WAG How different are front and back twisting?

[cbifoja]

My DD is going on nine months of a serious mental block with back twisting. She used to have a beautiful 3/2 and then one day, just no longer could do it. Over the past nine months, she has repeatedly gotten it back for a day or two, just to lose it again for months. I think things are getting better because the periods of not being able to do it are gradually getting smaller. But there are still practices where she is deathly silent as we drive to the gym because she is so anxious about back twisting.

So why in the world did she fairly easily pick up her front full? She throws it consistently....no fears, no anxiety. Are the mechanics different? Is the front lay easier to twist than the back lay? She's always been a strong tumbler, both front and back. So I'm trying to understand why she is having success with the front full while still fighting the back full demons.

Is this fairly common?

 

[gymmutti]

My DD hates back twisting. She would much rather practice double backs than fulls (backward). However, she also got her front full fairly easily. I have given up on making sense of it and just enjoy it when she gets in the car with a smile.

 

[ZJsMom]

For most back twisting is easier. I guess it's technically easier since people in general can do more twists backward. I think it's common though that fears involve back tumbling more than front.

 

[2gymmies]

Congrats to your dd on her front full! Nice skill! To answer your question, unfortunately, I think it depends on the kid...

Front twisting is often not taught from a front layout (I think it is more of a pike open), so that might just click for your dd. For your dd and back twisting, can she still do the back layout half twist and back layout full twist, even when the full and a half get blocked or can she do no twisting whatsoever? Sounds like your dd's coaches are pretty patient with it. Good luck to her!

 

[cbifoja]

I think that the half has always been present but that the full comes and goes. I don't think she's tried a one and a half in months.

She was in some manic state during her last practice and if I understood her correctly, she is now throwing the full but can't throw the half because she's lost where she is in the air. She seemed happy to be throwing the full but her coach did not look happy that she didn't have her air awareness.

Mostly I just hope she gets everything figured out. It's so hard to keep track of what she is struggling with from week to week. LOL

 

[Mrs. Puma]

I'm probably way out of my league here since my kid is only L4, but though Puma Jr is a stronger back tumbler, she is much better at front twisting. She can do a decent 3/2 front on tramp, but only a full back. It will be interesting to see how she progresses when she gets to the higher levels (with the gym switch she's really not able to work on them much anymore, and obviously won't need them anytime soon) I've always wondered what the "norm" was. I learn so much reading about the more advanced kids. Good luck!!

 

[profmom]

I think it is less common than backwards trouble on beam, but it looks to my eyes like a pretty common vestibular thing. The back twisting should come back with time and patience. What I've seen is that it's more common for kids who progressed really quickly with back twisting to have these periods of regress and feeling lost. Front twisting stuff, if it's working, can make them feel less frustrated while they are working through it. Good luck!

 

[skschlag]

One thing that D's coach was talking about just last night with me was back twisting (older Asst. Coach). He said that when D goes UP when he sets, he does great back twisting (was working his full in back out last night). Whe he sets and goes OUT more, he loses himself in the air. He said that this is very common among gymnasts as the vestibular system senses it differently. I found that very interesting.

 

[kris]

My DD is a strong back twister, but says she finds front twisting scary. She's only level 8 and says she has her optional "c" skill -- back 3/2 -- so she doesn't need it this season. They do a great job of breaking down skills though, so I wouldn't be surprised to see her doing front fulls by this time next year.

 

[cbifoja]

Is the front full a c?

 

[dmbgymnast]

Is the front full a c?

Yes, it is a C.

 

[gymgal]

My DD is a strong back twister, but says she finds front twisting scary. She's only level 8 and says she has her optional "c" skill -- back 3/2 -- so she doesn't need it this season. They do a great job of breaking down skills though, so I wouldn't be surprised to see her doing front fulls by this time next year.

Isn't a back 1.5 only a B? It's a C as a dismount off beam, but I thought it needed to be a double to be a C on floor.

 

[kris]

Isn't a back 1.5 only a B? It's a C as a dismount off beam, but I thought it needed to be a double to be a C on floor.

Honestly, I'm not sure. I'm just relaying what DD has told me. She said it was her C for floor for this year. Hopefully someone more knowledgable than I can confirm.

 

[wandrewsjr]

Isn't a back 1.5 only a B? It's a C as a dismount off beam, but I thought it needed to be a double to be a C on floor.

Back half and full are B's, 1.5 and double are C's.

 

[FloMoGymMom]

The feeling of being lost in the air is pretty terrifying. If you've ever been in a roll-over car wreck or a spinning car wreck, it feels similar. Or if you've ever played the age old "team building" head on the bat race, run around bat in circles - you get it. It's alarming when you suddenly can't tell up from down, left from right.

The front full feels easier to learn because her body is already used to doing half of it in the form of round offs. She's been forward twisting since she learned her first cartwheel. Plus, she can see where the ground is going into it and only loses sight of it briefly when she goes to land if she's doing 1/1.

Going backwards, the first thing she does is lose sight of the floor - if she can't immediately orient herself, she's going to get lost.

Sounds like it's time to have a talk with coach and discuss options for getting her past this. The more she is allowed to balk, the more balking becomes the learned skill.

 

[cbifoja]

Wow FloMoGymMom! Your post really laid it out for me to understand what my daughter is experiencing during her tumbling. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain it so well.