Using "Towel Spotters" to learn tricks

[coachgeo]

Though I wrote this for flips... guess you could use the below ONE SPOTTER method just for walking and jumping. The the spotter would have to have ledge to walk on next to  you. Maybe spotter could walk in the bed of a pickup truck while you walk around the back of the truck on the jump stilts?

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Two spotting flip methods. Using STRONG FRIEND(s) and AFTER you have gone thru all the little drills you can think of (example back flip drills- back rolls with hands... back roll from lay on ground w/out hands, good executed trampoline flips etc etc etc..)

ONE SPOTTER

wrap a rolled up towel around your waist (poor mans gymnastic spotting belt)

have friend stand on  something beside you holding the towel.  Ends twisted together and you hold as close to the waist as possible. You should be standing high enough that spotters arm hanging down should be at waist of jumper where the towel is.

As you try your skill friend can lift some but mainly jerk you over if needed or pull you upward/steady you on landing to prevent fall forward or backward.

spotter be prepared to jump down off whatever your standing on to lower the bouncer to the ground more softly.  You may not be able to STOP the person from crashing.... just slow them down a heck of a lot.

Do some jumping next to what spotter is standing on to check clearances and so jumper gets a sence of where the thing is and spotter gets an idea of how to follow you as you go up and down.

Spotter needs to think about keeping the jumper away from whatever they are standing on as well as the assit and catch of the flip AND LANDING

The best is:

TWO SPOTTERS.  Same as above but two towles and two spotters one standing on something on each side of you. One towel wraped and held on one side and other wraped and held on the other side.

These are old old gymnastic spotting methods.

BYTW--- consider that I am full of shiat and take nothing for granted.  Do at your own risk.  I accept no responsibility for your good or bad attempts or even the decision to try it . Know that you could get injured.. FOR LIFE or till just tommorow or till death which could be right after you try it

PS- yes this is a slightly updated version of something I wrote in a Flip thread.  Figrued it would be a good thread all by itself so I reposted as a new subject.

[ElectricStapler]

Ok coach theres a lot you don't know about bocking. The majority of this whole idea is impractical for a few reasons.
1. When a person is jumping, odds are they won't have the greatest amount of control, so they will be landing in many different places, meaning the spotter won't be able to keep control and stand by him.
2. These stilts can propel you high enough into the air that it would be hard for the spotter to hold on.
3. It is preferred to have momentum when flipping, because jumping in place won't get you the proper height.

In all, the spotter will get hurt, and the bocker will get held back.

Gymnastic practices change a great deal when you have 9lb (4.5kg or something) spring loaded stilts attached to your legs. That has to be kept in mind.

[coachgeo]

Ok coach theres a lot you don't know about bocking. The majority of this whole idea is impractical for a few reasons. ...

good input thanx

[ElectricStapler]

Oh, sorry if I was harsh, i didn't mean to come off that way.

[coachgeo]

a modification to this then might be use bed sheets intsead of towel and stand higher above the bouncer than I first posted.  This may not help the impracticality though.  

Just somethings to ponder.

ps did not take it as harsh at all

[coachgeo]

upon further pondering.... sounds like the old two person belt and rope spot method would be better.

Same as Two Spotter method BUTT.... use something longer like sheets described above or sheet with rope for each spotter.  For lack of a better term call what your holding in your hands an attachement.

Spotter holds the attachment NOT by the waist of jumper but further back along it to give  jumper room to bop back and forth and to accomidate for range of motion in the verticle plane of the jumper.

When the skill leaves the ground  and begins to be executed each spotter slides one hand further inward toward the waist of the jumper along the attachement being ready to GRIPPP hard to help assist in the skill or catch the landing of the skill. Goal is to have the grip as close to the waist of the jumper yet keeping each spotters strength and balance in check. Closer to waist the better but right at the waist may not be practical.

be prepared to grip like a son of a biatch.

again this is old school spotting method. 

traveling spotting rigs with overhead wires and pully and spotting ropes is not hard to make if your up to it though and have places to attach them.  Only one spotter needed for those.  Infact traveling Bab system could be made the same way. hmmmm

Anyway..... just some things to think about as you develop ways to help your friends learn.

[coachgeo]

....
3. It is preferred to have momentum when flipping, because jumping in place won't get you the proper height. ...

front flips for sure.  back flips not so much so?  Might add to the complexity.  For example a backhandspring back flip is mechanically easier..... but you need a good backhandspring or its harder.   

Do most back flippers bounce backward a few times before flipping? 

Anyway... made some modifications to my top post to better clarify how I was picturing this in my mind.  Was thinking range of motion before but maybe not enough so.  So again thanks for your input.

A longer attachment described above "might" make it more practical?

[Sprog]

Coach geo, rather than replying over and over again, just hit "Modify"

[coachgeo]

Coach geo, rather than replying over and over again, just hit "Modify"

Yep.... know how it works.  I co-administrate a bulletin board and moderate several others.

There usually is method to my madness in post order.  Be it train of thought for myself or for future readers.

Thanx though.

[Bill C.]

again this is old school spotting method. 

Having experience in gymnastics, you will probably advance fairly quickly with your spring stilts.  I might suggest, once you get to the point where you can do a flip (or can almost do a flip), it would be most helpful to everyone here if you would post a video of two people spotting you using your suggested spotting method.

Bill C.

[English-tailor]

Spotters are not required, they would be more of a hindrance than helpfull.

[ElectricStapler]

And coach to the back flips, ive seen a running to 180 to back flip.

[coachgeo]

Spotters are not required, they would be more of a hindrance than helpfull.

while I could possibly see your train of thought.. as a professional spotter myself can't agree with you but thats ok. 

[coachgeo]

And coach to the back flips, ive seen a running to 180 to back flip.

thanks for that.  think it would be less complexity to pop up toward a handstand on something like you see in some videos then snap down and back tuck out of that but added wieght and length of legs... hmmm ??

I'll try to get videos of this spot idea.  Maybe at a Stilt Jump gathering here at my gym in N.Texas sometime.

So TX, LA, AR and OK people hit me up

[English-tailor]

Spotters are not required, they would be more of a hindrance than helpfull.

while I could possibly see your train of thought.. as a professional spotter myself can't agree with you but thats ok. 

How exactly are you going to spot me? I approach take off with about 4 kanga hops..... I personally would find a spotter very off putting