Kasamatsu Timers to Stacked Mats
The goal of this drill is to land on top of an elevated surface without having to arch the body. The gymnast can't arch and twist, which is why the drill is so important.
Kasamatsu Board to Pit Progression
The following clip shows a drill that helps gymnasts learn the Kasamatsu. At first, the gymnasts get familiar with performing a cartwheel into the pit. Then, as they improve, they add a side somersault. The next step would be to add a quarter twist. Now they are ready for the Kasamatsu.
Yurchenko Tuck Full
Here are some examples of a Yurchenko Tucked Full.
Yurchenko Full
Observe the yurchenko layout full and check for some of it's weak and strong points. This gymnast dives on her round-off and her turnover to the table is a little too high. On a positive note, as she comes off the table, her arms move down toward the center of mass, helping her twist.
Yurchenko Full and a Half
All of the technical actions required to perform the successful yurchenko full become even more important to progress and perform the yurchenko full and a half. The gymnast should always have a straight round-off with a center of mass in front of support. The body should rotate in a tight arch instead of with a loose lower back.
Yurchenko Double Full
Successfully adding more twists to yurchenkos in large part depends on the gymnast's focus. A skill this difficult is achieved by taking progressive steps. What the gymnast does before he is in the air plays a big role in the outcome of the skill. A good hurdle that moves up and forward along with a round-off that contacts the board with the center of mass in front of the feet is important.
Yurchenko Double Full – Another Example
A large percentage of skills on the vault can be performed into the pit when training to minimize stress on the gymnast's joints. This is true for new skills and skills that are already known. Layout twisting is always more effective with a straight body line, the head neutral, and the arms close to the mid-section.
Yurchenko Double and a Half in Training
The gymnast performing these examples is still in the process of mastering this skill. As expected, he is not training this skill to a regular competition landing mat. Like in any other yurchenko vault, the hands contact the table with the gymnast in a tight arch and with the mid-section above the feet.
Yurchenko Full in Back Out Timers
Open-tuck and layout yurchenkos to progressively elevated mats are good drills. The gymnast can add open-tuck twists to the feet and eventually to the back. Gymnasts should not attempt the second somersault until they can consistently land on their back on an elevated surface.
Yurchenko Half-on Timer
Before an athlete attempts any difficult yurchenko half-turn vault, they must master a consistent round-off half onto elevated mats. Observe in this back view how the half-turn is performed, anchoring the twist from the board. Take a final look at this back view of a yurchenko half-turn timer and notice how these type of skills require an early controlled twist without killing the turnover.
Yurchenko Half on Front Pike
For the yurchenko half-on the shoulders are moved from a blocking position in front of the feet to slightly behind the feet. The gymnast is performing an early twist and a quick half turn to get a good amount of air off the table. The gymnast contacts the table with the hands ahead of the shoulders.
Yurchenko Introductory Progression
These are some helpful progressive skills to introduce yurchenko vaults. First the gymnast roundoffs to a higher mat. The roundoff should be landed with the center of mass in front of the feet. In the next step the gymnast practices roundoffs to rebound on a springboard. When they demonstrate consistent rebounds, the gymnast can begin practicing some tuck somersaults and eventually layouts and high whip backs.