Landing Skills With Locked Legs

[coldasICE]

I recently just started landing doubles consistently again, but I've noticed that I lock my legs out when I land and don't land on my toes/absorb the landing properly. My question is, why is landing with your legs locked harmful, and how can I adjust and fix my landings so I'm not landing with my legs locked and can land my skills safely? I do make my double all the way around, and I'm usually not landing short, and have good height. Sorry if there's already a thread on this, I used the search bar but didn't see anything, and thanks for any tips, stories, etc.

 

[OMGitsMELANIE]

That's how I tore my ACL and meniscus. Always, always, always, ALWAYS land absorbing with your toes and knees! I did gymnastics for 14 years so it's like second nature for me to land correctly but it only took that one time. Making it a habit is futile. I honestly don't know how to give you advice on how to change your landing since it's mostly a mental thing. Sorry!

 

[coldasICE]

That's how I tore my ACL and meniscus. Always, always, always, ALWAYS land absorbing with your toes and knees! I did gymnastics for 14 years so it's like second nature for me to land correctly but it only took that one time. Making it a habit is futile. I honestly don't know how to give you advice on how to change your landing since it's mostly a mental thing. Sorry!

Im hoping I start to get more comfortable with the landings as I go, hopefully Ill get more used to doubling and begin to control my landing. Thanks for sharing your story

 

[Kel Kell]

I tore a hole in my patella capsule from landing with locked knees so now I can't tumble on anything except a gymnastics floor. I wish I would've listened to my coach when I was in high school. She suggested standing on a line with my arms up and jumping backwards making sure I landed on my toes.
You can also set up a folded mat and jump backwards off of it (just jump no flips or stuff) onto the floor and practice landing properly while traveling backwards. That was my main issue it might help you.

 

[Kelly Warren]

You have to becareful, because you can easily blow out and knee or worse trying bending your legs slightly when you land

 

[coldasICE]

Thanks so much you guys!

 

[INeverStopCheering]

Landing with legs to straight can also cause shin splints

 

[tumbleyoda]

The jumping off a panel mat/spotting block drill is a great one for creating the muscle memory on how to land properly. Increase height until the block/mat height is about waist high with the athlete. I also have the athletes do jump 1/2 turns and jump 1/1 turns (facing forwards and backwards) to make this correction. Old gymnastics coach in me wont let anyone start to twist until we have gone thru this step for a couple of classes or privates. There we would do the same jump drills of the vaulting horse/table in the beginners tumbling class.

I also teach my athletes to have soft legs when landing new skills. Meaning I don't need them to stick their landing while they are learning the skill. I need them to get understand what they are doing and make corrections. By absorbing the landing properly you minimize - not eliminate - the risk of these types of injuries. I have seen ACL's blown on locked legs doing BHS, so I make it a policy to teach it this way until they have attained a level of mastery of the skill and what it requires before working on sticking it.

Another thing to help prevent locked legs is to open your eyes when you tumble. Many athletes lock their legs because they simply have no idea when they are about to land because their eyes are closed. They just "feel" when it is time to land or as I overheard one coach teaching some kids to just keep spinning until the ground stops you :banghead: . Not the best advice.

 

[SparkleSpankies]

Another thing to help prevent locked legs is to open your eyes when you tumble. Many athletes lock their legs because they simply have no idea when they are about to land because their eyes are closed. They just "feel" when it is time to land or as I overheard one coach teaching some kids to just keep spinning until the ground stops you :banghead: . Not the best advice.

So true, open your eyes! If you wait for the floor many bad things can happen, esp when your eyes are closed. Those coaches shouldn't be allowed to coach!

 

[tumbleyoda]

^^^ Thankfully I don't believe that particular coach is coaching anymore. He was great with kids from a motivational aspect and spotting them, but in making technical adjustments and corrections he didn't get it and did not want to. He was definitely from the "keep on throwing it - even if it is wrong - till you get it" school of thought.

 

[coldasICE]

The jumping off a panel mat/spotting block drill is a great one for creating the muscle memory on how to land properly. Increase height until the block/mat height is about waist high with the athlete. I also have the athletes do jump 1/2 turns and jump 1/1 turns (facing forwards and backwards) to make this correction. Old gymnastics coach in me wont let anyone start to twist until we have gone thru this step for a couple of classes or privates. There we would do the same jump drills of the vaulting horse/table in the beginners tumbling class.

I also teach my athletes to have soft legs when landing new skills. Meaning I don't need them to stick their landing while they are learning the skill. I need them to get understand what they are doing and make corrections. By absorbing the landing properly you minimize - not eliminate - the risk of these types of injuries. I have seen ACL's blown on locked legs doing BHS, so I make it a policy to teach it this way until they have attained a level of mastery of the skill and what it requires before working on sticking it.

Another thing to help prevent locked legs is to open your eyes when you tumble. Many athletes lock their legs because they simply have no idea when they are about to land because their eyes are closed. They just "feel" when it is time to land or as I overheard one coach teaching some kids to just keep spinning until the ground stops you :banghead: . Not the best advice.

This is great info, thanks a ton!

 

[yojaehs]

This is great info, thanks a ton!

Also strengthen your legs, hams, quads, calves etc. Strengthening your legs will also help your control of your landings in addition to everything tumbleyoda said!

 

[BuegeSmalls]

One time I landed a standing tuck with my legs locked out on the spring floor. I basically landed, and then somehow ended up on my face/stomach because I bounced forward/up. It was weird.