Standing Tuck And Hip Flexors

[Jule]

Hey guys,

so after a long while without tumbling, I've decided to finally get back to it and try this back tuck thing one more time.
My coach says, it's technically pretty okay and that i'm just slow. This is really difficult for me to grasp cause whenever I try to be faster, I neglect the set and whip straight backwards or I start rotating my shoulders to the front in an effort to tuck faster.

This is where I am as of right now:
Instagram

Now I've been googling and found this video:


Could this be something that would help me tuck faster, meaning it's my hip flexors that are too weak? I really want to find something specific that I can work on.

I must add that it was an exception that I was able to use springfloor that day. We don't have any equipment besides hardfloor mats in our gym so I don't have access to anything but that.

I'm willing to put in the work at home to strengthen whatever bodypart that might be the problem.

 

[WinstonsGirl]

It looks not bad. Here's what I noticed. Set higher. You're stoping your arms right at your head, but I think you could reach a bit more. Push through your toes. You look to be jumping a bit flat footed. I do that too. I start with weight on my toes to ensure I push through them. Finally, you seem to be dragging your toes behind you in the tuck. I found flexing my feet over my head really helped, but make sure you pull them over your head rather than leaving them behind. I think that will really help speed up your tucks.

Also try repping out the drill where you lie on the floor, snap your arms over your head and you legs into a tuck too behind your head. And keep jumping onto high mats to work on pushing through your toes. Let us know when you get it!!

 

[Jule]

Thank you so much, @WinstonsGirl ! I'll try to think about the set and the toes tonight at practice!

On monday we decided that we were going to have try outs for the first time in years. Each of the athletes was assigned certain skills, they need to show. So I now have a little less than 3 months to get my tuck. I'll be 32 on saturday and have never really tumbled before apart from trying a little here and there.

I don't know, I guess I cound do it. But it'll be tough. Nevertheless, I threw the tuck without a spot for the first time ever on monday. On a soft mat but I was terrified. Technique was bad, I know but I'm somewhat proud for actually doing it. Never thought I would ever in a million years really get to this point...

Instagram

 

[lovely.lily]

Those look pretty good! All I can say is set a little higher, waiting until you get the airtime before pulling for the tuck. Also, make sure you're spotting as you go round. For me, I spot the walls and ceiling; I literally could not land a tuck until one day I opened my eyes and did this. It also helped with getting height and the knowledge of where I was in the skill. Don't think yanking your head back, but watching until you 'see' when you can tuck. If that makes any sense?

Also, these are helpful!
I Land on My Toes in My Back Tuck and Fall Forwards | For the "Love" of TumblingFor the "Love" of Tumbling
How Do I Land My Tuck on My Feet Instead of on My Knees and Hands? | For the "Love" of TumblingFor the "Love" of Tumbling
She has a ton of other amazing drills too.

Hope this helped!

 

[WinstonsGirl]

Good for you on throwing it!! I learned it in my mid 30's, so you're ahead of me. I actually find them easier than BHS. I was more nervous to try those than I am tucks. I think its cos if I under rotate, I put my hands down, or just land on my knees. On the p=spring floor, it doesn't hurt and it's bouncy. If my BHS is bad, I land on my head instead. Scarier that one

 

[Jule]

Thank you so much for your help! The links are awesome, too.

I only threw it with a spot yesterday as I pulled something in my right thigh I think. Or maybe it's just reeeaally sore. It's been hurting like mad ever since tuesday. But my friend said, that's quite normal after jumping so much with not being used to it. I'll give it another go on friday.

 

[WinstonsGirl]

Thank you so much for your help! The links are awesome, too.

I only threw it with a spot yesterday as I pulled something in my right thigh I think. Or maybe it's just reeeaally sore. It's been hurting like mad ever since tuesday. But my friend said, that's quite normal after jumping so much with not being used to it. I'll give it another go on friday.

How's it going?? Am I going to see one this weekend on the floor??

 

[Jule]

How's it going?? Am I going to see one this weekend on the floor??

