Tuck, pike, straddle

Starting position

-the athlete will start in a set position. Their body will be fully extended and completely straight. They will be stretching up to the ceiling through their arms and shoulders with straight and tight fingers. Their chest and eyes will be up facing the wall in front of them, with their core engaged. Their legs will be straight and together, with their toes pointed. 

Shape

The athlete will get into their shape once they have set and lifted to the top of their bounce.

Tuck- the athlete will bring their knees up to their chest, leaving a little bit of space. The athlete should aim to get as small as possible, with the knees bent, and their toes pointed. The athlete will grab just below the knees, around the shin area while still keeping their chest and eyes up at the wall in front of them. 

Pike- the athlete will bring their toes up in front of them while keeping their legs straight and their toes pointed. The athlete will then reach for their toes and aim to get as small as possible while keeping their eyes up at the wall in front of them. 

Straddle- the athlete will kick their legs up and out to the sides as wide as possible, while keeping their legs straight and their toes pointed. The athlete will then reach one hand to each leg (toes) while keeping their eyes up at the wall in front of them. 

Ending position

The athlete will then extend back to a straight position after their shape, and slide their arms tight by their side. They should finish in a completely straight position with their arms tight by their side.

Common error

The athlete has a hard time getting into the right shape, or doesnt know where to put their hands. 

Solution

Have the athlete practice the shapes sitting down on the ground.

Seat, doggie, belly

Seat drop

-the athlete will land their sit drop in the shape of an L on their bottom. Their legs should be straight out in front of them with their hips at a 90 degree angle, with straight legs and pointed toes. The athlete will have their hands right next to their bottom on the trampoline with straight and strong arms. Their chest will be up and completely straight, sitting up tall and looking at the wall. 

Doggie drop

-the athlete will land their doggie drop on their hands and knees at the same time. Their hands should be directly under their shoulders, with tight and strong arms. Their knees should be directly under their hips, with tight and strong legs while keeping their hips and bottom up in the air. Their core should be tight and engaged with no arch in the back. Their head should be in a neutral position, looking at the trampoline. 

Belly drop 

-the athlete will land their belly drop completely flat. Their legs should be straight and together, with their legs and belly pressing firmly into the mat/trampoline. Their arms should be flat but bent with the elbows facing to the sides. Their hands should be made a diamond or triangle shape to protect their face and also used to push away from the trampoline when returning to feet. Their head should be up and looking at their hands. 

Common error (feet)

The athletes feet hit first whenever doing seat drop

Solution

Instruct the athlete to keep their legs straight and pick their feet up in front of them faster using core strength.

Have the athlete sit down and show the proper seat drop position.

Common error (knees)

The athlete lands on their knees and then they put their hands down on doggie.

Solution

Instruct the athlete to push off of their hands and reach forwards after seat drop to land their hands and knees at the same time.

-have the athlete show a doggie position without any bounces so they feel the proper shape. 

Common error (sit on feet)

The athlete lands their doggie position with their bottom down, sitting on their feet

Solution

Instruct the athlete to be in a tall doggie position.

What is a tall position? 

Tell the athlete to pretend like they are a dog and to not sit on their tail.

Have the athlete show a doggie position without any bounces so they feel the proper shape. 

Full Twist

Starting position

Show the athlete a straight, tight position with the arms up and the body fully extended and instruct them to do same. Use mirrors if needed.  

Performing the twist

1. Show athlete how toes and hips will make body twist.
2. The toes will push away from the trampoline and the hips will turn to the direction of the twist.
3. As the twist is initiated, the athlete will push and point the toes down and away from the trampoline, and the arms and fingers will push and stretch up to the ceiling to keep the body in a straight and tight position. 

Ending position

Towards the end of the full twist, the athlete will press their arms tight by their side, finishing the skill in a completely straight and tight body position with the arms tight by their side. 

Common error

The athlete is unable to complete the full twist, and/or it looks awkward or forced.

Solution

Have the athlete try to twist in the other direction. 

Common error

The athlete bends their body and falls down during the full twist

Solution

Show the athlete how to stay in a tall, tight, straight position during the full twist

Have the athlete try the full twist with their arms down/up the whole time 

Instruct and demonstrate to the athlete how to point their fingers up to the ceiling during their full twist. 

 

Seat ½ twist to feet

First, verfy that the student can do a proper seat drop.

