Walkover Help!

[cheeratic]

I can walk over with a spotter, no problems. My coach has even told me I can do it on my own but when I do, I just fall on my back. For some reason as I'm bending down into the back arch, something goes wrong and I just fall back. I think it's a mental thing, because it only happens when I point one foot forward. I don't know what to do? I know I can do this skill but it's just not happening? Is it a mental block or something?

 

[Matt Faherty]

I am assuming you mean a back walkover as opposed to a front? In my experience when I see someone fall backwards in a back walkover there can be a few possible causes. The most common causes I observe are a lack of core strength making the decent uncontrolled and/or poor shoulder and quad flexibility. There are of course other possibilities but without seeing you perform the skill it can be hard to tell.

Can you do a controlled backbend from feet shoulder length apart? Can you kick over from a bridge unassisted? If so then I tell my athletes to think of a back walkover as if it's a reverse handstand. In a handstand uou should stardin a hallowed lunge, arms by ears, reaching forward over your front leg and driving the back. In the back walkover try starting in a lightly arched lunge, arms slightly behind ears, reaching back over the back leg for support while driving your back leg.

Another trick that might help is trying to spot something in front of you as long as possible as you stretch back. This will keep your head neutral and in line with your arms instead of your head going back which will create a shoulder angle, or cause you to get lost and fall.

Hope this helps. Best of luck.
Coach Matt

 

[Matt Faherty]

In a back walk over reach back while driving your front leg. I apologize for the typos. I am at a hotel writing on an iPod and obnoxious autocorrect.

 

[cheeratic]

I am assuming you mean a back walkover as opposed to a front? In my experience when I see someone fall backwards in a back walkover there can be a few possible causes. The most common causes I observe are a lack of core strength making the decent uncontrolled and/or poor shoulder and quad flexibility. There are of course other possibilities but without seeing you perform the skill it can be hard to tell.

Can you do a controlled backbend from feet shoulder length apart? Can you kick over from a bridge unassisted? If so then I tell my athletes to think of a back walkover as if it's a reverse handstand. In a handstand uou should stardin a hallowed lunge, arms by ears, reaching forward over your front leg and driving the back. In the back walkover try starting in a lightly arched lunge, arms slightly behind ears, reaching back over the back leg for support while driving your back leg.

Another trick that might help is trying to spot something in front of you as long as possible as you stretch back. This will keep your head neutral and in line with your arms instead of your head going back which will create a shoulder angle, or cause you to get lost and fall.

Hope this helps. Best of luck.
Coach Matt

Thank you so much I can do a controlled backhand And kick over- its just when I have to point one foot and depend on the other. Thank you for all your tips I'm going to try them all out this afternoon

 

[Matt Faherty]

Let me know if it helps! Also, i encourage others to chime in!

 

[redcheer14]

I used to have this problem and my coach told me to push my hips forward when I bend back and put my weight on the leg that's pushing off the ground. I hope I helped!