Unfortunately not. My stunt group kind of dissolved after worlds last year with one girl retiring and another one move across the country for work. So we didn't try out.
To make not being in Orlando this year easier on me, my boyfriend and went to Rome/Italy for a week.
I just returned an hour ago and will now head to practice and get to work!

I'll keep you posted, thanks for asking!

 

[WinstonsGirl]

Too bad. Germany looked really good last night. I was impressed

 

[Travis Pang]

Thank you so much, @WinstonsGirl ! I'll try to think about the set and the toes tonight at practice!

On monday we decided that we were going to have try outs for the first time in years. Each of the athletes was assigned certain skills, they need to show. So I now have a little less than 3 months to get my tuck. I'll be 32 on saturday and have never really tumbled before apart from trying a little here and there.

I don't know, I guess I cound do it. But it'll be tough. Nevertheless, I threw the tuck without a spot for the first time ever on monday. On a soft mat but I was terrified. Technique was bad, I know but I'm somewhat proud for actually doing it. Never thought I would ever in a million years really get to this point...

Instagram

Not bad! When you're setting for a tuck think of pulling your arms all the way up so you're "covering up" your ears. It usually helps me with setting up and also riding the set a little longer before pulling. Also, you should try to tuck a little tighter it will help your rotation a little. Spotting also helps me too, I usually pick a stationary object up high (about 8ft. up) and look for it when I finish. Good Luck!! Tucks are fun, especially when you do them everywhere you travel (after safely learning it in the gym first, of course!)

Word of Advice... don't set for the wrong skill and bail mid way like I did during my last minute Indy Performance

 

[GForce]

Not bad! When you're setting for a tuck think of pulling your arms all the way up so you're "covering up" your ears. It usually helps me with setting up and also riding the set a little longer before pulling. Also, you should try to tuck a little tighter it will help your rotation a little. Spotting also helps me too, I usually pick a stationary object up high (about 8ft. up) and look for it when I finish. Good Luck!! Tucks are fun, especially when you do them everywhere you travel (after safely learning it in the gym first, of course!)

Word of Advice... don't set for the wrong skill and bail mid way like I did during my last minute Indy Performance

That video you attached..ha I know the feeling! Once at practice my coach was having us time team jumps to backhands springs but I usually did a jump to tuck so my body automatically went for a tuck and my head thought back handspring...wasn't fun

 

[Jule]

Yeah... this girl over here is getting frustrated. -.-

I feel like I'm not improving at all and all I do is land on my knees. It's making me so mad that I KNOW that I'm going backwards way too much but yet don't seem to be able to really change it. Grrr.
Well I've figured out that already during my armswing, my body is sitting backwards. And then i'm only throwing my arms back and pushing my hip forewards, which makes me lean back and which in consequence makes it really hard to tuck agressively.

I'm really trying to get myself to look at something in front of me while jumping but it's so hard. As soon as I don't whip back but try to set high and wait, my mind is going 100 mph and screaming at me "WE'RE GONNA DIE! ROTATE ALREADY! WE'RE GOING TO DIE!!!". I'm really, scared.

I've also started to notice my mistakes while jumping which leads to me inwardly say "oh noooes! you did it wrong, better bail"! Which, I know, is absolutely stupid and doesn't help at all.
So I spent a good 45 min minutes yesterday of jumping onto a mat in the pit (only have occasional acces to that) and not bailing, all the while trying to be more agressive in general. *sigh*

I'm just staring to think, maybe I am too old for this. And maybe I'll never get it cause it feels like Ive been working on this forever. I know that's not really true. While I've been casualy and occasionally throwing tucks with a spot (like 3 tucks a week) every now and then (with breaks of not doing any tumbling for months in between) for the past couple of years, I've been now truly working on it for maybe 6 weeks.

Is it normal to plateau or even get worse in between? I feel like taking two steps foreward and one back, one step forewards and 2 back and so on. Or is it a sign that I'm probably not going to get it the way I'm practicing?

Here are 4 tries in chronological order...

