Hello
Coach Wayne,
My 8 year old daughter takes gymnastics, likes it, but she has a fear
of hurting her back while learning too do a back bend. Could you please
help her get over her fear of this? THANK you. From BECKY and SARAH Ross.
Becky
Fear
and discomfort are very common while learning skills such as walk-overs
and limbers. Just as muscular strength may or may not come easily for
some of us, flexibility ALSO may or may not come easily. The following
are a series of exercises are designed to be practiced in the home
environment to increase back flexibility and strength. They will help
you accomplish your front and back-walk-overs & limbers or arch-stand
kick-overs.
~Coach Wayne's simple
back strength & flexibility
exercises:
- Lay on your back on the edge of a bed or couch with
your head and arms hanging off. Then GRADUALLY slip off the bed
until your hands touch the floor. Just slipping off slowly is
FUN, but here's the good stuff.
- Once you're hands are beginning to support you,
simply straighten your arms COMPLETELY at the elbows and look at your
hands with your eyes.
- Now bend your arms and let your head touch the floor,
then STRAIGHTEN them again so it's a type of "push-up" but
the back muscles are working too!
- For MORE fun...slowly...bend your knees so that
your feet are flat on the bed. Then... push UP into an arch stand..
feet UP on the bed.. hands DOWN on the floor. THEN try the "push-up" exercises
(10-20 reps)
- If that's too simple... lift ONE let straight into
the air.... then switch legs (like a split).
- Lay on your back on the edge of a bed or couch with
your head and arms hanging off. Then GRADUALLY slip off the bed
until your hands touch the floor. Just slipping off slowly is
FUN, but here's the good stuff.
- Once you're hands are beginning to support you,
simply straighten your arms COMPLETELY at the elbows and look at your
hands with your eyes.
- Now bend your arms and let your head touch the floor,
then STRAIGHTEN them again so it's a type of "push-up" but
the back muscles are working too!
- For MORE fun...slowly...bend your knees so that
your feet are flat on the bed. Then... push UP into an arch stand..
feet UP on the bed.. hands DOWN on the floor. THEN try the "push-up" exercises
(10-20 reps)
- If that's too simple... lift ONE let straight into
the air.... then switch legs (like a split).
and...MORE great exercises for your back from
CoachWayne.com
The PRIMARY element for being able to kick-over from
an arch-stand is SHOULDER/UpperBack flexibility & strength. Here
are some more ways to improve your shoulder flexibility.
- Lay flat on your belly... arms stretched out straight
over your head. This is called a "Back-Arch-Rise". You
may want to slip your feet under a heavy piece of furniture or have
a partner hold them down. Now, hold a BOOK between your hands. Now..
lift the book off the floor but keep your NOSE ON the floor. Hold
the book as high as possible for 5 seconds... relax to the floor. Repeat
that a dozen times. NEXT: Lift the book.. AND your head... AND
your shoulders off the floor. Lift the book as FAR as possible... your
ribs and even your belly may come off the floor. That's great! Keep
your eyes open and LOOK behind you. Try and touch the book to
your feet.. and look at your feet. When you've lifted (arched)
as far as possible, HOLD that position for 5 seconds... then relax
again to the floor. Repeat that a dozen times.
- Lay with your back on the floor. You are going
to be performing a "Modified" back arch-stand... also called
a "back bend". You'll be pushing UP onto your hands
and feet from that position. Bend your elbows.. and place your hands
flat on the floor underneath your shoulders with your fingers pointing
towards your feet. Bend your knees... place your feet together
... with your feet FLAT on the floor. Now, without moving the
hands or feet, STRAIGHTEN both the elbows and the knees. This
should LIFT your body off the floor. Relax your head backwards
and look at your hands. Stay up for a count of 10 seconds...
then relax to the floor and repeat 20 times. Ideally, your knees
and elbows should be completely straight. (but that's pretty advanced.) Remember
to FOCUS the pressure/stretch into the SHOULDERS! They should
feel the stress. There's no need to attempt to kick over.
Now the MODIFICATION:
You'll be performing the same arch-stand, only this
time you'll start with your feet elevated. Your buttocks will be almost
touching the front edge of the couch. Place your feet up on the
hard front edge of your couch.. About 8-12 inches high should be adequate.
Now push up into the back arch-stand again.. but this time your feet
are not on the floor.. they are UP off the floor ... so your sort of
standing on the very edge of the seat of the couch.
