Level 8 Bars

[GymDad57]

My daughters Level 8 bars starts with; Kip-Cast to Handstand-180 turn; when she does her Cast to Handstand-180 turn she kinda just falls; momentum; into the 180 almost like she casted to far and is falling over; will this be a deduction; what exactly will the judges be looking for in the handstand-180 movement. Does the handstand have stop and hold before turn? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[infinitegymcoach]

Bars should never stop and hold things. Should be a continueous movement starting and ending as close to handstand as possible with smooth and good rhythm.... If that makes sense at all.

 

[newbiecoach]

As mentioned you should never stop in the handstand on bars however a judge wants to see the gymnast has control over each skill she is doing. So if she is falling in to the 180 turn she probably doesnt have control over the turn.

I would imagine her coaches would correct any errors she is making so you might just want to ask them if that how it is suppose to look. Or watch how the other girls do the skill.

 

[CoachL]

it will be a deduction, the severity will be determined by the angle she is past the hand stand.

 

[kristilyn73]

I have a related question to the skill, What is the deduction for 'tapping' your feet on the ground when you come around the low bar?

 

[Saturate15]

It depends. I believe it's a judge's call. It's easy not to tap, it just takes a tiny bit more effort.

 

[gym law mom]

I have a related question to the skill, What is the deduction for 'tapping' your feet on the ground when you come around the low bar?

Actually I would like to know the answer to this also. My gymmie does a shoot half and has to kip out of it. She's worked hard to avoid hitting the feet on the mat, but.....there is always the chance of doing it in a meet. So, what is the deduction?

BTW Kristilyn, I saw your question about drills to help get past the feet slapping and asked my gymmie what she does. She said her coach spotted her alot in the handstand and through the kip----took her through it over and over. Then my gymmie said she just decided to do it herself and make herself do the glide/kip without slapping her feet. So, she went for about 3 weeks of foot slapping, but did alot of extra kips to work on being very tight and holding her legs in the position they were supposed to be. Then one day she did a few and didn't hit her feet and got more confidence and now can do almost all w/o hitting her feet.

 

[kristilyn73]

BTW Kristilyn, I saw your question about drills to help get past the feet slapping and asked my gymmie what she does. She said her coach spotted her alot in the handstand and through the kip----took her through it over and over. Then my gymmie said she just decided to do it herself and make herself do the glide/kip without slapping her feet. So, she went for about 3 weeks of foot slapping, but did alot of extra kips to work on being very tight and holding her legs in the position they were supposed to be. Then one day she did a few and didn't hit her feet and got more confidence and now can do almost all w/o hitting her feet.

Thank you! I will let Beetle know..

 

[gymdog]

She probaby has the strength to kip out of a HS, even turning past, but a lot of times new to pirouetters don't drop their shoulders back enough (?) I can't think of how to describe it. You kind of have to shift back rather than just falling down.

I thought the deduction depended on the degree and could be .3 or considered a fall on the apparatus depending on where the feet tap/the degree but I'm not a judge and don't know for sure. Someone else can probably explain it better.

Anyway I remember when my L7 group was learning pirouettes and my friend and I had a contest where whoever kipped out first had to get the other one candy (same for first to land a back full). We used to do it with wedge mats set up under the bar. First one with the higher side a little in front of the side we would kip on and we just had to swing down without hitting it, then one placed facing that one (so the two little ends were touching, like this: \/ but lower) so your toes would have to come up for the kip. We used a similar set up for releases but only one wedge mat usually.

 

[gymalex]

The deduction ranges from .1 to a slight brush of feet on the floor to .3 if they actually HIT the floor with some weight behind it.

Also, about the 1/2 pirouette- the athlete will get a deduction for completing the turn too late (up to .3), and also body position. I bet since she's "out of control" and just falls over the bar, she probably has a big arch (up to .3), leg separation (up to .2), etc. A poorly executed half turn is fairly common in level 8 bars, especially in the beginning of the season, but don't worry- it gets better! I recommend that your daughter practice LOTS of pirouettes on floor bars (and lots of full turns) and lots of cast handstands. Tell her that when she's turning to push down on the bar as hard as she can. (or to push her toes up as high as she can.)
That helps keep a straight back, which will help her lessen her execution deductions.
Good luck!

 

[Champion_Gymnast]

I have a related question to the skill, What is the deduction for 'tapping' your feet on the ground when you come around the low bar?

The deduction is up to 0.3 for brushing or lightly tapping the mat, however is full weight is put on one or both feet, the deduction is 0.5 (basically considered a fall).

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

I was happy to see the response to the questin about tapping the feet on the floor. I had a friend tell me that it was definitely considered a "fall" when her L6 daughter tapped her feet on the floor after the free hip circle. Is that really considered a "fall" if she continued with the routine? I can't believe that would really be .5 deduction! But if it is, so be it.

 

[gymch34]

Its only considered a fall if she bears almost full body weight when she hits her feet. Most judges usually take .3 plus form deductions.

A great drill to have kids control the pirouette is to have them HS on a floor bar against the wall, then put something on the other side of the floor bar (VERY CLOSE) to make another wall (stacked mats, etc- we use a JR bar). The gymnast then has really little space to do the pirouette, and must finish in a HS w/ shoulders open. If the gymnast is strong enough and pirouetting correctly, should help control the piroiuette so they can then control the kip out of it. I also have my gymnast work clear hips right out of the pirouette (impossible if they dump over the pirouette) as well as full pirouettes on floor bars and the line on the floor.