Help With Kick Double Basket?

[lovely.lily]

Hey there everyone! I was hoping you guys had some tips or drills for kick doubles.

I have no trouble twisting; my pull for a single is a double and if I try for a double/more power, I can triple. But as soon as I attempt to kick, I start to flail. I can't seem to get even a tiny kick and when I do, its super ugly with my body turning into a V-shape of sorts. On our team we do doubles starting to the side and catching in the front, so its not so much that motion that bugs me but initiating the kick. Also I'm kind of confused to whether I should kick upright like a stretch or kick both legs out like a split jump.

Hopefully you guys can help. Thanks!
Lily

 

[GreenStormLucy]

Do you have the flexibility to kick controlled on the ground? I´ve seen many flyers being pretty flexible with their left leg, because they usually stand on their right leg und pull stretches with the left, but having not so much flexibility in their right leg.
You are asking about kick doubles - can you do a good kick single? Or do you struggle with it?

 

[lovely.lily]

Do you have the flexibility to kick controlled on the ground? I´ve seen many flyers being pretty flexible with their left leg, because they usually stand on their right leg und pull stretches with the left, but having not so much flexibility in their right leg.
You are asking about kick doubles - can you do a good kick single? Or do you struggle with it?

Yep. I have over-extended bows on each side, and can do a pretty good no-hands stretch on either for about 12-15 seconds. I definitely struggle with kick singles though.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Yep. I have over-extended bows on each side, and can do a pretty good no-hands stretch on either for about 12-15 seconds. I definitely struggle with kick singles though.

You really should master the kick single before even attempting a kick double. Higher skills won't just come without building a proper foundation. Perfection before progression!


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[littlemisscheerleader]

Kick doubles were killer for me when I first tried to do them lol...can you do a straight double, or a kick-arch basket? maybe it will help to learn them separately and then put them together. for kick doubles though, pretty much I just ride the basket high and kick my right leg straight up (kinda like a heel stretch almost if that makes sense?)

if you kick with both your legs, that's like doing a "toe-touch double" which IMO is much harder! (I almost died trying to do one lol. I guess baskets just aren't my thing maybe?)

but back to the kick double...after I kick I just sort of squeeze and twist my right leg over my left to spin around. (but I don't recommend making that a habit cause coaches will get mad at that since its sloppy looking...but I personally think that's the easiest way to do it)

 

[Coach_89]

I agree with luv2cheer92 you have to master the kick single. I have the girls do drills on the floor, a cheese mat, in the pit and then break it down in the basket.

You have to ride the basket in a hollow body position turning a 1/4 with your arms by your ears
Followed by your left arm dropping to the side ( initiating a quarter turn, while your right leg comes up, almost like its high fiving your hand. Its very important to keep your head to your chest.
When you drop your arm and leg to continue your turn make sure not to fold your body. Your feet actually cross until completion of the first turn.

This is my first time trying to type this out, so please bear with my explanation. Overall body positioning, and control is key. At the end of the day its physics.

 

[loverin46]

Last year, I wouldn't have ever thought I would get a kick double. I had a straight ride and that's it. The thing is, when I want something I don't give up until I get it. I have found that working on a trampoline helps the most with getting a kick double. Once you have a perfect kick single on the trampoline, it comes easy in a group. I have a video on youtube that shows the drills I used to get my kick double if you want to check it out!
this one is trampoline drills:
this one is at home drills:
hope I helped!

 

[DaniV]

@loverin46 Those are awesome, I'm going to have to share them with my athletes!

When I was learning baskets I had a super hard time with the kick. I did some searching and came across a similar thread and saved a couple comments in an email draft for when I had to teach them to my kids... So I cannot take credit for these but the three different ways of explaining it helped me a ton:

the key to a good kick double is in your initiation of your kick...
1. make sure you ride up ALL THE WAY
2. make your kick a "fan kick". your kick should look like you are kicking over something.
3. incorporate your kick into your initial spin. use the weight of your leg coming around to pull the first spin.
4. keep your head neutral in your kick. dont stick it out (that will make air resistance. and you want to cut through the air.)
5. pull nice and tight. pull into your pocket, not around your chest. the thinner you make your body, the better.
6. when you are finishing your first twist, look left over your shoulder and keep rotating your shoulders and hips at the SAME TIME!! if you pull one then the other, you will most likely land on your hip...
7. SQUEEEEZE at all times! if you are loose, you will not ride the release up to the top, and you have more of a chance to get injured on the catch.

hope this helps. this is what i teach when helping out with kick doubles.
for kick kick doubles:
follow the same directions.
just make sure the first kick is straight up and down, then the second kick is your "fan kick
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well the ride starts in the load in. make sure that you are on the balls of your feet. being flat footed on your bases will make the toss travel backwards, and being on your toes will force your shoulders to go forward. when riding the basket, ride with both arms by your ears reaching directly above you (dont worry about getting your toes in front of you to initiate the kick). when you are about to kick, reach just a second longer with your right arm and snap your left arm to your side (doing this will force the air underneath the left side of your chest to go underneath you, giving you more air time. this will also make your rotation begin.)
so the key to everything, is not to rush your ride. ride it until the very last minute STRAIGHT UP! do not try rotating your body horizontally in the ride, this should take place in your kick (when you snap your left arm down!)!!
hopefully this helps!! i used to have problems doing this too!
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Whenever more difficult skills have crazy breakdowns, I take it back to the basics. Do a beautiful straight ride. Really feel when you hit the top. (I'd normally work on straight twist baskets next, but it sounds like she has the twist down, and she just does that first, instead of kicking first, so in this situation, I'd probably work on the kick part, rather than the twist part.) Do a beautiful straight ride, kick at the top. Don't worry about the twist. Just get back to feeling when that kick is going to happen, at the top of the ride. Then add the kick full. It sounds like she's kind of freaking out in the air and forgetting the order of things, so reverting back to basics and doing it one step at a time until she rebuilds that muscle memory and confidence might help.

 

[lovely.lily]

Thanks for all the wonderful advice everyone! I've officially got my kick double now!
@loverin46 , I watched those videos like six billion times and have since passed it on to my Juniors; they're killing it their baskets now. @DaniV, thanks for the breakdown of the skill; do you have any advice for staying in one position in kick doubles?.My kick is super high now and my doubles clean, but I find I begin to rotate a little backwards, so when I'm coming down my head is lower than my feet. If anyone else has any advice that would be fantastic!