NOW... here's what is important... Push up as HIGH
as possible in the arch stand (back-bend) and keep your hands as close
to the couch as possible. As your knees straighten up you'll feel more
and more of the weight of your body on your hands... and off your feet.
Keep opening the chest and shoulders... arching harder... with the elbows
perfectly straight. Push your head out.. so your nose is as far in front
of you head (away from the couch) as possible. Go as far as possible
(again emphasizing the stretch/stress in the shoulders) HOLD for 5 seconds...
then relax to the floor by bending the elbows and knees... returning
to the beginning position. Repeat a dozen times.
Practice those exercises.. for another week... maybe
10 days. Shoulder flexibility is something that may require a few weeks
to attain. Try those now and let me know what problems/questions arise.
Yet MORE "EXCELLENT Walk-Overs" Exercises from www.CoachWayne.com
PLEASE READ ALL these instructions COMPLETELY before
beginning this exercise. Think them through FIRST, then perform them
accurately, adjusting for your individual body limits and circumstances.
- Stand with your back against a wall. (a closed door
works well too).
- Take ONE step forward.
- KEEP your feet in a STRIDE position with your
knees as straight as possible.
- Hold your ARMS high over your head, elbows straight,
arms narrow so your thumbs touch each other.
- Look at the ceiling.. then tilt your head
backwards until you can see the wall behind you.
- Touch the wall behind you with your hands. Keep
your arms as narrow as possible and VERY VERY far back (down behind).
- Relax your head back & STAY in that position
for 4 LONG breaths, relaxing your back and hands LOWER on the wall
with each breath.
- Bend your FRONT knee to stand, keeping your back
arched as LONG as possible and bringing your head/arms back up LAST. All
the weight should MOVE to your FRONT LEG. REMEMBER to LOOK AT
YOUR HANDS!!! Keep your chin up and head BACK to encourage arching.
- Each time you repeat this (5-10 times) begin standing
FARTHER away from the wall (move forward one or two inches at a time) & eventually
you'll be able to lay your hands on the floor or grab the BACK of your
foot!
- At advanced levels, the entire exercise is performed
standing on ONE foot only with the front leg being held (knees straight)
as high in the air as possible.
***NOTE*** In this exercise,
to PROTECT and SUPPORT the LOWER BACK... you should TIGHTEN / SQUEEZE
your BUTTOCKS and HOLD THEM in a tightened condition. There should be
NO pain, but a bit of general "discomfort" may be expected.
Be sure to warm-up and stretch the back muscles BEFORE and AFTER this
exercise. Remember, strong abdomen/chest/hip muscles are needed
to balance out strong back muscles.
SPOTTERS NOTE!!! A
hand, placed lightly on the gymnast's back should help stabilize and
control a gymnast. Maintain VERY light pressure, enough to perform these
functions.
- Minimize lateral (sideways) or twisting motions. (a
second hand, at the hip bone or sacrum, may help) You should
NOT be HOLDING the gymnast's weight. Let HER hold herself.
- To help prevent "falling" until
the muscles/brain learn to coordinate & balance & control THROUGHOUT
the entire movement. Usually only needed for a few of the first 10
repetitions.
- To help the gymnast "sculpt" and
shape the curving bend of the back. By moving your hand up
and down the entire spine lightly, a "brushing" /probing
with the fingertips, you help the gymnast identify muscles & vertebrae
/ ribs which are, or are not, being used.
These important concepts, and MANY others, are reviewed
in my "Better Back-Handsprings" video. Order your now at www.coachwayne.com/webstore/index.php.
As always, I welcome your comments and concerns. Please send your
email questions to: Coach@CoachWayne.com and
YES I really do answer ALL the questions I can, personally.
Until next time...
Have fun, be safe... and PUSH HARD!!!
~Coach
Wayne!
Have fun, Be safe, Push HARD!
~CW
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Coach
Wayne is the Head Coach for the Savannah College of Art and
Design Cheerleading team and Executive Coach of Olympic Gymnast
Zuzana Sekerova. His articles, videos and books have been
used by students and instructors world wide since 1991. Coach
Wayne is available for in-gym instructor training and performance
tumbling clinics throughout the year. For booking information,
coaches/owners should call 912.398.8082. Students and parents
should request coaches/owners to contact Coach Wayne: www.CoachWayne.com,
coach@coachwayne.com or 912-238-1747, 912-398-8082.
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