All-Star Privates

[cmghas3]

I'm not sure if this is true but it is what I was told by a coach years ago when my CP's first started doing all star cheer.

They said that the most challenging levels to "perfect" are 1-2. They are the foundations on which other skills are built off of.
Where my CP's will talk about skills, practice, tumble, stretch each other and they will point out things to each other that I would never notice!!! I mean, I'm smart enough to know what a junky "tuck" looks like, but to look at one and be able to "pick it apart"! I tried to explain that the best I could.
I also look at it like this....I'm paying them to coach/train my CP's. So if there is an issue with anything I trust in communication. I'm still talking about privates. I'll give a great example...
We were at the same gym for years. We decided that it was time for a change. The owner of where we are at now evaluated my CP's. Now at this time oldest cp decided she was going to do HS cheer and middle cp was going to take a "break" and focus on cleaning up skills. Biggest regret! Especially since we are a small gym and there were no classes many times during comp. I solely depended on privates. CP's gymnastic coach videotaped some stuff for her to watch of her tumbling. Cp would point out "I need to do this different", ect.
I don't ever like to see CP's stressed out and I know if I questioned them up and down they wouldn't like it. I just trust the coaches and depend on them to let me know if there's an issue.

 

[vannahlexis]

I never got privates, just group tumble sessions with my team or just some friends at an open clinic.

I went to the same tumbling coach for 5 years, and I'm planning to go back to him soon for one last hoorah haha.

But anyway, he always had us condition according to the skill we were working on. He has conditioning charts by skill/target area on his website, and while you're waiting to be spotted you do those. He taught me all of my skills, and at one point I was pretty decent lol

But I really liked that he did that. I was so excited the first time he put me in the back handspring conditioning group lol

Annnd he gives out tshirts every time someone gets a new skill with the skill on the back which is so cute I think

 

[cheernerd5678]

I never got privates, just group tumble sessions with my team or just some friends at an open clinic.

I went to the same tumbling coach for 5 years, and I'm planning to go back to him soon for one last hoorah haha.

But anyway, he always had us condition according to the skill we were working on. He has conditioning charts by skill/target area on his website, and while you're waiting to be spotted you do those. He taught me all of my skills, and at one point I was pretty decent lol

But I really liked that he did that. I was so excited the first time he put me in the back handspring conditioning group lol

Annnd he gives out tshirts every time someone gets a new skill with the skill on the back which is so cute I think

What is his website? I always appreciate new drills or exercises that could help me!

 

[vannahlexis]

What is his website? I always appreciate new drills or exercises that could help me!

cheertstyletumbling.com :) he has tons of tabs at the top with lots of info

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I'm not sure if this is true but it is what I was told by a coach years ago when my CP's first started doing all star cheer.

They said that the most challenging levels to "perfect" are 1-2. They are the foundations on which other skills are built off of.

This is a pretty true statement, these are also the levels that are so often RUSHED past or skipped entirely.

Some gyms bring kids in (new to cheer kids, too) and immediately start them on a standing BHS and wonder why their kids are bailing, busting, and getting mental blocks all the time. They have ZERO foundational skills.

I can look at some level 3 kids and tell immediately who did not spend enough time on Levels 1-2.

See also: People forget that Level 2 consists of MORE. THAN. JUST. YOUR. STANDING. BHS.

You will not chuck you BHS and immediately move on to Level 3 skills.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Double posting, but I feel like one of the MOST COMMONLY SKIPPED/RUSHED levels is actually Level 4.

It happens a lot at gyms where they're super pressed to form a Level 5 team. It's ALL about the almighty full/double.

Kid chucks a super low janky layout once and BOOM, next week they're working fulls. Kid chucks the most dangerous full ever in life, and next week they're working on DOUBLES. Even better, kid chucks a standing tuck once and now they're on to standing fulls.

WHAT.

You can always tell whose gym sort of "fast tracks" kids straight from Level 3 to Level 5 and spent like ZERO time on layouts.

Those are the kids whose fulls are the most balled over atrocities you've ever seen and they're ripping it for dear life trying to get all the way around.

Either that or they're totally mental blocked on it because they've fallen/bailed/busted so many times because their set is SO low, due to NEVER having solid L4 skills to begin with.

