Those that saw our classes doing the head-5 probably think it is cute and the kids love it. However, there is a lot more behind such a simple activity.
Head-5 come from High Fives which is simply a gesture of acknowledgement or celebration of good work. Of course there are variations like high-10, low-5 and my version of head-5.
Head-5, as some of you may have guessed, is to get the gymnast to bump the head against a hand held high. It is to give an instant feedback to the jumper whether their jumps are high enough and most often then not, children fail at their first attempt. The hints that follow after a few unsuccessful tries are “explode/speed change” and “through the toes” and magically, they can usually reach the target. The kids love it and they have learnt some valuable lessons through this one simple activity:
- Setting goals and targets with instant feedback gives them focus and therefore results
- It is not always just about the effort, technical details matters. Common mistakes like arching of the back, preparation from a really deep squat, tensing up unnecessarily, constant slow speed etc. may play a part in unsuccessful attempts
- Understand difference between strength vs power. During the activity, I cannot make their muscles stronger, but I can get their brain to refocus, visualize differently to gain speed and therefore POWER AND HEIGHT.
“Jump higher” may eventually work for some kids but most kids cannot reach their max through that style of instruction. To avoid frustration, some coaches will lower their hand “to let” the kids meet the target. However, we can do a lot better. Through proper head-5, kids learn body mechanics and the importance of mental focus. What is even more important is that they are not learning just about jumping high, they are learning principles that they can apply in other motions. Therefore, as a coach, what you say and how you say matters!
Exercise
Yes, this blog is late but purposefully. Did you take action to find out why it is late? In life, you have to try to be proactive!
In the last class of 2016 when conditioning changes to “Do the conditioning that you think you need most”. How many of you were caught off guard? As adult, you are ultimately your own personal coach. It is important to always keep assessing your progress, mentally, physically and strategically. That is the key to success in life.
This is the first week of January, do assess what you need to work on and make realistic plans for 2017. Look back on your plans for 2016 and see if you achieve what you planned last January. How can you improve your planning process?