How To Do A Front Tuck [Steps And Exercises To Help You Improve]
Front tucks were one of the most difficult skills to perform for me, on a personal level. At a point in my gymnastics career, I started feeling almost as if I would never be able to do a decent front tuck.
Despite that, after a few dark days and hours of contemplation, I took it upon myself to not give up until I overcome this obstacle. And today, front tuck is one of my most decent and favorite skills to perform from all the routines I’ve done. It may seem unbelievably arduous to you as well, but all you have to do is remember to stand firm and loyal with your passion…and practice!
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What is a front tuck?
A front tuck is one of the preliminary skills for secondary and senior levels of gymnastics. A handful of skills that make up a major part of a gymnast’s routine use the basics taught to perform a front tuck.
In addition to this, a front tuck is a necessary part of a gymnasts level five routine as well. Therefore, the chances of you getting to skip it are rather slim. But that’s the fun part about it. It is a challenge standing tall right in front of you, waiting for you to knock it down and with just enough practice, you are going to succeed at it.
As the name suggests, while performing this particular skill you are going to need to master a tuck while moving in the forward direction. To put it in simple steps, a front tuck starts from jumping against the floor and simultaneously positions your hands in a manner that they are raised in the air slightly forward too.
After having done that, you will need to flip your body in midair and tuck your legs (similar to the position you assume while sleeping without a blanket when it’s cold). Now, all you need to do is land compactly. To do that, you will need to open up your body a little bit and bend your knees to prevent yourself from falling. Hooray! You’ve done it.
Body parts that have a major role in performing a front tuck
Needless to say, your entire body is actively participating in doing a front tuck. Having put that out there, each skill demands the flexibility of a few particular muscles of the body. As far as a front tuck is concerned, the primary muscles that come to use are a gymnast’s core and her legs.
Carrying out a front tuck simply would not be possible without the two essential body parts. A gymnast’s legs should be strong to give a strong nudge against the floor (or any other gymnastics event being used) as well as to not cause a muscle or tissue injury while landing.
Not too different, if your core muscles are capable enough only then will they be able to allow you to fold your legs into a tuck and open them up timely.
Ways to strengthen your body to perform a front tuck
Where there is a will, there is a way! Let me guess, you tried performing a front tuck and failed at it? It’s not a problem. There is a list of exercises you can go over and include in your routine to overcome your weak spots.
Lunges are by far the most unmatchable exercise that has come into the focus of experts to strengthen one’s leg (lower leg and thigh) muscles.
They require a great deal of bending and keeping your posture straight throughout the exercise. Lunges are considered to be exceptionally efficacious in their purpose if they are done along with weights.
Planks are another exercise you may do to strengthen your upper limbs and your toes. I know, it’s easier said than done but no one said that you hold a plank for a minute straight…right away.
Start with trying to master planks on the elbows and once you deem yourself ready, test yourself with planks on your hands.
There are several other exercises that you may perform as well such as squats, hip lifts, and handstand hold.
Drills to do for front tuck at home
Since for many of us, there is limited space to practice gymnastic skills at home, the drills are quite numbered as well.
A major drill for front tucks is the punching drill with the inclusion of medicine balls and honestly, it overshadows all other home base drills. It is not only fun to perform but will also prove to be equally beneficial when it comes to performing a final front tuck.
Drills to do for front tuck at the gymnasium
We both know you integral and crucial warm-ups are to gymnastic routines. They go together hand in hand, like peanut and jelly – especially at the gym. Experts have come up with a lot of drills for a front tuck to be performed at a gym.
Some suggest that the drills that break down the final skill set into smaller steps are comparatively more helpful. The steps for these drills may be as follows; front tuck breakdown, the dive tuck and standing dive tuck to stand, and so on (they should be done repetitively to master a front tuck).
On the contrary, alternative drills include; punch front into the foam pit, jump roll over the mat and perform a complete front tuck on a gymnastics trampoline (this is how I began with the skill as well and there could have been no better way to get started!).
Necessary tools to learn to perform a front tuck
If you are registered with a proper gymnasium, you need not worry about the equipment in the least. However, if you are keen on learning what mediums are required, they are listed as follows;