The Tkachev was done for the first time by Alexander Tkachev in 1977. It’s one of the few elements which was invented first scientifically. This skill drastically changed the dynamics of all future high bar routines. From the Tkachev, many modifications were born - with a straight body, with twists, in connection with other skills, etc. The skill starts from a back giant with a reverse Hecht. An early tap should finish around horizontal in the upswing. After that, the gymnast should push back on the bar strongly. At the same time, they should open their body from their hips. Since the tap is later than normal, the gymnast should push stronger on the bar and stronger with their hips. Doing these will eventually help to release higher over the bar. At the moment of the release, they should open their legs and perform a large half circle sideways as the legs gradually unite. A larger circle with the legs is needed to prevent hitting the rail. During the flight, the body should be arched, but transform into a strong hollow and then piked position. During the tap, the head should be in a middle position, during the flight the chin should be down, and at the moment of the catch, the gymnast should be watching the bar. During the flight, the arms should be passing through the shortest way to reach the bar for catching. When teaching this skill, the coach should emphasize several points.
The tap should be early. But there are nuances. If it’s relatively late, the reverse Hecht is going to be late and the push back on the bar and kick from the hips should be stronger respectively;
During the flight the body passes through the straddled hollow. It’s a common error when the legs are going back toward the body and the gymnast creates a strong pike from the hips.
The giant starts from a handstand. The gymnast is in a slight hollow position. Extending their body from the shoulders down to the bottom. At the bottom of the rotation, they should do a tap swing. If the gymnast wants to accelerate the giant, he/she should perform the tap swing from the bottom and afterward. A later tap yields faster acceleration. During the execution of a regular giant (after the tap swing), the gymnast continues the upward rotation in a hollow position. Simply said the only place in which there is a change in the position of the body is the lower vertical (during the tap performance). In case of acceleration, after the bottom, the gymnast should cut their shoulder angle slightly and aggressively kick upward with their legs from their feet. The body should be in a hollow to a slightly piked position. The giant finishes in a handstand.
Lay on the back. Bend the legs with the feet on the floor. Put the palms on the floor around both sides of the head. Tighten the arms and legs until the body is fully supported with the feet and hands on the floor. The scope is to extend the angle of the shoulders as much as possible. The legs and arms are tight during the execution of the stretch.
Hook the elastic on one of the Swedish wall rails. Grab both ends of the elastic, lay back with the feet in front of the wall. The elastic should be extended, the gymnast should feel the pressure. With straight arms, the gymnast should push back with the elastic and hit the floor. This should be repeated several times.
Have the gymnast perform a front swing with an early tap. In the front swing the gymnast should push back on the bar and arch their body from their shoulders and hips. Return back with a regular back swing or with a hecht swing.
When the gymnast gains enough experience with the straps, they should move to the actual bar with grips. Start from swings and then eventually move to a giant reverse Hecht.
Perform a front swing with an early tap. During the front swing push back the bar, arch the body from the shoulders and hips in order to execute the release. During the flight open the legs, pass through the straddle, and at the end of the move unite them. Land flat on the belly in the foam pit.
This is a modification of a Hecht, but done on the rings. Compared to the bar, the rings are not as stable and it creates more potential to improve the coordination.
Start the drill on the trampoline with a backward roll. When the arms reach the trampoline, push back strongly on the surface in order to reverse the move. Arch from the hips and the shoulder until the body is completely upright. During the flight, the legs should be cycling through a straddle. The drill finishes when the gymnast reaches the trampoline on their belly.
Integral part of gymnastics coaching process are skill drills. They help gymnasts to learn easier and technically correct. With GYM DRILL PRO you will find variety of ideas for the most the basic gymnastics skills. There are plenty of images with skill drill progressions. It is intended to support explicitly the qualified coaches in their daily coaching business. DO NOT practice without the guidance of proper professionals.