How to teach the toe shoot on bars: 42 drills, step by step

Teach the toe shoot by building a strong cast and a reliable toe-on first, then the piked swing under the bar and the shoot to extension. These 42 drills take gymnasts from low bar basics to transitions toward the high bar. They suit club coaches preparing gymnasts for compulsory and early optional bar routines.

42 video steps · uneven-bars

Step 1 of 42, free: Toe Shoot Drill 1

The phases

1. Cast: lift the hips high enough to bring the feet to the bar.
2. Toe-on: place the feet on the bar between the hands with straight arms and a tight pike.
3. Piked swing: swing under the bar while staying compact with shoulders open.
4. Shoot: extend the hips and push the legs up and forward at the right moment.
5. Release and catch: let go and regrasp the high bar, or finish in a long hang.

Before you start

The gymnast should have a solid glide kip, a cast to at least horizontal and enough pike flexibility to bring the feet to the bar.

Common mistakes

• Low cast: the feet catch the bar or land unevenly between the hands.
• Bent arms in the toe-on: the shoulders close and the swing loses height.
• Shooting too early: the legs go forward instead of up and the gymnast misses the high bar.
• Letting go of the pike before the shoot: the swing gets loose and loses power.

Coaching cues

• Hips high, feet in
• Squeeze knees to nose
• Shoot to the ceiling

All 42 steps

1. Toe Shoot Drill 1
2. Toe Shoot Drill 2
3. Toe Shoot Drill 3
4. Toe Shoot Drill 4
5. Toe Shoot Drill 5
6. Toe Shoot Drill 6
7. Toe Shoot Drill 7
8. Toe Shoot Drill 8
9. Toe Shoot 1
10. Toe Shoot 2
11. Toe Shoot 3
12. Toe Shoot 4
13. Toe Shoot 5
14. Toe Shoot 6
15. Toe Shoot 7
16. Toe Shoot 8
17. Toe Shoot 9
18. Toe Shoot 10
19. Toe Shoot 11
20. Toe Shoot 12
21. Toe Shoot 13
22. Toe Shoot 14
23. Toe Shoot 15
24. Toe Shoot 16
25. Toe Shoot 17
26. Toe Shoot 18
27. Toe Shoot 19
28. Toe Shoot 20
29. Toe Shoot 21
30. Toe Shoot 22
31. Toe Shoot 23
32. Toe Shoot 24
33. Toe Shoot 25
34. Toe Shoot 26
35. Toe Shoot 27
36. Toe Shoot 28
37. Toe Shoot 29
38. Toe Shoot 30
39. Toe Shoot 31
40. Toe Shoot 32
41. Toe Shoot 33
42. Toe Shoot 34

Frequently asked questions

What should a gymnast learn before the toe shoot?

A reliable kip and a strong cast, plus active pike flexibility. Without these, the toe-on is hard to reach and the swing under the bar has too little energy for the shoot.

Is the toe shoot the same as a toe-on?

No. The toe-on is the position with the feet on the bar between the hands. The toe shoot uses that position to swing under the bar and shoot the legs out, often to the high bar.

Related series

• Kip
• Cast