And gymnasts on Twisting

[T.Gymnastics]

hey im a level six soon to be a seven. i cartwheel right, handstand left, full turn left, jumptwist right, and i want to twist right too, and i have three coaches. one tells me to twist left because of my roundoff or something. another tells me to do whatever one is easiest. and another one is trying to tell me that i should try to change everything to righty gymnastics. but that would be hard after eight years of doing it this way right? I need to know your opinions on how to twist. thank you soooo much!

 

[KyraGymnast]

i would just do what comes naturally or wat is easiest. It would be really hard to start switching after doingt things differant ways for so long. I would tell your coaches that. good luck.

 

[dancing9118000]

i actually had a very similar problem. i just competed lvl 7 and am going onto 8 and i needed to find my best side to twist. i would say try both and see which is better for you. you will probably feel better going to the side you turn to in pirouettes.

 

[gymfan4ever95]

I have a similar problem: i round-off right, back walk over left, handstand left (but i can do right), and i do front-handsprings left. But on my twisting i twist right, it is what comes naturally. So i suggest doing what comes naturally and not try to change everything you have already done, i don't really see a purpose in that good luck

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

I've heard coaches argue this for hours. I'll give my opinion, but be aware that there no consensus on this within the coaching community.

My opinion as a coach of five years and an elite tumbler/vaulter: do whichever feels most comfortable to you. If you roundoff with your left foot in front and twist left, there are certain skills (side sommes, kazamatsus, and one or two others) that may be easier, but the benefit of this does not, in my opinion, outweigh the difficulty of twisting in a direction that feels unnatural to you.

The only thing that is really important, in my opinion, is that you twist the same direction while flipping forwards as you do while flipping backwards.

I tumble with my left foot in front and twist left. Several of my kids do the same. Several tumble right and twist right. Several tumble right and twist left. Several tumble left and twist right.

Aside from a select few skills (and when I say "few," I mean I can count them on one hand), it doesn't make a difference.

 

[KAQuinlan]

Geoffrey is right, coaches debate this for hours! That is why you have three coaches telling you three different things! I also think that twisting the way that comes naturally is the way to go. I think that more and more coaches are leaning this way, but I imagine that there will always be debate!

Additional thought: You may want to let your coaches know that you're being given different instructions. I'm sure that they want to be on the same page and not confuse you!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

read this months issue of 'technique' magazine. an article titled 'twisting'.

 

[T.Gymnastics]

thank you to everyone! i think i will try whatever comes naturally... we'll see how it works =]

 

[Deleted member D3987]

if you continue to have problems, post again.

 

[T.Gymnastics]

Yup its pretty good. i can full off bars both ways but i like right better so i am twisting right thanks again.

 

[cher062]

hey im a level six soon to be a seven. i cartwheel right, handstand left, full turn left, jumptwist right, and i want to twist right too, and i have three coaches. one tells me to twist left because of my roundoff or something. another tells me to do whatever one is easiest. and another one is trying to tell me that i should try to change everything to righty gymnastics. but that would be hard after eight years of doing it this way right? I need to know your opinions on how to twist. thank you soooo much!

My DD does some things right and some left. her coach is a believer in what ever is easiest to do and done well is the way to go. So I know there was one move in L6 that she took a step so she would be on the correct foot. i asked the coach if she got a deduction for this extra step and she said no its an allowed thing.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

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[Deleted member D3987]

sorry about that again.

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[Deleted member D3987]

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[Deleted member D3987]

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[T.Gymnastics]

hahahahaha! guess what! i front twist left and back twist right. crazy lol it works tho.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

hahahahaha! guess what! i front twist left and back twist right. crazy lol it works tho.

While I do know a few high-level gymnasts who do this, I can't say I'd reccomend it. There are certain skills that will be far more difficult to learn (mainly twisting multiple saltos). While many of these skills can be avoided, there's no sense in closing off those options unless you really have to.

 

[gymgirl_60]

im the same way. im a righty and do most things right, such as full turns, cartwheels, backwalkovers. however, i twist left as well as hurtle left on vault and prefer doing jumps with twists left. in my opinion it is what is most comfortable and natural, especially since you have to do the skills to the best of your ability

 

[T.Gymnastics]

Yes i am happy to say that my twisting is right. i can back half on floor full of bars and fronthandspring half on vault. one of my coaches just helps me with the front twistring to the right instead of left. i believe all is in order!!!

i didnt realize this untill now but that was my 100th post!!! lol thanks to everyone for your help!