 

[WinstonsGirl]

Yeah... this girl over here is getting frustrated. -.-

I feel like I'm not improving at all and all I do is land on my knees. It's making me so mad that I KNOW that I'm going backwards way too much but yet don't seem to be able to really change it. Grrr.
Well I've figured out that already during my armswing, my body is sitting backwards. And then i'm only throwing my arms back and pushing my hip forewards, which makes me lean back and which in consequence makes it really hard to tuck agressively.

I'm really trying to get myself to look at something in front of me while jumping but it's so hard. As soon as I don't whip back but try to set high and wait, my mind is going 100 mph and screaming at me "WE'RE GONNA DIE! ROTATE ALREADY! WE'RE GOING TO DIE!!!". I'm really, scared.

I've also started to notice my mistakes while jumping which leads to me inwardly say "oh noooes! you did it wrong, better bail"! Which, I know, is absolutely stupid and doesn't help at all.
So I spent a good 45 min minutes yesterday of jumping onto a mat in the pit (only have occasional acces to that) and not bailing, all the while trying to be more agressive in general. *sigh*

I'm just staring to think, maybe I am too old for this. And maybe I'll never get it cause it feels like Ive been working on this forever. I know that's not really true. While I've been casualy and occasionally throwing tucks with a spot (like 3 tucks a week) every now and then (with breaks of not doing any tumbling for months in between) for the past couple of years, I've been now truly working on it for maybe 6 weeks.

Is it normal to plateau or even get worse in between? I feel like taking two steps foreward and one back, one step forewards and 2 back and so on. Or is it a sign that I'm probably not going to get it the way I'm practicing?

Here are 4 tries in chronological order...

You totally just cracked me up, cos I've had the same feeling during tumbling of about to die if I lose where I am in the air. It's a learning to tumble when we're smart/old enough to know better thing.

First you are not too old!!!!! I'm older than you by several years, and I just got mine. I still think you're trailing your toes a bit, based on the videos. I find if I don't concentrate on pulling them over my head, I under rotate too. Something I picked up here from another poster was to flex my feet, and it actually helps when I think about that. My tucks go better then. Pull your toes over your head. Maybe do 30 or so reps of lying on your back, arms up and pulling fast into a tuck with your toes over your head, then go throw some real tucks.

You are so close and I know you're going to get them. 6 weeks is pretty short, I think, so don't get discouraged. You will get this and then you will post a video here and get about 50+ shimmies all at once.

 

[cheernerd5678]

Do you think of pulling your legs over your head? I rotate slow and my coaches always tell me to think I'm pulling my shins over. It helps me! Also, if you need to work on set, we stack a bunch of mats up tall (to like shoulder height) with a cheese mat on top and then set into that and pull into a tuck position (but don't full rotate). It forces you to go up before you start to pull your legs, because otherwise you'll smash right in to the mat.
What has helped me a lot when I do them myself (with a spot they're perfect, alone I tend to freak out) is having a friend watch me and say "pull" right at the end. It gets me to remember to pull that las little but that makes the difference between your landing and landing it nicely. Actually my best standing tuck I've done was when my friend said "set" when she meant to say pull. I set super high so nobody has to tell me that, but hearing it I processed "haha she meant to say pull I better pull" and remembered to pull anyway. Amazing how fast your brain can work...
You're really close. I ride the standing tuck struggle bus and have been working on it wayyy longer. For 6 weeks you're doing awesome! Don't get discouraged.

 

[Jule]

Thank you both so much for the encouragment!! Is was much needed.
Actually, I completely forgot to think about pulling anything over. I focused so much on not going back (with limited success) that it totally slipped my mind. I'll try and remember it tonight!
Someone on my team also told me that a big part in me going back so much is my head going back too early. I've focused so much on trying to jump straight up abut I never even thought about my head. I did 2 or 3 with the effort of keeping my head neutral and even though they were not great as I forgot about everything else I have to do... it felt somehow better. ^^
So thank you sooo much for your patience and advice. I'm not giving up on this. I don't want to go into tryouts knowing I didn't try it all.