Once the seat drop is achieved, the athlete will use their hands and push away from the trampoline. The arms will swing straight up to their ears, while simultaneously straightening the body. Once the arms swing up to their ears, and the body is fully extended, the athlete will turn their hips and perform a ½ turn (180 degrees), facing the opposite wall. The athlete will land on their feet with their arms up and their body fully extended. 

Seat ½ twist to seat

The athlete will perform all of the movements of the seat ½ twist to feet. Once the athlete performs the ½ twist, instead of landing on their feet, they will pull their legs and toes up in front of them and pike the hips to then land in a seat drop position. 

Common error

The athlete keeps the hips piked during the ½ twist to seat

Solution

Have the athlete go back to the seat ½ twist to feet progression and repeat it over and over again. Make sure they understand that the body opens and extends prior to the twist.

Common error

The athlete performs the ½ twist with their arms down

Solution

Instruct the athlete to swing their arms up to the ceiling before doing the ½ twist

Airplane

1. Stand, fall, ½ turn to belly

The athlete will stand with their body fully extended and arms up. They will begin to fall backwards and create rotation. Once rotation is created, the athlete will then use their toes and hips to perform a ½ turn. Once they see the mat, they should assume the hand position for belly drop and land flat on their belly, looking at their triangle or diamond.

2. One bounce (aka 1. jump airplane) airplane

The athlete will perform 1 straight bounce with their body fully extended and arms up. Once they lift, they will begin to fall backwards creating rotation. The athlete should keep their arms and chest up in the beginning of the bounce to ensure they are lifting straight up and not traveling backwards and once they are in the air, they begin to rotate. Once they create rotation, they will then perform their ½ turn and assume the hand position for belly drop and land flat on their belly, looking at their triangle or diamond.

3. Three bounce airplane

Same as the  one (1) bounce but from 3 bounces. Make sure the athlete adjusts the timing of their skill since they will be taking more bounces resulting in more air time. The athlete should wait longer in the beginning of the lift before initiating the airplane, as well as slow the skill down.

Common error #1

The athlete brings their arms down too early, or even does the ½ twist with their arms down or in front of them

Solution #1

Tell the athlete to wait until they see the mat or the trampoline before assuming the proper hand position for landing on their belly.

Common error #2

The athlete performs airplane too fast and doesn't land flat on their belly, or twists too early

Solution #2

Instruct the athlete to go high and slow on the airplane
Tell them to reach up to the ceiling before they turn and fall to their belly.

Common error #3

The athlete travels backwards while performing the airplane

Solution #3

Have the athlete start standing directly on the mat and tell them to land directly on the mat

Back drop 

Standing, fall to back drop

-the athlete will start standing, with their body fully extended and arms up. They will begin to fall backwards and create rotation. Once rotation is created, the athlete will lift their toes and legs up to the ceiling prior to landing on their back. The athlete will land flat on their back in an L shape, looking at their toes, while keeping their arms tight by their ears. 

1 jump back drop 

-the athlete will perform a straight bounce with their arms up by their ears, their chest and eyes up facing the wall in front of them, with straight legs and pointed toes. Once the athlete reaches up, they will lift their toes and legs up to the ceiling, creating a 90 degree angle at the hips, creating backwards rotation. The athlete should not lean back, or let their upper body create rotation, it is all from the toes/legs/hips. The athlete will then land flat on their back in a L shape, looking at their toes, with their arms tight by their ears. 

3 bounce back drop

Same as the 1 bounce but from 3 bounces. Make sure the athlete adjusts the timing of their skill since they will be taking more bounces resulting in more air time. The athlete should wait longer in the beginning of the lift before initiating the back drop, as well as slow the skill down. Make sure the athlete looks at the wall in front of them until they see their toes. 

Common error

The athlete drops their arms down by their side during the backdrop

Solution

Instruct the athlete to keep their ears covered the whole time/ squeeze their head.

-have the athlete do the back drop from no bounces so that they get comfortable going backwards without bringing their arms down

Put foamies in between their arms and ears while doing the backdrop.

Common error

The athlete travels backwards while performing the airplane

Solution

Have the athlete start standing directly on the mat and tell them to land directly on the mat

Common error

The athlete doesnt land flat on their back (lands on their butt or their shoulders)

Solution

Instruct the athlete to pick up their toes/legs faster, or slower depending on if they landed on their butt or their shoulders.

Common error

The legs come apart or bend during backdrop 

Solution

Put a foamie in between the athletes legs during the bac