How to Do Yurchenko Drills With Simone Biles

A Yurchenko is a type of vault (and vault family) that begins with a roundoff entry onto the springboard and is followed by a back handspring onto the vaulting table and a flip off the table. A twist may be added on the way off the table or between the springboard and the table.

To perform a Yurchenko, the gymnast sprints down a narrow runway that’s 82 feet long, launches onto a springboard, and “vaults” off a four-foot-high table.

Judges evaluate for proper form, fast repulsion (how quickly you spring off the board or table), the height and distance achieved, and the number of flips and twists in a vault. If you’re a more elite gymnast, chances are you’ll perform a Yurchenko “entry,” which means a roundoff onto the springboard and back handspring onto the vault table.

To perform a Yurchenko, the gymnast sprints down a narrow runway that’s 82 feet long, launches onto a springboard, and “vaults” off a four-foot-high table.

Judges evaluate for proper form, fast repulsion (how quickly you spring off the board or table), the height and distance achieved, and the number of flips and twists in a vault. If you’re a more elite gymnast, chances are you’ll perform a Yurchenko “entry,” which means a roundoff onto the springboard and back handspring onto the vault table.

Yurchenko Preflight Drill 1:

This drill helps you work on the roundoff and bounce off. It also helps you learn to get your chest up off the board quickly. That way, you’ll be able to do a perfect straight jump while still traveling back, and land on your feet on the stacked mats. Using mats will help you build to a Yurchenko.

1. 1. Place a springboard in front of stacked mats. A combination of mats, like a whale mat with a few eight-inchers on top of it, works well. The mats should be close to the height of the vault. Make sure the u-pad is around the board.
2. 2. Round off onto the board, and rebound with feet together.
3. 3. Land standing up straight on the stacked-up mats with your arms by your ears. (If you don’t get your chest up quickly, you’ll land on the mats on your bum.)
4. 4. Once you’ve mastered the above, try the same drill again, but land all the way on your back.

Yurchenko Preflight Drill 2:

The focus of this drill is to practice the body shape into the preflight. It simulates how you should enter your back handspring and helps assuage any fear (since there’s no vault there for you to run into).

1. 1. Place a springboard in front of stacked mats. A combination of mats, like a whale mat with a few eight-inchers on top of it, works well. The mats should be close to the height of the vault. Make sure the u-pad is around the board.
2. 2. Round off onto the board.
3. 3. Layout.
4. 4. Land on the stacked eight-incher mats.

Focus on quick arm action into the layout. Keep your body completely extended all the way around.

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