Cartwheels and Handstands On Beam... Oh My!

[d0nut_l0ver]

I have been doing cartwheels and handstands on low beam for a year, but I cannot do them on high beam.

I am afraid of falling over in my handstand, and my coaches tell me to twist off, but I don't know how!!! Also, when I practice them on the floor beam, I often fall completely to the side... which is pretty scary, even if it's just on the floor beam.

In cartwheels.... I don't really know what I'm scared of. Landing in a straddle on the beam, I guess. But a cartwheel is not a fast, sudden skill, so I shouldn't fall like that; my legs should just go on the same side of the beam. But still, I am TERRIFIED of doing them on high beam.

I am overall just afraid of doing ANYTHING on the high beam...

Anybody have any tips that will make me less afraid of cartwheels/handstands on the high beam? Thanks, I really want to get my cartwheel soon, I've been working on it FOREVER!

 

[livelifetumble8dx]

well try to think about it like this. what can happen that won't happen on low beam? you miss a foot and fall off? really. thats all that can happen! stop worrying and just go 1.2. 3 and do your cartwheel. don't think about it at all and just go for it. and for the handstand all you have to do it go to the side. like practice it on the floor. just go to the side. its kind of hard to explain but maybe you could have your coaches spot you falling off so you can feel it and see nothing bad happens? that helped a teammate of mine with her side handstand! good luck!

 

[gymnastjaiderz1106]

Mental fears are SO frustrating!
First of all, something I have found that really helps me is instead of saying "Im not afraid" tell your self, "I am SO scared to do this!" I know it sounds silly, but its kinda like a bully...It wont go away until it knows its done its job! (I hope that made sense)
Warm up on low beam, stick ONE, then go to high beam. Stand next to the beam and say, "Im scared, but I CAN and WILL do it!" Get on the beam and go! Dont think about it, don't count, get up..and go!

For your cartwheel.....Lunge, and put your hands down (keep them straight!). Look to the end of the beam, so you can see your foot hit. When you first do them make the split small, and as you get comfortable make it bigger...Remember to bend your knees when you land!

For the handstand.... Do it at the end of the beam, so if you have to fall over, it can be onto a crash mat. Also something will really help, so you dont fall over, kick your back leg all the way up to handstand before the 2nd foot touches, then squeeze your butt!

GOOD LUCK!!

P.s. Have you learned a side handstand, twist? (USAG level 4/5 dismount) YouTube - ‪Jordan Williams level 5 beam routine District‬‏ WATCH DISMOUNT> This should help you learn how to twist out of a handstand, and help the cartwheel fear.

 

[d0nut_l0ver]

No, we haven't learned side handstand twists yet.

And I'm not sure if you understood that the handstand I'm talking about is just a regular handstand on beam. Like, you start in a lunge, then do a handstand like you do on the floor. You might have been talking about that one, I'm not sure though!

Thanks, and yes, that does make sense!

 

[Kiwi]

I am afraid of falling over in my handstand, and my coaches tell me to twist off, but I don't know how!!!

Practice this on the floor first - go into a handstand and then do a quarter turn.

I have read here before where some people put high mats around the high beam to build confidence.

 

[d0nut_l0ver]

Practice this on the floor first - go into a handstand and then do a quarter turn.

I have read here before where some people put high mats around the high beam to build confidence.

Okay, I'll practice that.

I tried the mat thing, it doesn't help me at all. High beam is high beam, and I'm terrified of it.

 

[_Juliet_xX]

When I was learning cartwheels on high beam, I just pretended I was Nastia Liukin and that I could do everything perfectly.
Kinda silly,I know,but it worked!

 

[d0nut_l0ver]

When I was learning cartwheels on high beam, I just pretended I was Nastia Liukin and that I could do everything perfectly.
Kinda silly,I know,but it worked!

LOL! Sometimes I do something similar, where I pretend I'm in the Olympics and if I do it I'll get a gold medal. But that doesn't work... for beam, at least.

 

[d0nut_l0ver]

Thanks for all the advice and support, yesterday at my gymnastics camp, after doing a billion (lol actually 10 or so... and I landed ALL of them!!! ) on high beam with 3 mats underneath and saying "I'm scared I'm scared I'm scared" to the coach over and over again, I finally went for it and DID IT!!! And I landed it every time!! Now I have to work on getting it consistently, every practice. Thanks again!

 

[Kiwi]

Well done!