Timing is Everything! Audio on!
For real though, we show here a front twist progression ladder. The idea is to create the twist late in the skill so that you can appropriately punch and set your direction, work the first part of your flip to ensure proper dynamics and rotation and then you can initiate the twist. We want to see the twist as late as possible on each progression. So we start with a pike open to ensure that the twist is happening after the open of the flip. When that is super competent, you can progress to the layout versions of the twist. As you can see, this athlete shows a very late twist for the half, and then slowly moves the timing up a little bit for each subsequent half added.

I like to use the idea of waiting until the apex of the flip and the top of the rotation… so top of the arc of the flip and the point where the body is totally inverted… before the athlete initiates the half and the full. The rudii can be done at that timing but may need to start just a touch sooner for many athletes.

Build it late!

Also shown here are the @tumbltrak  T-Trainer and Air Floor Pro. We use these tools constantly to work our technique and skills to cut down some of the pounding wear and tear that can happen when you hard punch too often. Keep your kids healthy, don’t beat them up!

Hope these examples can help you and your athletes create their Best Darn Gymnastics!