Arizona Programs

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• Tuck Jump – On the Tumble Trak or Floor; jump off the floor with feet together; lifting the knees to the belly button; landing back on two feet.
• Toe Touch – On the Tumble Trak or Floor; jump off the floor trying to touch hands to feet in a STRADDLE position; landing with two feet together.
• Pike Jump – On the Tumble Trak or Floor; jump off the floor trying to touch hands to feet in a PIKE position (Legs straight out in front of the body); landing with two feet together.
• Bridge-Down – With coaches spot and mats; get familiar with skill; Start from a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart or wider; push bottom/hips forward in front of feet; while watching hands fall backward in a controlled manner; making sure the arms are straight protecting the head; holding for 3-5 seconds; teach hands to be in a “Diamond/Triangle,” position shoulder-width apart.
• Bridge-Down Kick Over – With coaches spot and mats; get familiar with skill; Start with a BRIDGE DOWN; after holding 3- 5 seconds kick one foot over at a time making a “windmill,” like motion; pushing the shoulders over the hands; landing one foot at a time with arms by ears and legs in a good lunge position.

MAIN FOCUS & REQUIRED SKILLS TO ADVANCE

• Proper Stretching & Teaching of Body Positions – Pike, Tuck, Straddle, Candle Stick, Etc
• Forward Roll – Get familiar with the skill; Teach to start and finish with arms by ears and feet together; standing on toes/feet, in a tucked body position looking towards the belly button; placing hands on the floor in front of the body and pushing with legs “over,” the head and neck in the tucked position; finish on the feet without using the hands to stand up; use mats if necessary,
• Backward Roll – Get familiar with the skill; Teach to start and finish with arms by ears and feet together; standing on toes/feet, in a tucked body position looking towards the belly button; placing hands on the shoulders with palms up and falling onto the bottom pushing with legs “over,” the head and neck in the tucked position; pushing with both hands (flat palms on the floor) finish on the feet using the hands to help stand up; use mats if necessary.
• Needle – Teach to start and finish with arms by ears and in the Lunge Position (Back Knee Straight & Front Knee Bent, weight equally distributed); Holding the body in a vertical position with straight arms and hands on the floor; pointing the other leg in the air for 3 seconds “Needle Position.” This is an introduction to the LEVER Skill.
• Lever – Teach to start and finish with arms by ears and in the Lunge Position (Back Knee Straight & Front Knee Bent, weight equally distributed); Holding the body in a vertical position with straight arms and hands on the floor; pointing the other leg in the air for 3 seconds “Needle Position,” and bottom leg lifting a few inches off of the floor; should look like an upside-down “L,” or number “7.” This is an introduction to the HANDSTAND Skill.
• Handstand – Teach to start and finish with arms by ears and in the Lunge Position (Back Knee Straight & Front Knee Bent, weight equally distributed); Holding the body in a vertical position with straight arms and hands on the floor; both legs together in the air for 1 second trying to achieve a “Straight Body/Hollow Position.” Use coach’s spot, mats, or wall.
• Handstand Forward Roll – With the coach’s spot and mats; get familiar with the skill.
• Good-Side Cartwheel – Determine which side cartwheel is the strongest; Teach to start and finish with arms by ears and in the Lunge Position (Back Knee Straight & Front Knee Bent, weight equally distributed); teach proper technique with fingers facing sideways; kissing thumbs in a straight line; starting with “GOOD,” leg in front and finishing with “CRAZY,” leg behind; trying to kick legs with pointed feet straight over hands during the skill like a “Rainbow,” or “Windmill,” landing on one foot at a time.
• Crazy-Side Cartwheel – With coaches spot and mats; get familiar with skill; Determine which side cartwheel is the most awkward (based on Good Side); Teach to start and finish with arms by ears and in the Lunge Position (Back Knee Straight & Front Knee Bent, weight equally distributed); teach proper technique with fingers facing sideways; kissing thumbs in a straight line; starting with “CRAZY,” leg in front and finishing with “CRAZY,” leg behind; trying to kick legs with pointed feet straight over hands during the skill like a “Rainbow,” or “Windmill,” landing on one foot at a time.
• Round-Off Rebound – Determine which side cartwheel is the GOOD SIDE; Teach to start with arms by ears and in the Lunge Position (Back Knee Straight & Front Knee Bent, weight equally distributed); teach proper technique with fingers facing sideways; kissing thumbs in a straight line; starting with “GOOD,” leg in front; kick legs with pointed feet straight over hands during the skill like a “Rainbow,” or “Windmill,” and snapping feet together after the top (Your legs will come together shortly after vertical) and landing on two feet at the end; followed by a rebound (vertical jump with pointed feet and arms up tall up by ears).
• Bridge-Up – From a lying down position, push up into a bridge position holding for 3-5 seconds; teach hands to be in a “Diamond/Triangle,” position; try to make arms straight; try and walk feet together pushing the chest towards the front of fingers; chin in looking towards the ceiling.