I've taken quite a few frustrated kids all the way back to layouts for a month. The moms come into privates and they're like "Why is she working layouts? She has a full already."

Ma'am, with all due respect, your daughter doesn't have a full. She has a half-twisting spiral of death and you should really be concerned for her safety and her ACLs.

 

[sportygal2012]

Double posting, but I feel like one of the MOST COMMONLY SKIPPED/RUSHED levels is actually Level 4.

It happens a lot at gyms where they're super pressed to form a Level 5 team. It's ALL about the almighty full/double.

Kid chucks a super low janky layout once and BOOM, next week they're working fulls. Kid chucks the most dangerous full ever in life, and next week they're working on DOUBLES. Even better, kid chucks a standing tuck once and now they're on to standing fulls.

WHAT.

You can always tell whose gym sort of "fast tracks" kids straight from Level 3 to Level 5 and spent like ZERO time on layouts.

Those are the kids whose fulls are the most balled over atrocities you've ever seen and they're ripping it for dear life trying to get all the way around.

Either that or they're totally mental blocked on it because they've fallen/bailed/busted so many times because their set is SO low, due to NEVER having solid L4 skills to begin with.

I've taken quite a few frustrated kids all the way back to layouts for a month. The moms come into privates and they're like "Why is she working layouts? She has a full already."

Ma'am, with all due respect, your daughter doesn't have a full. She has a half-twisting spiral of death and you should really be concerned for her safety and her ACLs.

Your last sentence reminded me of this

 

[cmghas3]

This is a pretty true statement, these are also the levels that are so often RUSHED past or skipped entirely.

Some gyms bring kids in (new to cheer kids, too) and immediately start them on a standing BHS and wonder why their kids are bailing, busting, and getting mental blocks all the time. They have ZERO foundational skills.

I can look at some level 3 kids and tell immediately who did not spend enough time on Levels 1-2.

See also: People forget that Level 2 consists of MORE. THAN. JUST. YOUR. STANDING. BHS.

You will not chuck you BHS and immediately move on to Level 3 skills.

@oncecoolcoachnowmom...I have an question that you may or someone else could chime in on regarding level 2 skills. My middle cp struggled more with her standing BHS than running tumbling BHS's (I hope I'm correctly wording skills). My oldest cp had an easier time with standing BHS than running? Is there any type of explanation why each would differ? Is one more difficult? All 3 of my CP's tumble different anyways I'm sure due to many things including age, ect...I apologize if I fumbled that up.

 

[Helen uk uni cheer]

@oncecoolcoachnowmom...I have an question that you may or someone else could chime in on regarding level 2 skills. My middle cp struggled more with her standing BHS than running tumbling BHS's (I hope I'm correctly wording skills). My oldest cp had an easier time with standing BHS than running? Is there any type of explanation why each would differ? Is one more difficult? All 3 of my CP's tumble different anyways I'm sure due to many things including age, ect...I apologize if I fumbled that up.

From what I gathered watching others if they have generally are powerful in their legs and their confident then standing can be easier but some need the momentum for a running back handspring

 

[FlexyTumblerMom]

Janky running fulls IMO are the biggest reason cheerleading gets a bad rep when it comes to form and safety. I really wish gyms and parents would stop rushing fulls so much and that score sheets would discourage doing them w/ bad technique.

Kids who are good at standing tumbling tend to have faster reacting muscles IMO. They just naturally can move their feet or pull their body into and out of certain positions more quickly. Kids that are good at running tumbling but stuggle w/ standing usually have slower reacting muscles - the power and height from the run gives you a lot more time to do the skill.

Kids w/ a lot of natural flexibility tend to have slower muscles and struggle w/ things like standing tucks/fulls.

 

[vannahlexis]

@oncecoolcoachnowmom...I have an question that you may or someone else could chime in on regarding level 2 skills. My middle cp struggled more with her standing BHS than running tumbling BHS's (I hope I'm correctly wording skills). My oldest cp had an easier time with standing BHS than running? Is there any type of explanation why each would differ? Is one more difficult? All 3 of my CP's tumble different anyways I'm sure due to many things including age, ect...I apologize if I fumbled that up.

