's why it will be important to jump through your toes as we learn to fall back correctly into a back handspring.

One of the best ways to learn to jump back is to practice jump back drills onto a resi-mat. Or there is an amazing back handspring trainer called the boulder. I have also seen it called "the smarter spotter" and "the lemon" due to its shape.

Anyways, I hope this helps you out!
Best of luck fixing your back handspring,
Coach Matt

PS. Read my other work at Full-Out: Cheer & Fitness

Thank you so much!!