Play it safe? Or go all out?

[GetaGrip]

In one week I have my final meet, states. I'm in level six, and I have all of my scores around five tenths from each other. I don't know if I should play it safe in my routines to get a balanced all around score, or if I should give it all i've got. I can cast and clear hip to handstand on both bars, and have 180 splits all ways, but I've been holding back to prevent falls. What should i do?

 

[Kayleigh]

Ahhhh that's tough. If you're making those skills consistently in practice, do them. Especially leaps and such, because (at least here in PA) the judges will KILL your score if your leaps aren't 180.

Just go in and have confidence in yourself... that's the best thing you can do! If you're confident you can hit that handstand on bars, you'll hit that handstand on bars.

No doubts.

Good luck at states! We're still waiting for our season to even start here - states aren't until May!

 

[NotAMom]

What does your coach say? How comfortable are you with these skills (safety-wise)?

A good execution of these skills is likely to get you high placement on bars. In fact, you may even win. But, you have to put score in the back seat or you're going to become way stressed out. If you feel good about doing them and your coach feels the same way, just go for it. Do it for yourself and your coach. Not for the placement and not for the score. If you can pull it off, the placement and score is yours to have. Why don't you do your warm up with them? If it feels right, then go for it and this will be your moment.

Incidentally, that was exactly what happened to my 13yo when she was at the L6 states. In her warm up she looked really good - great height, angle, CHS/CHHS connection and all. But when she went for it during competition, she overshot and fell off the LB. After getting back up and finished the routine in a normal fashion. she still came in at a respectable 9th place with a low 9. The point here is that even though she fell and missed the top spot, she knew she had it and went for it. The parents and the coaches couldn't have been more proud.

 

[sportyfam5]

My daughters' coaches have always said they would rather see a gymnast go for a move they know they can do, even if they fall. The more often it is performed in competition, the more comfortable you'll be. However, at a State Meet I may play it safe, unless you are real confident in the skills, to get the better score.

 

[GetaGrip]

Well, the thing is, I can do a 180 split jump/leap. But my leg is usually bent, no matter how big the split is. At zones I accidentally cast to handstand on the high bar, and I got 4th. I can cast to handstand pretty consistently (with a noticeable arch), but my clear hip isn't quite the same. I'm already going to compete level 7 in the spring, and I'm pretty tired of having to stick to horizontal casts and barely requirement leaps.

 

[CoachTodd]

I'd do what ever you can do cleanly. The larger casts if done cleanly can help your score indirectly by making everyone else's look like they aren't big enough. Dynamics plays a pretty good sized role in the scores from what I've seen locally. If the form deductions you are going to get are more that .1, I'd stick with the smaller skill.

 

[GetaGrip]

That's pretty much the thing, when I do a skill at or below requirement, my form is the same or worse than when I go higher. I dunno why.

 

[EntrReality]

My advice..."Play it Smart."

If your leg is bent in the leaps no matter what the angle is..then go for the full leap.

If you can't clearhip out of a handstand then clean up the cast and go to 30 degrees and focus on a good clearhip.

 

[GetaGrip]

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind!

-GCG

 

[ShadowGymnast]

All out

Gymnastics is a sport of guts among other things but if you have no guts the you have no sport.