Topic: Tucking

[Seth Horner]

I can't land a flip (front or back) on ground yet. I have taken a break from vaulting to extend my tricking capabilities, and obviously I need to get my flips down. One problem that I have noticed is I have a mental block when going to tuck. Right now I'm practicing front flips, so I run, block, jump and turn forwards. That's where I mess up. I try to bring my hands in to tuck, but it scares me. I think this is because I think that if my hands are gripped on my legs for the tuck, I won't get them down in time if I mess up.

So in short, I have a mental block when I go to tuck in the flip. Does anyone know how I could overcome this or work around it?

[Jereme Sanders]

Good spotter and Coach, Gymnastics gym and some mats and/or a foam pit are my suggestions.

[Kyle Rudolph]

Man up. You're gonna crash and burn a ton tricking. And if you spend most of your training time on tricking rather then parkour like me then it can get very frustrating, but you just need to beat it into your head that you can do it. You know what you have to fix now fix it. Only you yourself can conquer mental things. All I can say is man up and crash a few times and realize that even if you screw up, it's not that bad.

[Kendy]

Okay while Kyle may be kinda harsh, he has a point.  You just need to get over it.  Sometimes knowing the physics behind a trick and how it works helps.  Mental blocks have tripped me up before (mostly aerials and back tucks).  What I would do is say out loud "I'm just doing a cartwheel (I used back handsprings for back tucks), don't be scared" then I'd run and throw the aerial.  Maybe it'll work for you.

Also, I wouldn't recommend using your arms to catch yourself while tricking.  a) I've seen far more dislocations at the elbow than I'd like and b) if you go in with the mindset that you can catch yourself, you risk bailing (which leads to injury) or getting comfortable with landing on all fours. 

[ZacharyCohn]

If you're interested in training for longevity and injury prevention (which is my philosophy with tricking):

Step 1) Find a gymnastics gym. If there are no coaches available/look for someone who knows what they're doing.
Step 2) Use that coach/friend for advice, progressions, and SPOTTING.
Step 3) Build up to things. Drill it into the foam pit until you have it 100% of the time. Then drill it on the Tumble Trax, then into a big mat, then a smaller mat, and finally on the floor. At the beginning of each new progression, use a spotter. If you ever lose it somewhere, just go back a step.
Step 4) Be patient. It took me 3 years to get my backtucks to the point where I'm comfortable throwing them anywhere, anytime. Side summis took me 6 months to learn, and then another 8 months to learn right. If you are patient, there is a lot less chance of you getting hurt.

Or just go find something really tall and jump off and you'll have plenty of time to tuck. Whichever you want to go for.

[Seth Horner]

Sanders, I'll have to wait until summer until I can rejoin gymnastics.

Kyle, I've crashed much more than a few times already. I've tried at least 20 times today, and every time I can't seem to land on my feet. I guess I'll spend tomorrow working on the tucking.

Kendall, I do tell myself that sort of stuff, it doesn't help much. Oh, and I never thought of that (for catching myself). Thanks.

Also if I don't get my do get my actual tucking down tomorrow, I'll post a video to see if anyone can show me if I'm doing something wrong with the flip. And what sucks with my local gymnastics gym removed the foam pit and put a large trampoline over it. We also only have open gym around 1 time ever 1-2 months, and even then all the other kids just run out jumping and dancing on the mats. So...

[Jereme Sanders]

If you drill a move and bail it constantly you're just going to create bad habits so just throwing it can only help so much, I'd say wait until you can get back in a gym. Where are you located? Are there no open gyms you can make in any gymnastics facilities near you?

[Seth Horner]

I live in Perry, Florida. I haven't seen a gym to close to me that I could make, or better yet my parents take me too. (I'm 12)

One gymnastics gym in my city, rarely has open gym.

[Kendy]

I don't mean to sound like a buttface here but...
You keep throwing up barriers.  I understand how you may want just a straight sollution, but that's not the way life is.  My advice to you is make like a traceur and find ways around those barriers.  Schedule a private lesson at the gymnastics facility, carpool with friends / fellow traceurs to surrounding gyms; you're young, but learning to overcome obstacles at that age will be very beneficial.

[Seth Horner]

As I said, I can't get private lessons or anything of the sort until I actually join gymnastics, this summer.

Also, I don't understand how exactly I am putting up barriers? None of my other friends are traceurs, except for one who is in the same condition as me, or have anything to do with gymnastics, so that wouldn't work out.

I guess I'll just try and get my sister (She used to tumble) to spot me until I join gymnastics again, but until then I'll practice my tucking.
Thanks for all the comments.

/End thread