In this lesson, you will learn how to do a front handspring over the gymnastic vaulting table. Before you try this, you should learn the gymnastic handstand, all the basic vaulting exercises for straight vaults, and the flyspring. Make sure the landing area is protected with sufficient mats and ask your coach to support you. Find more vaulting instructions at Gymnastics Main.
Run towards the vaulting table and jump from the springboard onto the table. Swing your arms forward and up, and fully extend your body in the air. Block (this means tightening your body and pushing yourself off the vaulting table) shortly before your body reaches vertical level. Keep your arms fully extended and push yourself off by shrugging your shoulders up when your hands touch the vaulting table.
For more information on the first stage of the front handspring, please visit Straight Vaulting Exercise 04. The block helps turn forward acceleration into upward acceleration, catapulting you up. If you block too early, you will vault too short and risk hitting the back of your head on the vaulting table. If you block too late, you won’t gain enough height.
Shrug your shoulders up and fully extend your body. Your abs should be slightly contracted, and you should look down at your hands. Push as if you were doing a gymnastic front handspring on the floor or a flyspring. The faster you run, the harder and higher you can block. The first half of the vault should not be too high.
Common mistakes: bending elbows and knees.
If your run-up is fast enough and your block timing is correct, you will gain a lot of height. Make sure you don’t bend your legs or arms in the second stage of the front handspring vault. You can slightly hollow your back and over-extend your arms, but don’t tuck or pike.
Try to land in a stuck landing — landing on both legs at the same time without taking extra steps (hence “STUCK”). At the beginning, protect the landing area with plenty of mats.
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