The Porcupine Bar Pad takes the guesswork out of big swinging bar skills! This soft bristled pad gives feedback to gymnasts to help them feel confident while maximising their stretch, swing and tap to learn spatial awareness and proper technique.

When working uneven bar swinging skills, do you have gymnasts who are nervous about hitting the low bar? Do they pull in too early causing them to break from proper form and technique? The Porcupine Pad is a simple, yet incredibly effective, training tool that will help an athlete begin to feel exactly how far away their feet are from the low bar. The Porcupine Bar Pad creatively uses soft, flexible bristles and wrap-around padding to offer feedback and assurance. The Porcupine Bar Pad is very useful in helping to build confidence early in skill development.

Innovated by Coach Brett Wargo, Team Coach from Ascend Gymnastics (award winning club in Washington, USA). The Porcupine Bar Pad has two rows of soft bristles, similar to a broom, in two different lengths, 15.2cm and 7.6cm. Velcro the pad around any standard 3.8cm rail and adjust the bristles so they are pointing in the direction of the high bar. 

Use the longest length bristles (15.2cm long), for athletes who are just starting out, or for athletes who are the appropriate height for that length. Once the athlete is more comfortable, or more advanced in their technique, spin the pad to the shorter length bristle (7.6cm long) for an additional challenge.

• Ideal for beginners to practice basic tap swings with confidence
• Front and back giant technique will improve with the athlete maximizing stretch between the bars
• At 50cm wide, the width of the pad is long enough for both of the athlete’s feet to touch the bristles as they swing through
• Long bristles are 15.2cm long
• Short bristles are 7.6cm long
• Quickly attach or remove the pad from the bar with Velcro flap closure

Will the Porcupine Pad fit on a Floor Bar,  Jr Training Bar, Stall Bars or Parallel Bars?

The Velcro flap allows for a snug fit on a bar that is 3.8cm in diameter, including Tumbl Trak Jr Bars as well as most competitive Parallel Bars.

Is the Porcupine Pad useful for lower level bar skills?

Sure! Use the Porcupine Pad on a floor bar for instance, and have young athletes practice feeling the bristles with their toes in glide swings or handstand flat backs.