All Star team placements are happening now or they are right around the corner at most gyms. Every level has required tumbling skills and it’s important to have those requirements on lock. For level 5 the most basic required skill would be a toe-touch back tuck. Sounds easy. If you have a back tuck just add a toe touch!  But rhythm and body placement are both important and let’s not just do it…let’s do it WELL!  

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Step 1 - Consistency
Make sure your back tuck is solid and that you can land it consistently.

Step 2 - Straight jump to bent stance position
Practice doing just a straight jump with a T motion and landing in a slightly bent stance, chest up, with your arms straight, tight on your sides and behind you ready for a strong swing. You should NOT be leaning back when you land your jump. Do this several times until you have the right position. 

Step 3 - Straight jump to a tuck jump
Do some straight jumps to a tuck jump so you can understand the rhythm. Make sure in your straight jump that your arms hit a strong T motion and that when you land the jump you land with your chest up, arms straight and tight by your sides and behind your hips to give you momentum into the back tuck. 

Step 4 - Straight jump to a back tuck
Go ahead and do some straight jumps to back tuck. Focus on a strong T motion and landing with tight feet after the straight jump and before going into the back tuck. When landing the back tuck keep your stomach pulled in tight on the landing, a tight tuck and your head in. If your head is sticking out on a back tuck most you will most likely fall forward onto your knees or possibly strain your ankles. 
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Step 5 - Toe touch to a bent stance position
When you have done straight jumps to a back tuck successfully do some toe touches to the bent stance position. Remember to hit a strong T motion in the jump, feet together, chest up on the landing of the jump, arms are straight and far behind your hips and close to your body on the landing.

Step 6 - Toe touch to a tuck jump
Do some toe touches to a tuck jump. Hit all the key positions in the toe touch and make sure when you jump for the back tuck that your arms start tight behind you in the bent stance and that when you jump that your arms are by your ears in a high touchdown motion position.  When this feels comfortable it’s time to move on.

Step 7 - Time to bust it out!
It’s time to put it together. If your back tuck is strong you should be able to do this independently immediately. Remember…don’t sacrifice the form of your jump for the back tuck. Do both skills completely and don’t rush the back tuck.  

Lastly, don’t just do it - do it WELL!