Name: Playbook - Jess St John - Giant Tutorial
Uploaded: 2023-12-13T15:49:49.592Z
Duration: 75 min
Description: Giant Tutorial

Learn how to giant! 

Note: this is a calisthenics giant, not a gymnastics giant. This does not teach you how to hit a full handstand position on the bar.

Please be advised that this is an advanced skill and attempting it without the proper pre-requisites, facility (mats/foam pits), and coaches present to spot may result in serious injury. In using this tutorial you acknowledge that it acts as a guidance and does not replace in person coaching. You also acknowledge that you are 100% responsible for your own actions and attempts, as well as any injuries that may occur. Please do not attempt skills that you are not 100% confident in. 

Before attempting a giant you should be confident in
- bar pull over
- back hip circle
- casts
- powerful swings 
- handstands (and falling out of them)
- push ups (should be able to rep at least 20 consecutively)
- feeling comfortable on a high bar

All of the skill pre-requisites above are taught on my app so if you are unsure of something please go back and focus on it first!

Practice these to build strength, grip strength, and understand the motion of going backwards around the bar. 

To learn these skills find them in the beginner dynamics category

Bar pullover & back hip circle

- start with a big cast
- keep chin tucked and pull your back hip circle before your hips touch the bar
- start with minimal space between your hips and the bar 
- as you get comfortable try to maximize the amount of space between your hips and the bar 
- maintain a hollow body position to get you over the bar
- as your hips direct your momentum upwards, shift your hands over top of the bar and drive your elbows back - this movement is necessary in your giant

Clear hip

- jump into a bar pullover and try to miss your hips
- you will likely land with your hips or stomach on the bar when you’re learning 
- focus on getting your hips over and transitioning your hands quickly from under the bar to on top of it, while driving the elbows back (same as in a clear hip)
- think of trying to get yourself into a push up position 
- this is ultimately teaching you to muscle your way through a giant and is important for minimizing risk of injury

Giant pull over

- practice a powerful swing and connect it to your bar pullover 
- this will help your spatial awareness in giants

Swing into bar pullover

- from a front support, cast into a swing (if this makes you nervous, just practice this part and 180° out of the swing to redirect your momentum)
- from the swing add in the bar pullover
- start with small swings and more muscle
- eventually add more momentum as you become familiar with the movement 

*** THESE WILL HURT YOUR HIPS! 😅 the more power you have, the more force there will be coming down on the bar. It is recommended to practice on a wooden gymnastics bar as they are much more forgiving!

Baby giant

- when you cast off the bar for a giant, you want to hit a hollow position first
- this will control your swing and build momentum 
- practice on a low bar and out of your cast

Swinging for giants part 1: hollow

- out of your hollow position, you want to open your shoulders and hips to arch your back right before you go underneath the bar 
- practice on a bar where you can reach the ground and out of your cast to hollow position

Swinging for giants part 2: arch

- as your toes come underneath the bar you want to “tap”
- imagine there is a soccer ball under the bar and you want to kick it as far as you can with both feet 
- from your arch, kick your feet forward while squeezing the glutes and core into a hollow body position 
- your hips will drive you up
- practice from a small swing as well as out of your cast, hollow, & arch (keep in mind this builds a lot of momentum

Swinging for a giant part 3: the tap

- use the last 3 steps together to practice swinging for a giant

Swinging for a giant: put together

- slowed down version to help you visualize the timing of the hollow, the arch, and the tap

Slow motion swing for a giant

*Video demonstrates two ways to properly fall.

It is important to learn over a foam pit or very squishy mats because falling correctly requires a quick reaction time, which comes with spatial awareness and practice. When learning this skill, it’s normal to become disoriented while upside down so having a foam pit and spotters ready to catch or assist in falling is necessary. 

1. Fold hips over the bar. This will hurt your hips but it will hurt a lot less than falling straight down!
2. Twist out of it. Similar to twisting out of a handstand. Practice twisting out of a handstand on the floor. You can also practice twisting out of this position on a lower bar with mats. 

WHAT NOT TO DO!!!
1. Never, and I repeat, NEVER, fall back in the direction you came from. If you’ve seen anyone do this successfully, they were likely strapped on to the bar. Especially when learning, you will not have the time or grip strength to rotate your hands around the bar in the opposite direction and be able to hold on. Falling back the way you came will result in you falling off the bar on to your head or back. 
2. Do not attempt to fall forward into a bridge. While this is an acceptable way to fall out of a handstand, doing so from a high bar increases the amount of impact upon landing. It will also have you landing on an unpredictable angle. This is a quick way to cause a serious back injury. 

Always practice over a foam pit or large squishy mats, and have a coach present when learning.

How to fall, how not to fall. Read description!

- aim to finish your swing with a bar pull over
- when learning you may hit your hips, stomach, or chest on the bar
- make sure you shift your hands over top of the bar and keep your elbows tucked in to bring your body over the bar
- push down on the bar as your weight shifts over it so you don’t hit your head on it

Swinging into a giant

- once you’re comfortable doing a giant from a swing, try it from a front support
- cast into it, the higher your cast, the more power you will have
- arch out of the cast and tap your toes under the bar 
- drive your hips up and shift your hands on top of the bar, keeping your elbows tucked in
- be prepared as you’ll likely have a lot of momentum coming out on the other side! 180 out of it to slow down

Giant Tutorial

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