UNEVEN BAR SKILLS. Part 2

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A Skills
3/4 Giant - Tips:
Most gymnasts are
not aggressive enough when first learning this
skill. Working back hip circles and finishing in
a solid support, and multiple back hip circles
will help develop a sense of the wrist shift
necessary for this skill.
Flyaway - Tips: Tap swing release to land on
back in a pit, resi-pit, or stacked mats. The
gymnast should look at their toes during the
flight. Tap swing release spotter catches the
gymnast. (For larger gymnasts a spotting belt
is the next best thing) Target position should
be about 45 degrees above horizontal. Again
the gymnast should look at their toes. Same
as above drill but after brief pause the
spotter turns the gymnast over to complete
the flyaway. This pause can be gradually
eliminated, then the spot can be gradually
eliminated.
Front Flyaway - Tips: The key to this skill is
getting a feel for the tap. It is essentially a
reverse of a normal tap swing. The front
swing position is an open body leading with
the heels, as the gymnast passes through the
bottom, they must hollow then kick their
heels towards the ceiling. Work the tap
without releasing the bar until you get a feel
for it. The tendency is to tap early. Work the
tap late. Once the tap is consistent,
dismounting into a pit or with a belt to get the
feel for the turnover is next. The gymnast
should feel a significant block off the bar prior
to release. This will aid in gaining amplitude
and good direction for the dismount.
Fronthip Circle - Tips: Initiate the skill from a
high support. The bar should be resting on
the upper thigh. The gymnast should fall
forward with a tight body leaning well
forward to initiate momentum. As the
gymnast moves to execute the skill they
should lean forward aggressively and reach
around the bar to get their hands on top of
the bar.
Kip cast handstand - Tips: The gymnasts kip
should occur late enough so that the gymnast
can reach support leaning forward with
shrugged shoulders. The most common
difficulty with this skill is an early kip which
finishes in a vertical support. The cast then
goes backwards and not upwards A lot of cast
handstands need to be worked so this part of
the skill is not a struggle. In working cast
handstand sets be sure to work cast to
handstand, lower back to the bar, as the
negative motion greatly helps develop
strength. The gymnast needs to finish the kip
with their shoulders forward, and feet down
so they can execute the cast. If the gymnast is
completely open upon completion of the kip
there's no where to go for the cast.
Tap Swing - An A skill. Tips: The gymnast
should be hollow in the rear phase of the
swing. Head in, hollow chest and pushing
away from the bar on the downward swing.
As the gymnast passes between the uprights
they should open to prepare for the tap.
(Most gymnasts open the swing early causing
the tap to go forward and not upward). As the
gymnast begins the upwards phase of the
forward swing they should tap aggressively
towards the ceiling. As the upwards swing
rises the gymnast should pull the bar back
and push away to get their center of gravity
as far away from the bar as possible for the
downward swing.

B Skills
Front Giant - A B skill. Tips: The first thing a
gymnast needs to work a front giant is a cast
handstand in undergrip. The tendency is to
dump the shoulders forward and basically do
a forward roll over the bar. Work cast
handstand lower back to the bar with a spot A
LOT! From the handstand the gymnast must
think about extending as far from the bar as
possible on the downward swing. The
gymnast should stay fully extended until just
before passing under the bar. As the swing
begins to rise a pull down on the bar is
initiated as the heels are driven upward.
Back Giant - A B skill. Tips: A lot of giants are
not made because a gymnasts casts are
sloppy. Work tight casts trying to finish the
cast hollow with extended shoulders. A
handstand is not necessary (though desired)
to make good giants, but if the gymnast leads
with their chest after the cast the giant will be
difficult and executed improperly. Work
handstand hollow fall to a mat on a floor bar.
Set up a floor bar over an 8" mat. Kick to
handstand in an overgrip and fall to the mat.
Body position should be hollow and
extended. The gymnast should push be
pushing away from the bar as much as
possible, as this will enhance swing on the
high bar. Back extension rolls while watching
the toes. The gymnast should work back
extension rolls keeping their head in and lead
with their toes so they can see their toes
throughout. This will help develop a feel for
leading with toes to handstand. A very
common error is to through the chest over
the bar and arch. This is caused by a loose
body and an early tap. The tap should occur
after passing vertical and the toes should lead
to the handstand. Work tap swings and focus
on a late tap that goes towards the ceiling not
forward. Lie on your back on a mat grasping a
floor bar over your head. Have one or two
coaches grab your legs and lift you to
handstand on the rail. Be sure you keep tight
and hollow, and lead with your toes.
Straddle Back - A B skill. Tips: The gymnast
should understand how to stretch forward in
the front swing to generate a strong rearward
swing. For a timing exercise, work swings in
which the gymnast straddles in the rearward
swing, lifts their hips, and looks down to the
low bar. The straddle should occur after the
vertical phase of the swing. With a single rail a
stack of mats with a wedge on the top can be
used to simulate the low bar. On this setup
work straddle back to straddle stand. The
gymnast should be encouraged to land in a
straddle stand and not a seated straddle
position. Use either a bar pad, or sting mat
draped on the bar and work straddle backs.
Focus should be on lifting the hips on the
rearward swing.

