The kip is a basic skill. It’s two main uses are to start a routine and to connect skills. The kip allows the gymnast to go from a swing under the bar to support on top of the bar. The skill starts from standing or from a front swing. The up swing should finish around 45 degrees under horizontal. The body is completely extended. The gymnast lifts his/her legs towards the rail. The move continues backward in a piked position, the toes should touch or be very close to the bar. In the up swing the body gradually transforms from a piked position to a hollow. The gymnast pushes the bar towards the hips with tight arms. Legs are following the rail from the toes to the hips. Before reaching support, the gymnast shifts her/his wrists and lean shoulders forward. The skill finishes in support.
In a hanging position, the gymnast raises their bent knees up to their stomach and holds.
From a hanging position lift the tight legs up to horizontal. The angle of the shoulders are extended. The head is in the middle position. Legs and arms are tight.
Leg Lifts can be executed on a Swedish/stall bar or high bar. There should be an emphasis on keeping legs tight and shoulders extended. Arms should be tight as well. The athlete should lift their legs so that their feet touch the bar. Next, the gymnast should slowly lower their legs down to the starting position. They should continue to squeeze their stomach for this half of the exercise. The leg lift should be repeated several times, with the repetitions gradually increasing with each practice.
This drill is a modification of a leg lift. In this case, at the highest point of the leg lift, the athlete should hold them at the bar for several seconds. Lower down slowly. At the end position of the leg lift, the feet should touch the rail.
The body is in a hollow position, the hands are pulling the bar close to the hips. Hold this position.
The gymnast is in front of the wall bar, on the rail, with pointed feet, in a hollow position. The hands are pulling the rail strongly to the body. Hold this position.
The gymnast is in a hanging piked position. Toes are touching the rail. In this position the gymnast should perform swings backward and forward.
This drill can be done on a low bar. Put a block or higher mat under the bar. The distance between the rail and the block should depend on the gymnast’s height so that the gymnast can finish the drill in support with their feet on the block. The drill starts in a hanging position, feet are on the lower rail and shoulders are fully extended, legs are fully bent. Then the athlete extends the legs and pushes the rail towards the hips until they reach support. The gymnast should return to the starting position in the opposite motion, but maintaining straight arms and lowering slowly. The drill should be repeated according to the coaches requirements.
This drill can be done on the parallel bars. One rail should be lower. The difference of the rails should enough so that at the end of the drill the gymnast can be in support on the higher rail, and at the same time have their feet touching the lower rail. The drill starts in a hanging position, feet are on the lower rail and shoulders are fully extended. Then the athlete swings backward and pushes the rail backward until they reach support. During the opposite move, the swing lowers back to the starting position. The drill should be repeated according to the coaches requirements. During all of the move, the arms and the legs are tight.
Place a block or resi mat next to the lower bar. The gymnast lays on their back, grabs the bar and performs a hollow position. Then raises their legs and imitates the first part of a kip.
Hook an elastic band on a Swedish wall/stall bar rail, around the hips/chest height. The gymnast is in front of the wall. Holds both ends of the elastic and executes a strong move backward behind their back. The ending position of the move is the high point of the arms behind the body. Then the gymnast returns back to the starting position. The drill should be repeated several times. The arms are tight. They are open at slightly beyond shoulder width (width of the parallel bars) during the entire execution. The body is extended, do not move, stay still, the only moving parts are the arms.
This drill should be done on a Swedish wall/stall bar. The gymnast jumps onto the rail in a support position, with tight arms in flight hollow position. The pointed toes should touch the lower rail. The scope of the drill is to make the gymnast push back on the rail to their hips, in order to remain on the rail. The drill is static, the gymnast should hold the position for several seconds.
The gymnast lays on their back with a wooden or plastic stick. Arms are over the head. Then they raise the legs towards the stick. When reaching the stick, the gymnast raises their body and sits upright. The stick passes through knees and at the final position ends up towards the hips. Repeat several times in a row.
From support, the gymnast leans back with their shoulders, gradually pikes and moves the bar from the hips to the toes, performing a front swing in a piked position. In the opposite motion, swing and perform a kip. The coach spots in order to help them reach the final body position.
This drill is good for shifting wrists during the last part of the kip. Take the stick and shift the wrists forward and backward.
Hook one end of the rope on the bar, with the other end hook it to the gymnast’s feet. Place the hands on the bar. In a hanging piked position perform swings and increase them until the gymnast reaches support through the back swing.
Among other moves, the spotter emphasizes on the correct lifting of the legs, shifting of the wrists and leaning forward with the shoulder at the end of the kip.
Integral part of gymnastics coaching process are skill drills. They help gymnasts to learn easier and technically correct. With GYM DRILL PRO you will find variety of ideas for the most the basic gymnastics skills. There are plenty of images with skill drill progressions. It is intended to support explicitly the qualified coaches in their daily coaching business. DO NOT practice without the guidance of proper professionals.