Houston 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.

• Workouts are 2 hours long, TWICE A WEEK, and tuition cost is $185.00 a month with a $185.00 deposit
• FREE TRIAL offered before sign up
• Sibling discount
• Great for athletes participating in Off-Campus PE or seeking the All-Star experience without the financial or time commitment

REINFORCE

• Becoming a better jumper using Flexibility Training; Proper Technique and Strength/Conditioning.
• Focus on a more strenuous amount of proper stretching: Flexibility is the first step toward becoming a better jumper. Use this portion of class, after a light warm-up, to stretch the athletes so they are limber enough to execute the jumps desired.
• Jump technique section: This portion of the class will give students the opportunity to focus on the techniques of jumping: the approach into the jump, the proper lift needed to execute the jump, and landings. Athletes will also learn/train several drills geared toward perfecting their technique: arms, leg height, pointed toes, landings, etc. This will be the section of class where athletes will be working the actual jumps. They will individually work on jumps in-front of the mirrors while the staff rotates amongst them (Toe Touch, Right & Left Hurdler, Right & Left Herkie, and Pike Jumps).
• Lastly will be a conditioning/strengthening section: This final portion of the class will be geared towards making athletes physically stronger. Athletes will condition the above jump techniques and drills, as well as do leg and arm training to become stronger jumpers.
• If time permits, athletes will do a cool down regimen: This will be geared towards minimizing soreness by stretching. This not only will help with soreness, but is another opportunity to gain flexibility.
• Fact: our bodies do not truly stretch unless we are warm. If an athlete is lacking in any of the 3 principles of jumping, this class is especially for them. If an athlete has an injury but would like to remain active, this is also a great avenue to pursue because there are non-impact activities that they can do that do not involve every muscle in the body.

• Flexibility Training
• Proper Jump Technique and Strength/Conditioning (Toe Touch, Right & Left Hurdler, Right & Left Herkie, and Pike Jumps).
• Proper Motion, Cheer & Dance Technique
• Proper entrance and exits (Using School Spirit)
• Proper “Filler,” (Using School Spirit) after skills/chants/cheers
• Proper Technique of tumbling as it pertains to the Tryout
• Process (Acceptable skills ABLE to be executed safely in the school tryout setting)

GET FAMILIAR TOWARDS MASTERY

• Athletes will strengthen their confidence in the tryout process through motion/jump/flexibility training, and conditioning, while perfecting proper dance/cheer/chant/tumbling technique.
• First 10-15 minutes – Stretch/over stretching
• Begin with a cardio based warm up.
• Follow with a stretching regiment.
• Finish with over stretching techniques designed to facilitate flexibility growth for better tumbling and jumps.
• Second 10-15 minutes – Set up jump stations created to improve strength, flexibility, and technique.
• Kicks
• Hip flexor strengthening exercises
• V-ups/Straddle ups
• Trampoline conditioning regiments
• Quick twitch muscle training (mountain climbers, cross cross outs)
• Jumping on to mats to increase overall height
• Start to incorporate spirit chants before and after jumps as a intro in to the next portion of class.
• Third 10- 15 minutes – Teach at least one cheer, chant, or a 2-3 eight count dance per class.
• Teach cheer/chant/dance, incorporate jumps, personalize spirit
• Create a cheer with simplistic motions to strengthen sharpness, and vocal control.
• Personalizing their spirit is VERY IMPORTANT! Spirit needs to be simple, yet effective. Stay away from the overly used… take it to the top or fire it up. Try sticking to the classics: school colors, mascot, letters, and name. Getting specific in spirit is also a great idea. Go big D! Score 6 more! Beat those dogs!
• Have your athletes write out possible spirit scenarios, and choose which verses they feel comfortable saying. Tryout spirit should be planned and well practiced so the athlete is confident and consistent during the tryout process.
• Fourth 10- 15 minutes  – Clean tumbling (try to stay away from spotting new skills). Have the athlete perfect the skills they currently can perform safely on their own.
• Review tryout layout.
• Skills need to be clean, look effortless and most importantly CONFIDENT!
• Go over the spirit entrance/exit, running/standing tumbling, cheer/chant/dance, and jump with the athletes.
• Try having the athletes add personalized spirit between each skill without having “spirit overkill”.
• Host a mock tryout. Create a tryout-like environment and evaluate what has been taught during the class. Try giving your athletes a quick informative written evaluation. Use video technology to show them their errors/areas of improvement.
• Always follow up with parents after class, detailing their progress and suggesting a home regimen for further progress.