Dive Back to Hollow

 

The Dive Back to Hollow is a prerequisite for Back Handsprings and other more advanced drills.

The Dive Back to Hollow will teach the gymnast to have the correct body position for skills that need more distance going backwards than upwards. This drill has a lot in common with the “Jump Up To Hollow“.

Objective

• Learn the correct body shape to maximize backwards momentum at take off.
• Learn to jump more backwards rather than upwards. 

Prerequisite

• Hollow
• Jump Up
• Jump Back to Hollow

Equipment

Soft Top Wedge

Execution

coming soon…

Stage 1 – Setup

Stand tall with arms straight above your head. Look straight ahead.

Stage 2 – Preflight

Bend legs a little as you fall back. Pivot shoulders a little forward as you fall back. Note: Make sure the gymnasts knees are behind there feet.

Stage 3 – Flight

Put your body into the hollow shape. Keep head in neutral position.

Stage 4 – Finishing

Land in the hollow position. Lower back should be the first contact point.

Spotting

It is important to remember a couple things when spotting:

• The coach should only spot, meaning they should not actually do the drill for the gymnast. Let the gymnast do as much as the drill as possible and do not help with more than what is needed.
• Spotting should be avoided. Only spot when gymnasts are learning new skills or for safety reasons. If a gymnast is having difficulty executing the drill then the coach should consider new drills that help the gymnast improve the area they have difficulties with.
• Spotting can turn into a bad habit for gymnasts. If gymnasts are being spotted all the time they will be dependent on a spotter and have a very hard time doing the skill when their is not a spotter (this is true for all skills and very common)

Spotting Method 1 – Knee Push Back

By placing a hand on the gymnast’s knee, the coach ensures that the gymnast falls back correctly. The coach should place their hand in front of the knee, but not touching! The idea for this spotting method is to tell the gymnast to fall back without touching your hand.

Common Mistakes

Coaches teach gymnasts how to do skills correctly, but most gymnasts learns how to perform the skill correctly when coaches corrects their mistakes. This is not wrong, this is actually how gymnasts learn. This being said, it is very important that coaches corrects mistakes all the time. If a gymnast continues doing the same mistake over and over then they will be good at doing that drill with that mistake and have a difficult time later correcting it.

• Always correct mistakes
• Correct the first mistake you see the gymnast do (even if it is before the actually drill, i.e. the gymnast forgets to stand tall with arms over their head)
• Correct only one thing (sometimes two if they are related)

Mistake 1 – Short Dive Back

A common mistake for gymnasts is that they bend their legs, so their knees are in front of their feet. This will result in a very short dive back and a loss of potential energy that could be used in the execution of the skill. At no point in this drill are the knee in front of the feet.

Mistake 2 – Not Landing in Hollow

The gymnast must not land completely straight. We want the gymnast to land in the hollow position, this means that the gymnast must go into the hollow position when they are in flight.

Warning

Any activity involving motion or height creates the possibility of accidental injury, paralysis or death. The equipment and instructional materials are intended for use ONLY by properly trained and qualified participants under supervised conditions. Use without proper supervision could be DANGEROUS and should NOT be undertaken or permitted. Before using, KNOW YOUR OWN LIMITATIONS and the limitations of the equipment. If in doubt always consult your instructor. Always inspect equipment for loose fittings or damage and test for stability before each use. We will not be liable for injuries or consequences sustained from the use of the instructional materials supplied by us. Use common sense!