Women Cast handstand ?

[aerials]

For level 7 what are the deductions for a cast handstand? My dd can get up to a perfect handstand although sometimes it's ugly getting there. She tends to arch and sometimes bends her legs. She is insistent on doing a pike cast handstand and won't try a straddle cast handstand. Thanks.

 

[GymCMLA]

I'm just a mom (not a coach or judge). It is my understanding that there is a 0.1-0.3 angle deduction for every cast that isn't to HS (except the cast pike on/squat on)
There would also be deductions on form for legs/arch/lack of hollow position. So I am guessing each arch/bent leg/not to HS cast could cost her 0.5-0.7 (I don't know if the arch/bent legs are only 0.1 or more for bigger positional form deductions)
Our coaches try to minimize the number of casts so as soon as you have your CH to HS to Giant, you only kip pike on jump to high bar, kip cast HS, CH HS, Giant, Giant, Flyaway. so there is only 1 cast to risk a deduction on.

 

[ayyyrial]

For this skill I would say don't worry about the deductions, the most important thing is continuing to practice and trying to fix the technique. It is a hard skill and it takes time to get correctly, and it's very useful to have a good cast handstand down - another thing is that arching the back is not just about form, but about the shapes and mechanics of getting up to handstand, so it's more important and often harder to fix than something like bent legs. I do agree with GymCMLA about designing a routine to have fewer casts in terms of scoring potential.

There's no shame in straddle cast - and if it's a choice between a pike cast with bad technique and a straddle cast that is consistent, I'd take the second since they are both As in the code. An important thing to note about casts and press handstands is that they are much easier for short and/or pre-pubertal gymnasts. As you go through puberty, your center of gravity gets closer to your hips - i.e. farther away from the bar, which makes it much harder to lift your body up into handstand. A lot of gymnasts start with a straight body cast handstand and transition to a straddle cast for consistency or as they get older.

 

[QueenBee]

Body position is very important in Level 7 with the cast handstands. Arching and/or bent legs while casting are pretty big deductions. Depending on how many casts she does, it would be easy to get more than .5 off for those form errors.

I'm not sure why your gymnast is insistent on straight body casting as opposed to trying a straddle cast. Maybe you could remind her that the reigning 2012 gold medalist for bars uses a straddle cast in her routines (Aliya Mustafina), maybe then she could understand that there isn't a "better" choice between casts, just a better one in terms of which can be performed correctly.

Good luck!

 

[aerials]

Thanks for all of the replies! She doesn't want to do a straddle because the one time she tried it she smashed her face into the bar. She is finally starting to try again but she is not comfortable doing it straddled.

 

[Ali'sMom]

This was useful to me as we embarked on handstands:
Link Removed

I just realized you aren't necessarily looking for amplitude deductions... sorry!

 

[Committed]

Thanks for all of the replies! She doesn't want to do a straddle because the one time she tried it she smashed her face into the bar. She is finally starting to try again but she is not comfortable doing it straddled.

My DD was made to do straddle HSs, and she did not like it. She couldn't figure out the timing and it looked darned awkward for a month or two. Of course, before the season started, it clicked and she now looks beautiful on bars. It's one of those things that just takes some time.

Imagine, if they all quit doing something they got hurt doing ..... would any of them be able o set a single foot into gym?!?!

 

[duyetanh]

My DD was made to do straddle HSs, and she did not like it. She couldn't figure out the timing and it looked darned awkward for a month or two. Of course, before the season started, it clicked and she now looks beautiful on bars. It's one of those things that just takes some time.

Imagine, if they all quit doing something they got hurt doing ..... would any of them be able o set a single foot into gym?!?!

Let's not imagine that. Not going there. Not going there. Breathe. Repeat.

 

[aerials]

UPDATE! She has had a couple of good straddle cast hs since she started trying again this week! She had a few that were straight and really nice. (I walked in at the end and was able to see them) She still is uncomfortable doing them but she sees that she can do them!

 

[duyetanh]

Very exciting!!!