C Skills
Gienger - A C skill. From regular grip, the
gymnast swings backwards, releases the bar
and does a ½ turn followed by a backward flip
in pike position to catch facing the bar (the
difference between a Gienger and a Deltchev
is where the twist occurs - much like the
difference between a barani and a cuervo on
vault). Many gymnasts compete Giengers
including Viktoria Karpenko (UKR), Andreea
Raducan (ROM), Simona Amanar (ROM),
Ludivine Furnon (FRA), Kristen Maloney (USA).
Tips: Work layout flyaway 1/2 turn. Once
comfortable with this motion over rotate the
flyaway 1/2 to your stomach onto a port-a-pit
or stacked mats. Be sure to tap towards the
ceiling and keep your shoulder angle open.
There is a tendency to pike and pull in on the
bar. Once the flyaway 1/2 to your stomach is
solid, start looking for the bar and adjusting
the tap to bring yourself closer to the bar.
Jaeger - A C skill. From reverse or el-grip, the
gymnast swings forwards, releases the bar
and does a forward salto before catching the
bar in regular grip; done piked (legs together),
straddled (legs apart) or the most difficult,
layed out (straight body). This is also one of
the more common release elements being
performed most of the Chinese and Spanish
gymnasts as well as Allana Slater (AUS), Elena
Zamolodchikova and Ekaterina Lobaznyuk.
Tips: The gymnast should have a solid front
flyaway. Front pike dismounts from a swing or
cast. The dismount should not travel far from
the bar. In a pit, resi-pit, or over stacked mats,
piked front 1 1/4 to the mats. This will help
develop a feel for the over rotation needed to
do the skill properly. (this also teaches the
gymnast what to do when they miss the
release move). Once the front pike dismount
is high enough and getting close to the bar, it
just takes a little later release and a reach for
the bar.
Straddle back to Handstand - A C skill. With
her back to the low bar, the gymnast swings
forward, releasing the bar and traveling
horizontally to catch the low bar in
handstand. It can be performed from an
over-grip, under-grip or mixed-grip. Tips: All
drills for a straddle back apply. The gymnast
must focus on the hips rising and not the
heels. The motion is very similar to a press
handstand. A tight hollow on the catch is
critical to stabilize the skill.
Tkatchev or Reverse-hecht - A C skill. The
gymnast swings backwards and releases the
bar close to the top of the swing, then flies
backwards over the bar in straddle or pike
position to catch the bar on the other side.
Also can be performed from a Stalder (Ricna),
free-hip (aka Hindorff) or toe-on (like Elise
Ray). This is the most popular release element
besides the Jaeger and is being performed by
many gymnasts. Most gymnasts do it in
straddled position, but Elena Produnova does
hers in piked position. Tips: The timing of the
tap and an aggressive throwing of the bar are
keys to this skill. Work back extension, snap to
straddle sit or stand. The back extension
should never reach above 45 deg. As the
gymnast rises they should throw the floor
back aggressively and reach forward, the goal
being a straddle stand. The same drill can be
done on trampoline to give more amplitude.
Also work the same drill to stomach drop. If a
tramp bar is available then this drill can be
worked from a back drop using the bar as one
would on a high rail. On the bar the gymnasts
tap should be earlier than for a giant. The tap
should be directed straight towards the
ceiling, and the toes topped just past
horizontal. The throw is critical for countering
the rotation of the swing. On a low bar work
glides to high arched support. This drill
requires two spotters. The spotters spot at
the ankle and shoulders. The gymnast does
glide swings then aggressively pops their
chest upward and develops support on the
bar. The gymnast should lead with their chest
and not hips.