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sbonham · Joined: 08 Feb 2006 Posts: 161 Location: Savannah, GA

Anyone using this board?

I understand it is not "legal" in USAG competition but according to advertisements - it is nearly identical in "bounce" while reducing potential injuries for roundoff entries due to padded safety zone.

Further details on board.

Any comments appreciated.
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Ganba,
Steve

sbonham · Joined: 08 Feb 2006 Posts: 161 Location: Savannah, GA

OOps.
Sorry. I did a search for "air-o board" prior to posting my previous question and got zero results. Then I found some posts under "vaulting boards" in a previous thread.

So- the Air-O Board is a "mini" mini-tramp of sorts?
_________________
Ganba,
Steve

sbonham · Joined: 08 Feb 2006 Posts: 161 Location: Savannah, GA

A bit more--
I Googled "Air-O Board" and "Air-O Trak" (www.webounce.com of California makes both of these products) and found this image.

You can see both pieces of equipment at the link below. The board is indeed a low profile mini-tramp - no air bladders here!

I can see that this would be a great training tool- but that it would take some transitioning to doing the same skills on a real board. Similar to moving from Tumble Trak to Floor.
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Ganba,
Steve

TipGuy · Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:00 am Post subject:

Steve,

It's not identical in feel to a real board. It rebounds slower. It's great for learning new vaults as it can give you a bit more height and turn over and you can do more vaults before your lower legs are done, similar to what the tracks have done for floor. Big guys can't really use them because they respond a little too slow.
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Coach Blair · Joined: 09 Jan 2003 Posts: 1492 Location: Bay area/Sacto

TipGuy pretty much lays it down. I've worked with them at the last gyms I've been. They've worked well for when new to a vault, say compulsories nailing down their front handsprings and optionals learning FHS front, tsuks and yurchenkos.

One of the big guys in my adult class will bottom them up and he neither runs hard or hurdles hard due to his size. Another gentleman a bit taller than TipGuy ( 6 2 185ish ) will bottom them out when vaulting due to the amount of acceleration he builds up during his room and hurdle.
As for myself ( at 5 1 and 160? ) I've yet to bottom one out from running and punching it.

For introducing round off vaults, there is a U shaped padding that can fit around a vault board or aero-board to increase the safety of learning round off entry vaults. If you hit the thin foam on one of the aeroboards, it still might hurt...especially for any kids.

http://www.american-gymnast.com/catalog/prod_VTZONE.cfm?series=2&brand=20
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CoachandLearn · Joined: 06 Oct 2004 Posts: 44 Location: Central California

I use them extensively. First, it's a great low-impact training tool. Anything you do with a springboard can be done with an aeroboard. I don't use it as much when we get closer to competitions, but for daily drills I like it.

Secondly, the fact that it is slower is a good thing, it gives time to concentrate on shape and turning. I use it for "flying lessons". I have the girls HS vault over the porta-pit, or L4 vault system. It really give them enough time think about rising and shaping. It's also a great drill for the run and hurdle, everything they are crashing into is soft :-)

CaL

Coach Blair · Joined: 09 Jan 2003 Posts: 1492 Location: Bay area/Sacto

Yeah we turn the porta pit sideways to the vault runway as a step for L5 before they go over the table. We usually use the aeroboard in tandem. It's also a progression I use for our rec classes as well as turning tsuks and yurchenko drills. Putting it at the end of the tumble strip into pit, allows a gymnast to start flipping without the fear of the TABLE.
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Glorify strength. "It is only by becoming stronger that a man can realize his divinity."

gurlgymnast · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 61 Location: mn/Ia

I used one of these when I competed AAu in iowa (they are legal for aau competitions) It's a lot softer than the regular board so i suppose it helps with putting stress on joints or bones or whatever. I have had no trouble transitioning to a regular springboard, i just needed to run a little faster and jump harder.

Schmieding · Joined: 03 Jun 2003 Posts: 56

I use this springers every day for Vault for all of my compulsory levels. I transition to a board the practice before a meet. They're used to running so fast and hitting the springer so hard all week long that a board is nothing different. They usually end up going much higher when they transition to a board because they're used to being aggressive without having to worry about hurting their bodies.

There was always disagreement between me and the previous head coach of the team. He hated the springers and thought the only way for them to vault well in competition was to practice with the board. Well, he's gone, the girls use the springers now, and are scoring better than ever.

Coach Blair · Joined: 09 Jan 2003 Posts: 1492 Location: Bay area/Sacto

Ahh, good to hear you're coaching both compulsory girls and boys, Danny. One of the biggest things in gym, just like anything is confidence and comfort.
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Glorify strength. "It is only by becoming stronger that a man can realize his divinity."

Schmieding · Joined: 03 Jun 2003 Posts: 56

You should stop by Blair, jump on the trampoline for a while.

Coach Blair · Joined: 09 Jan 2003 Posts: 1492 Location: Bay area/Sacto

Yeah, that's why I drop in from time to time; because we still don't have our tramp in. I'm a bit leery of the above ground tramp but it's got some nice bounce to it and I like that floor as well. As well Mark and Rocky are awesome.
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Glorify strength. "It is only by becoming stronger that a man can realize his divinity."