The speed at which you learn your skills can vary from time to time. I’m sure that to most of you, that’s not groundbreaking news, but it’s something I like to repeat often because it’s just so important for athletes (and even parents) to understand.

Now let’s talk some practical advice…

3 Tips That’ll Help Speed Up The Way You Learn Tumbling

1) Increase VOL (volume of training). 

If you aren’t doing a focused tumbling class at least 3x a week for 2 hours per session (that’s 6 hours total) then that’s the first thing you should do. You say you work as hard as “they” do, and I believe it. But do you work for as long as they do? Do you have the same lasting power as they do? If not, that’s the first place to start. Nothing can replace the experience which comes from spending more time in the gym. Nothing.

2) Figure Out Your Sticking Points. 

If you’re having trouble in the running tuck, is it ACTUALLY your tuck? I doubt it, because if you can do rewinds then you know how to tuck properly. I can almost guarantee your RO BHS or RO aren’t being executed at a high enough standard. Spend the next month cleaning up and perfecting your RO and RO BHS entry. If you do, the tuck will take care of itself.

3) Drills Pay The Bills. 

Are you simply working the pass to get the pass? If so, then you’re basically beating your head against the wall. Is funny to me when girls who are having trouble with their fulls try and improve their full by… working their full. Sounds odd but 80% of the time doing more layout drills or twisting drills on a trampoline will produce much better results. Think about it this way: you can’t solve a puzzle by simply putting it together all at once. You solve it piece by piece. So treat your tumbling passes the same way. Figure out what pieces are missing or what pieces need work, then drill the living hell outta them. 

I hope that makes sense. If you apply what I’ve shown you here, you will not only make progress, but most likely at a pace that you enjoy.

Eventually it will pay off. It has to. Persistent athletes suffer from bumps, scrapes and setbacks, but they always succeed in the end.

Train hard, eat well and stay fierce!