WAG ACK..I hope I'm wrong

[happychaos]

So my DD learned the new L4 routines about a month ago. Yesterday she was showing me her beam routine on the floor at home. I have seen video of the new routine and read the skill list. I THOUGHT that the new routine had a scale/arabesque just like the old routines, except for the addition of the one leg rotating around from front to back before the scale. The way my DD was doing it was to rotate the leg around from front to back, pause, then lift the back leg higher WITHOUT dropping her torso forward AT ALL. I asked her why she was doing it like that, and she said her coach told them they were not to drop their shoulders forward at all. So basically the coach has them standing up straight and lifting the leg behind them as high as they can. This can't be correct is it? My DD certainly knows the difference between the two ways of doing it, as she very successfully competed old L4 last year. And she has the new routine down pat. So what gives? Am I wrong? I really hope her coach is right and I am wrong, especially considering that her coach is also an active judge.

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

Not sure the new routines- but of we are talking about an arabesque she is correct-- the chest/shoulders aren't supposed to lean forward/drop-- old routines this was true too.

 

[TeamGram]

Check out Level 4 Beam shorthand on You Tube. It shows all the elements.

 

[happychaos]

Level 4 Beam Shorthand - YouTube So here is an example of what the coach is telling the girls NOT to do. The sequence starts at :24, right after the cartwheel.

 

[AmandaLynn]

Trust the coach.

 

[gymdog]

Are you positive your daughter is in the NEW level 4? The new level 3 (equivalent to old level 4) beam routine does not have a scale, just an arabesque.

 

[htimcj]

When dd did this she was not to lean forward with her shoulders, just lift her leg to higher than 90 degrees.

 

[wgagym]

It was my understanding that they do not drop the chest and if they do not much. Trust your coach.

 

[fuzi]

They are allowed a "slight" lean of the chest in the scale, but the emphasis this cycle is to be on alignment. If your daughter is able to lift her leg to 90* without dropping her chest, all the better!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

well, there have already been 5777994873636597985584 redactions....

 

[jago]

well, there have already been 5777994873636597985584 redactions....

Ain't that the truth ... !

 

[happychaos]

So then, if I am understanding correctly, the video example above is wrong??? The gymnast should NOT lean forward as she is lifting her leg past 90 degrees? The sequence SHOULD look different than last year??? DD's coach is brand new, and started coaching about 5 weeks ago, so I am not sure about the "trust" yet. I have no reason not to trust her, but she is brand new. She is a judge though. I'd love to hear from some level 4 coaches or parents on how your gym is teaching this!

 

[AmandaLynn]

The coach is correct. They are allowed a "slight" tip of the torso on the scale, but most kids take it too far. They specifically mentioned in the compulsory workshop that tipping the chest way down to parallel is incorrect. We are telling our l4s not to lean forward at all, in hopes of getting that "slight" tilt.

As a side note, don't always trust what you see on the Internet/YouTube. There are certain times where some coaches purposely teach skills (not necessarily this skill, but some...) in a manner which may get a deduction in compulsories. If you trust your coaches, then you have to trust their process. If you don't trust your coaches, you need to find a program that you trust.

 

[happychaos]

The coach is correct. They are allowed a "slight" tip of the torso on the scale, but most kids take it too far. They specifically mentioned in the compulsory workshop that tipping the chest way down to parallel is incorrect. We are telling our l4s not to lean forward at all, in hopes of getting that "slight" tilt.

As a side note, don't always trust what you see on the Internet/YouTube. There are certain times where some coaches purposely teach skills (not necessarily this skill, but some...) in a manner which may get a deduction in compulsories. If you trust your coaches, then you have to trust their process. If you don't trust your coaches, you need to find a program that you trust.

Thank you Amanda Lynn! I don't always trust what I see on youtube, which is why I came here to ask. But, every video I've seen shows this move being done the same way as last year, so obviously there are many coaches teaching it this way. I am very glad to know that DD's coach is teaching it correctly. I do believe that trust is an essential part of the coach-gymnast-parent relationship, but that doesn't mean that coaches are perfect. And we have no track-record with this coach yet. But, DD loves her, so she's off to a good start!

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

Last cycle they weren't supposed to drop their chest either-- your coach, and many coaches taught it incorrectly, or allowed sloppy form. Trust the new coach. Don't take youtube videos as the Bible- even the ones with good scores-- unless "perfect" there are little things wrong on them too-- a 9.6 routine on Youtube (for example) isn't perfect there are deductions- it starts at a 10.0.

 

[fuzi]

To add to the "don't trust the video" thing, even at the National Workshops for the new routines, the clinicians noted several mistakes in the videos. Those videos feature kids performing, and kids, even amazing, talented kids, are not perfect. For compulsory gymnastics, the text is the "word of God," and only your coaches can see that.

 

[happychaos]

To add to the "don't trust the video" thing, even at the National Workshops for the new routines, the clinicians noted several mistakes in the videos. Those videos feature kids performing, and kids, even amazing, talented kids, are not perfect. For compulsory gymnastics, the text is the "word of God," and only your coaches can see that.

I have also heard of a number of mistakes on the videos. Kind of off topic but I wonder why USAG allows this. Certainly they could find a gymnast who could do the routines perfectly, right? I mean when you have access to the most talented gymnasts and the most talented coaches, you would think they could get even the little details right. Especially since they could have as many "takes" as needed. It kind of sends the message that is impossible to do the compulsory routines perfectly.... I know the text is most important, and the videos are just designed to be an aide, but still. My DD was watching one of the USAG videos, and it actually pointed out where the gymnasts arms were doing something incorrectly.

 

[gymdad]

I am in a similar situation with the new level 4 routines. Our coach is not teaching required elements and my daughter comes home to tell me.

 

[wallflower]

I know this is hard to grasp when you are in the midst of compulsories (trust me, I've been there), but as parents you need to forget about trying to help your child perfect every last detail in those routines. Let the coaches do their job if you trust them to do so. The skills are the most important part and the little things will come with time or they won't and it still won't be the end of the world. Gymnastics is more important than routines and arm placements even if that arm placement gets a deduction. DD has been at a gym that teaches "routines" to perfection and then she has been at a gym that teaches gymnastics. So none of these little details are worth stressing about. And give the coaches some slack because they too need time to figure out all the little things.

 

[happychaos]

I know this is hard to grasp when you are in the midst of compulsories (trust me, I've been there), but as parents you need to forget about trying to help your child perfect every last detail in those routines. Let the coaches do their job if you trust them to do so. The skills are the most important part and the little things will come with time or they won't and it still won't be the end of the world. Gymnastics is more important than routines and arm placements even if that arm placement gets a deduction. DD has been at a gym that teaches "routines" to perfection and then she has been at a gym that teaches gymnastics. So none of these little details are worth stressing about. And give the coaches some slack because they too need time to figure out all the little things.

Thank you for the perspective Wallflower! Gymnastics IS more important than routines and arm placements. I wish there was a way of scoring compulsories that reflected that philosophy! I have no idea what that would be, lol, but it would be nice.