Cartwheel help please!

[GymGirl's Mom]

My DD also learned on the side long long ago What helped her was reminding her hand-hand-foot-foot each one touches the floor one after another. I also agree with Dunno-- have her try it from the opposite foot. Don't get too hung up on what she can and can't do starting on one foot in particular. DD is a "rightie" to write, but prefers "lefty" on some gyms skills. She will have to get it on both sides eventually so having her try it on the other foot won't set her back in progress or anything like that. Others have mentioned trying it against the wall-- again have her go slow- kick up sideways into a handstand and then work on gettting one leg down then the other.

It will come- sometimes coaching our kids can be frustrating- I am pretty hands off and I myself can do a fairly good cartwheel . I say just let her play around with it and eventually she'll get it. It may take a few more weeks, even months to get it.

 

[k2bdeutmeyer]

It will come- sometimes coaching our kids can be frustrating- I am pretty hands off and I myself can do a fairly good cartwheel . I say just let her play around with it and eventually she'll get it. It may take a few more weeks, even months to get it.

Oh so true! She, pretty much, won't let me coach her unless it's on her terms. Which is fine....she's only 4yr old! She does want me to help her sometimes though. I consider anything I do at home as an extension on what they're doing in the gym. I try to teach her or work with her in the same way/style they do, even if it isn't how *I* would teach it.

 

[marie83]

Lots of my littlies have had this problem too. In my experience they need to be told over and over to keep their legs straight and go into it with a bit more speed. Your dd seems to have the momentum but perhaps lacks the strength needed just yet. Lots of handstand holds will help.
One of my favourite drills is to have the gymnasts cartwheel on my knees. I kneel down (bottom touching Heels) then the gymnast steps to the side and goes into the cartwheel as normal, except they put their hands on my knees. Once in the handstand position I can correct shapes and then place the gymnast down onto her feet. When the handstand position is good we can speed it up. ( I would support the hips as usual)
You could also tell her to count 5 sounds/positions 'foot hand hand foot foot'. Tell her to start tall and finish in a star shape. A bigger reach into the cartwheel will also help, but it will come in time! good luck! I still have an almost 6 yr old whose side-side cartwheel looks like your dd's but she can do a cartwheel quarter turn no problem!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Agreed! She does work both directions in class. I just figured if she was going to land either one correctly, it would be her good leg first, so that's the one I've been helping her with at home.

this has become circular logic. sorry i can't be of help.

 

[k2bdeutmeyer]

this has become circular logic. sorry i can't be of help.

I'm sorry if I made it sound like I didn't appreciate your advice, because I certainly didn't intend to!! I was just explaining why we had been working left leg cartwheels at home is all. We will definitely be putting all suggestions to use as she allows!

 

[pihlajat]

when I first start to work with cartwheels with little ones, we always do it over something. it's easier to land if you put your hands on bench or some kind of block. the other thing we do is a triangle cartwheel. you start from one corner, you put the hands on the point of it and you land in the third corner. i think that it's not necessary to do cartwheels on line before the child can land with straight legs!

there is one finnish gymnastics video. the coach, erkki tervo, has worked almost 50 years with persons with disability, with normal kids and even with seniors. he have taught tons of cartwheels.

this is a GREAT video:

Kärrynpyörä — Moniviestin

and this is a "cartwheel clinic" video:

Kärrynpyöräklinikkaa — Moniviestin

 

[k2bdeutmeyer]

Thanks!! I'll check them out!

 

[Mustanggal99]

I think someone already stated this, but the biggest issue I see is that her hands are still on the floor as her feet hit. We've been through this with some of our preschool girls, and to help, I spot their arms by their ears- as they finish the cartwheel, help them to a standing position with the hands off the floor quicker- basically pull their hands off the floor as the first foot touches. This will give her the ability to stand up easier and stop landing in the squat. She is small so if you grab her arms by her ears and gently lift it does not hurt the arms or shoulders and you have control on lifting them to their feet and helping not land in the squat. Hope this helps (and makes sense!).

 

[ejgymmom]

I think what the last person said was good info. What made it finally click for my daughter was when someone told her to lift up her first hand (so if she starts left, it will be her left hand because that's the one that hits the floor first) as soon as the first foot touches back down. She too would leave her hands down and end up in that crouched position, but when someone told her to lift that hand up it's like it all clicked for her. She tried a couple of times and then got it and her cartwheel looked 100 times better than it had before.

 

[k2bdeutmeyer]

Okay, thanks again for all your help!!

I was working with her again tonight. Her left cartwheels (what we think is her "good leg") are actually very pretty when I spot at the hips. She steps her feet down nicely with straight legs and lifts her hands if I just slow her a bit just after the handstand portion of the cartwheel (not a full stop - though we did that too), but goes right back to the cartwheel you see in the video if allowed to do it on her own. We did both right and left leg, and her right leg cartwheels were definitely harder for her. She is only able to do a "baby" cartwheel with her right leg (not able to get her feet over her head at all).

I did have her try putting her hands on my legs while kneeling. That was actually a fun little exercise! She did not have enough power (without spot) to get to handstand by herself, but did make it about 3/4 of the way to handstand. She, again, stepped down nicely with just a little slowing right after the handstand.

I feel like when she does it on her own, she just allows herself to fall after the handstand and doesn't quite understand how to control herself down. If there is a little bit of artificial control inserted to slow her down just after she hits handstand she is able to do the rest. So......I suppose we just continue to do it with spot until she is able to feel that and control it herself.

Thank you again for all the suggestions!!!

 

[gymdog]

This is where it would probably help her to do it over something then...even if she only does it at a 3/4 handstand. It will slow her down and give her a little "bump" to help her stand up. Eventually she will get it and be able to start kicking closer to handstand.

 

[k2bdeutmeyer]

Having her put her hands on my thighs while kneeling accomplishes the same thing, right? At least it seemed to. If not, I'll have to dig around the house and see what I can come up with to use.

 

[gymdog]

Having her put her hands on my thighs while kneeling accomplishes the same thing, right? At least it seemed to. If not, I'll have to dig around the house and see what I can come up with to use.

Yes, that will work. About 6-8 inches of height will usually do.