RE-ENFORCE

• EVERY skill taught in the WECC Tiny Tumbler/Beginning Class; Usually during class warm-ups (within the first 8-12 minutes of class)

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• Handstand Walks
• Handstand Blocks/Handstand Block Forward Roll
• Controlled Handstand, Fall to Bridge; Limber up to stand
• Handstand Limbers
• Bridge-Down Kick-Over & Back Walk-Overs
• Handstand Limbers/Front Walkovers
• Tick-Tocks
• Valdez
• Handstand Snap Down; Rebound
• Handstand, Snap Down; Punch Back to Handstand
• Introduction/Set up of the Back Handspring
• Jump Back Drills w/ Hip lift
• Back Handsprings over Pack-mans/Boulders/Barrels
• Spotted Back Handsprings on appropriate surfaces

MAIN FOCUS

• Bridge-Down Kick Over – With coaches spot and mats; Start with a BRIDGE DOWN; after holding 3-5 seconds kick one foot over at a time making a “windmill,” like motion; pushing the shoulders over the hands; landing one foot at a time with arms by ears and legs in a good lunge position.
• Back Walkover – With coaches spot and mats; Start in a “lunge like,” position; weight in the back leg with arms by ears; reaching backwards towards the ground; lifting the FRONT LEG; balancing on the BACK LEG; kicking one foot over at a time making a “windmill,” like motion; shifting the weight from the BACK LEG to the hands touching the ground; pushing the shoulders over the hands; landing one foot at a time with arms by ears and legs in a good lunge position.
• Front Walkover – With coaches spot and mats; Determine which leg HANDSTAND is the strongest; Teach to start and finish with arms by ears and in the Lunge Position (Back Knee Straight & Front Knee Bent, weight equally distributed); reaching forwards towards the ground; lifting the BACK LEG; balancing on the FRONT LEG; kicking one foot over at a time making a “windmill,” like motion; shifting the weight from the FRONT LEG to the hands touching the ground; pushing the hips over the hands; landing one foot at a time with arms by ears and legs in a good “lunge-like,” position (weight in BACK LEG) looking towards the ceiling; guiding the FRONT LEG out.

RE-ENFORCE

• EVERY skill taught in the WECC Back Handsprings Class; Usually during class warm-ups (within the first 8-12 minutes of class)

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• Standing Tucks
• Cartwheel Handspring Back Tuck
• Round Off Tuck
• Side Aerials

MAIN FOCUS & REQUIRED SKILLS TO ADVANCE

• Running Back Handspring Tuck – Teach proper set with arms by ears and head neutral out of a SINGLE Back Handspring; teach to pull tucked knees and pointed toes overhead while head faces knees; teach to grab and pull the tuck with hands behind the knees; teach knees and feet together throughout the skill; use spot and/or pit & mats if necessary.
• Series of Back Handsprings (2 or 3) to Running Tuck – Teach proper set with arms by ears and head neutral out of a Series (2 or 3) of Back Handsprings; teach to pull tucked knees and pointed toes overhead while head faces knees; teach to grab and pull the tuck with hands behind the knees; teach knees and feet together throughout the skill; use spot and/or pit & mats if necessary.
• Running Punch Front Stick & Stand – Teach a proper long hurdle staying low to the ground as you gain forward momentum; punching off toes with feet slightly in front of the body; having both arms straight (by ears); Initiating rotation with the hips and a strong heel drive; tucking the knees & grabbing the front of shins/knees with both hands; preparing for the landing with both arms and the head in a neutral position spotting the ground.
• Standing Series of Back Handsprings (2 or 3) to Back Tuck – Teach proper set with arms by ears and head neutral out of a Standing Series (2 or 3) of Back Handsprings; teach to pull tucked knees and pointed toes overhead while head faces knees; teach to grab and pull the tuck with hands behind the knees; teach knees and feet together throughout the skill; use spot and/or pit & mats if necessary.

RE-ENFORCE

• EVERY skill taught in the WECC Running Tucks Class; Usually during class warm-ups (within the first 8-12 minutes of class)

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• Running Whip-Back (Usually during warm-up or end of class)

MAIN FOCUS & REQUIRED SKILLS TO ADVANCE

• Running Back Handspring Layout – Making sure the Running Back Handspring TUCK is strong with good height & technique; teach proper set with arms by ears and head neutral out of a SINGLE Back Handspring; teach to pull layout with the head facing hips; the athlete pulls hips and pointed toes overhead; with a tight straight/hollow body position throughout the entire skill; make sure the pointed toes do not get in front of the hips; teach straight legs & feet together throughout the entire skill; use spot and/or pit & mats if necessary.
• Running Back Handspring Full Twisting Layout – Making sure the Running Back Handspring LAYOUT is strong with good height & technique; teach proper set with arms by ears and head neutral out of a SINGLE Back Handspring; teach the half twist FIRST with the twist initiating LATE (after the LAYOUT has been sufficiently rotated); then progress to the FULL TWISTING LAYOUT; teaching to pull layout with head facing hips; then twist; teach to start twist by simultaneously pulling arms/head/shoulders, hips and pointed toes in the direction of the twist; teach to start and finish with feet and legs together w/ body in a straight/hollow body position throughout the entire skill; make sure the pointed toes do not get in front of the hips; use spot and/or pit & mats if necessary.
• Standing Tuck – Teach proper set with arms by ears and head; teach to pull tucked knees and pointed toes overhead while head faces knees; teach to grab and pull the tuck with hands behind the knees; teach knees and feet together throughout the skill; use spot and/or pit & mats if necessary!
• Running Punch Front Step Out Round-Off – Teach a proper long hurdle staying low to the ground as you gain forward momentum; punching off toes with feet slightly in front of the body; having both arms straight (by ears); Initiating rotation with the hips and a strong heel drive; tucking the knees & grabbing the front of shins/knees with both hands; preparing for the landing with both arms and the head in a neutral position spotting the ground for the step out in the Round-Off.