April 19, 2011
The reverse hecht is a complex skill where the gymnast swinging up on the back giant direction suddenly must be able to change this directional motion and release the bar flipping on the opposite direction. Any drill that can help an athlete to begin understanding and reverse it toward a front flipping action is enhancing the approach to eventually master this release. This incline mat drill can be used as an early stage introduction to the reverse hecht.
April 19, 2011
This tumble track drill is another possible introductory approach to some of the reverse hecht technical actions. The gymnast's goal is to fly back toward the resi-mat at the same time that her body stands up and aims to create forward rotation. As the athletes improve their drill understanding they can focus on details such as establishing visual contact and placing their hands on the edge of the tumble track. Since a great reverse hecht must show a whole hips and body turn over beyond the pancake position, it is wise to combine this drill and the incline mat drill with some other drills that emphasize other reverse hecht actions.
April 19, 2011
Although the gymnast demonstrating the drill has not mastered all its technical details correctly and is still showing too much pancake position, the final goal is to turn over forward the whole body in one single unit with the straddle legs moving backwards and closing without the gymnast getting stuck or exhibiting a very deep pancake.
April 19, 2011
These two reverse hechts were performed by a junior elite gymnast still in the process of learning the skill. He misses the first turn and catches the second, and it seems that one of the main differences between both attempts was related to the direction of the arm throw to begin the flying phase.
April 19, 2011
When athletes miss their reverse hecht releases, if possible, they must aim to land flat and try not to use their arms which can result in an injury to an upper limb bone or joint. Check how this gymnast aims for a proper whole body flat landing.
April 19, 2011
These are a few video examples of pike reverse hechts performed by junior athletes starting the skill. Regardless of the body position, all great reverse hechts require a sudden stop after the tap kick to a candle stick. Gymnasts should demonstrate high straddle hechts before mastering pike and layout hects.
April 19, 2011
Besides the larger amount of power required to perform a layout reverse hecht compared to a piked reverse hecht, the main difference between both skills is given by the way the bar is cleared during the flying phase. A true layout hecht clears the bar in a straight or hollow position without exhibiting any obvious hip flex.
February 3, 2011
To learn this uneven bar release the gymnasts first must develop powerful and consistent free hips to handstand. Still - The shoulder angle opening becomes a dynamic body throw as the bent wrists straighten while the hands release the rail. Still 2 - Notice how the wrists shift is combined with letting go of the bar so the body weight never settles on top of the rail which will kill the flying momentum. Still 3 - During the release initiation the center of mass must be on the side of the low bar closer to the upper rail. Notice also how the visual contact is already established at this point. Still 4 - And continuous through the whole flying phase. The amount of piking when swinging down should be just enough for the feet to clear the low rail. 2nd clip - This gymnast is still in the process of refining the skill and needs some improvement on her flying phase to diminish the amount of pike down. Check another one of her shaposnikova examples where she is also practicing shoot over timers in preparation to combine both skills.
February 3, 2011
In this spotting approach the coach is assisting from the opposite side of the gymnast's free hip initiation and helping to assure that the athlete has enough flying momentum toward the upper rail and that her body, legs, and heels do not hit the lower bar. To be able to help the gymnast move over, he is standing on a block of adequate height so he can effectively reach her closer arm and her lower back. He also has properly placed extra mats under the bar to minimize any fall if she misses her upper bar re-grasp. Before a gymnast progresses to this learning stage, they must know how to perform the flying phase clearing a single rail and landing on a loose foam pit. Also, during that earlier stage the coach spots heavier until he is sure she is clearing the bar with a great degree of proficiency.
February 3, 2011
Before any athlete starts learning a Shaposnykova release to catch the upper rail, or a Hindorf, they must demonstrate a consistent ability to perform powerful free-hip handstands. Once they have proven they are capable, they can begin training this drill where the goal is to finish the free-hip with an open shoulder angle and the center of mass slightly beyond the vertical support.
