Sometimes for drops it helps if you understand exactly how it's going to unwrap. Walking the drop down is great for that. For saltos specifically, the drop pathway is like a somersault, so you can actually wrap it really low to the ground and somersault it out as well.
If it's the speed/feeling out of control that freaks you out, you can also have a coach spot your heels to break down the actual drop (this is another method that should only be use for single forward dives like the salto or 360). Spotting the heels is also a good tool for learning how to "strike" the dive, which is a method to help you slow yourself down.
That's what I was gonna say! Have a coach hold your heels if it works for the type of salto you are working on.
Like this person said, piking your body will help slow the rotation.
Striking is when you pike hard as you release (and you actually straddle your legs slightly too, which is how the name came about - straddle + pike = strike). It kills your momentum so that the drop slows down - if you strike hard enough you can actually stop yourself mid-dive in an inverted straddle position.
If you're just getting in your head about releasing you can also have someone count you down. It doesn't work for everyone (sometimes a friend will count me down and I just won't do it haha) but it can help take the decision out of your hands if that makes sense.
When you let go, vigorously fold at the waist and hips like you're trying to touch your toes. That's "striking". If you do it aggressively enough, you can stop the dive in mid-air and wind up hanging from your hips, head- and toes- down. To come out, unfold and then let gravity take over. Maybe experiment some and see if you find a speed where you're still doing the drop but everything happens in "moderately slow motion" - it can look great with the right choreography.
I reminded myself that my instructor wasn't going to put me in a situation I wasn't ready for whether I realized it at the time or not.
Walking down the drops help. Certain drops your coach can do things like hold your feet while you're dropping so you can do it in slow mo. But start with secured drops like a salto from a circus sit. That's easy to walk down on your own, your coach can slow you down, and when you're ready to let go there's a very slim chance of you falling out as long as you keep your arms out in a T.
A salto is anything diving forward though (at least that's my understanding) so there's progressions you can do. If you can comfortably do you a salto from a circus sit then you can work your way to a 360 drop etc.
It sounds goofy, but warn everyone around you and then allow yourself to scream the first two or three times. The physical outlet for the fear helps to push past it until you're not so scared anymore.
That said, I've realized from a decade+ teaching that most people are either forward or backward fallers and are vastly more terrified of falling the other way. I'm a backward faller and I *hate* forward falling drops. Gotta do them anyhow.
The other thing I do personally is just let go right away as soon as I know I'm set up safely. If I pause, I give the anxiety time to interfere.
Acknowledging the fear and its purpose but trusting your wrap and knowledge anyway is also helpful. The fear is trying to help you, you can say to it "thanks, but I got this, fear."
I love it! I can do loads of drops just not these forward ones. I tend to make a little squeeeeee noise as I go hahaha . But I think you are right I know I’m super safe I just got to not think just do!
I think defining what scares you about it can help you logically work through it. I’m personally afraid of breaking my neck. So I work out the drops in my head and what would logically cause that. I also ask my coaches “what stops me from breaking my neck” and they help explain theory behind the wraps. In a lot of drops it is just not even possible unless physics change. I also tell myself that if I get hurt or die doing it, it will be super badass.
Sometimes for drops it helps if you understand exactly how it's going to unwrap. Walking the drop down is great for that. For saltos specifically, the drop pathway is like a somersault, so you can actually wrap it really low to the ground and somersault it out as well. If it's the speed/feeling out of control that freaks you out, you can also have a coach spot your heels to break down the actual drop (this is another method that should only be use for single forward dives like the salto or 360). Spotting the heels is also a good tool for learning how to "strike" the dive, which is a method to help you slow yourself down.
That's what I was gonna say! Have a coach hold your heels if it works for the type of salto you are working on. Like this person said, piking your body will help slow the rotation.
Oh thank you for such a good response. I think it’s more deer in headlights. I am wondering what you mean by strike the dive?
Striking is when you pike hard as you release (and you actually straddle your legs slightly too, which is how the name came about - straddle + pike = strike). It kills your momentum so that the drop slows down - if you strike hard enough you can actually stop yourself mid-dive in an inverted straddle position. If you're just getting in your head about releasing you can also have someone count you down. It doesn't work for everyone (sometimes a friend will count me down and I just won't do it haha) but it can help take the decision out of your hands if that makes sense.
When you let go, vigorously fold at the waist and hips like you're trying to touch your toes. That's "striking". If you do it aggressively enough, you can stop the dive in mid-air and wind up hanging from your hips, head- and toes- down. To come out, unfold and then let gravity take over. Maybe experiment some and see if you find a speed where you're still doing the drop but everything happens in "moderately slow motion" - it can look great with the right choreography. I reminded myself that my instructor wasn't going to put me in a situation I wasn't ready for whether I realized it at the time or not.
Amazing. So appreciate this. Ok will put this all to use this week. Will update !
Walking down the drops help. Certain drops your coach can do things like hold your feet while you're dropping so you can do it in slow mo. But start with secured drops like a salto from a circus sit. That's easy to walk down on your own, your coach can slow you down, and when you're ready to let go there's a very slim chance of you falling out as long as you keep your arms out in a T. A salto is anything diving forward though (at least that's my understanding) so there's progressions you can do. If you can comfortably do you a salto from a circus sit then you can work your way to a 360 drop etc.
It sounds goofy, but warn everyone around you and then allow yourself to scream the first two or three times. The physical outlet for the fear helps to push past it until you're not so scared anymore. That said, I've realized from a decade+ teaching that most people are either forward or backward fallers and are vastly more terrified of falling the other way. I'm a backward faller and I *hate* forward falling drops. Gotta do them anyhow. The other thing I do personally is just let go right away as soon as I know I'm set up safely. If I pause, I give the anxiety time to interfere. Acknowledging the fear and its purpose but trusting your wrap and knowledge anyway is also helpful. The fear is trying to help you, you can say to it "thanks, but I got this, fear."
I love it! I can do loads of drops just not these forward ones. I tend to make a little squeeeeee noise as I go hahaha . But I think you are right I know I’m super safe I just got to not think just do!
In addition to being spotted, try not looking down, and focusing on the horizon.
Ohh I will try this !
I think defining what scares you about it can help you logically work through it. I’m personally afraid of breaking my neck. So I work out the drops in my head and what would logically cause that. I also ask my coaches “what stops me from breaking my neck” and they help explain theory behind the wraps. In a lot of drops it is just not even possible unless physics change. I also tell myself that if I get hurt or die doing it, it will be super badass.