One of my friends started tumbling her freshman year. She ran track and stuff before starting cheer. She's really in shape. She can do standing handsprings, tucks, bhs tucks, jumps to tuck/handspring tuck & a light spot on a bhs layout.

We've been playing around with running tumbling and she won't run before her roundoff. She'll do like a standing roundoff tuck/layout but she won't do running roundoff bhs tuck or anything like that. She's sooo good and has great technique but I would accredit her stronger standing tumbling to starting later in cheer & learning those skills prior to running skills.

ETA this made a lot more sense in my head and not really on here lol. Butttt I totally agree w the poster above me!!

 

[cmghas3]

Thank you everyone! @vannahlexis....it was very hard for me to articulate that. Lol. It does make sense on what you said also. My oldest cp did track also back before she did as cheer. She does HS cheer now. All my CP's also have different body types. My oldest cp is taller, and built more solid than my middle cp. Genetically she takes after my husband who is 6"4. Her legs are more muscular than middle CP's. Middle cp is very petite but also I think that her physical strength is more in her core and upper body. Baby CP's skills are all and she's not on any team yet. I can say that her bhs is kinda interesting. She's only 7. Officially I won't call it a bhs. Lol.
I was just curious to get opinions on why it took longer for standing vs running skills. It totally makes sense on what you all said.
It's interesting to watch the "differences" in them. I don't want to give the impression that I'm comparing them. The 2 are just have totally different tumbling "styles". A great example is when they both did as cheer at the same time years ago. My older CP's running tumbling was definitely more powerful (she was a s2 then). Middle cp was a y1/2 and her running tumbling was very graceful. I'm not sure if anyone can picture what I'm saying??
Another thing is that with HS cheer my oldest cp had to change to her right foot for a cartwheel. My middle cp has tried to do a cartwheel starting with her right foot and can't. Thanks for the answers!

 

[cmghas3]

Janky running fulls IMO are the biggest reason cheerleading gets a bad rep when it comes to form and safety. I really wish gyms and parents would stop rushing fulls so much and that score sheets would discourage doing them w/ bad technique.

Kids who are good at standing tumbling tend to have faster reacting muscles IMO. They just naturally can move their feet or pull their body into and out of certain positions more quickly. Kids that are good at running tumbling but stuggle w/ standing usually have slower reacting muscles - the power and height from the run gives you a lot more time to do the skill.

Kids w/ a lot of natural flexibility tend to have slower muscles and struggle w/ things like standing tucks/fulls.

I should also clarify that both have "perfected" those skills now. They both spent a long time in level 1-2. I was curious about why each cp struggled with those types of skills.
Our as gym is very big on safety and doesn't believe in "janky skills". Expectations are very high and at tryouts IMO my cp was properly placed according to what has been communicated to me. I rarely go in the gym and do not believe in watching privates. We don't have a "parent room", there is a closed door that says athletes only with no window. Actually I have always found it exciting to see a new skill at a comp and be surprised in the past. Since we took a yr off to transition from another gym I have seen more tumbling than usual. Ex...new skill gained, coach may call and have me run in to see it. Or cp may come out and get me after private to show me something. That's even pretty rare. I've just been paying more attention to their sport now for many different reasons.

 

[SheCheers]

@oncecoolcoachnowmom...I have an question that you may or someone else could chime in on regarding level 2 skills. My middle cp struggled more with her standing BHS than running tumbling BHS's (I hope I'm correctly wording skills). My oldest cp had an easier time with standing BHS than running? Is there any type of explanation why each would differ? Is one more difficult? All 3 of my CP's tumble different anyways I'm sure due to many things including age, ect...I apologize if I fumbled that up.

I always thought the standing BHS would come easier to most because it didn't require connecting two skills. learning to connect the two skills and stay straight and push off with equal force on both feet seems more challenging. This is just from mom experience and no coaching knowledge, though :)

 

[WinstonsGirl]

I learned my BHS before my RO BHS. The idea that I didn't need to connect 2 skills worked better in my head in that I could focus on 1 skill. My RO's get a little inconsistent and crooked too when I get tired, making it harder to pull a skill out of it. I found I was twisting into my BHS from the RO.

I did find though that standing BHS are harder as you have no momentum going into the skill. You have to generate the power on your own from your legs, jump and arm swing.