Women cast handstands and back twisting

[stargazer]

So I've been working on cast to handstands for a while, before I retired a few months ago and now on my own at the adult rec class I've been going to. I can do decent preps (cast to bum up in air and legs in straddle at bar height, like the compressed position for a straddle press), but then I bring my legs together too early and end at about 45 degrees. I know I need to lean over the bar more, but then I can't manage to block my shoulders back when the rest of my body gets up, and I fall forward over the bar. Any good drills I can try? I will generally be doing them on my own, but can get a coach to help periodically. I just don't feel like I can get the timing right. I can do them straight-body with a spot because I understand the timing, but the straddle casts continue to evade me. My coaches said I can either just drive my heels and straddle at the same time, or cast to the compressed position, then try to drive my heels from there. But I have a terrible straddle press so I can't imagine the second option is a great idea for me.

I'm also starting to learn back twisting. Obviously I will learn a layout half first, and I was wondering if you have any drills that will help me get the correct body position and fast twisting, as well as orient myself in the air as I twist.

Thanks!!!

 

[BlairBob]

A few basic back twisting drills.

There is the layout, immediate jump to 1/4 or 1/2 turn. Once you can do a layout 1/2, you land then immediate 1/4 or 1/2 turn.

Another is one by George Hery. Do a layout with one arm up and one arm down to your side. Because one side is longer, you will twist.

I've thought about using the popular tuck/pike open 1/2 that is quite often used for front twisting as well.

 

[stargazer]

Thanks! I'll give those a try once I've mastered the layout. Any thoughts for the cast to handstand?

 

[iwannacoach]

Here's a little trick to get more out of your cast, well maybe just an overlooked opportunity. Most girls wait until their legs are behind them to "drive" their heels, and only build momentum for a split second. Making matters worse, the split second is timed too late to get help from the flex of the bar, so it's not just the weak/late leg drive.

You can make an improvement in your cast by compressing against the bar at the end of your kip, front hip circle, or just compress from a support. If you're doing it at the end of a front hip or kip you need to stop your legs before they move much past the height of the bar, and continue your kip/front hip with your upper body until your shoulders are leaning forward over the bar. A good mental picture at this point would be a 90 degree or more hip bend with your legs no more than 15 degrees below horizontal.

I'm going to call this your cast's set, so from your set you should "kick downward" as hard as you can, and the definition of "as hard as you can" is the limit of your ability to support this action with your arms so you don't collapse. Kicking down to begin your cast will "load" the sping action of the "bar flex as the force of the downward kick creates kinda an extra weight on the bar. This creates a brief springboard effect when the bar bounces back up, that if timed with your legs swinging up into heel drive and your hips pressing off the bar will get you moving pretty well toward a handstand.

So give it a try......nibble at it for a few practices with just some small casting to figure out the downward motion to load the bar. Once you have that part figured out you can give it the full meal deal to see how it works.

You'll also have to figure out how much to lean forward and when to reverse that forward lean to establish a smooth rythym into the handstand. Try to avoid "reaching up" with your hips, as they can't make a contribution to your cast at that point. Push your hips up with your arms supporting them through the entire upper body, so no sagging.

Hope that helps!

 

[BlairBob]

My thoughts on cast to HS are mainly concerned with proper physical preparation. Even for straddle cast HS. Poor active pancake flexibility will make the straddle cast more difficult. Having a straddle press helps a lot.

Good upper body strength.

Ample lower back strength.

Basic understanding of each of the technique of either kind of casts.

You can't lean over the bar if you don't have the physical strength to support the technique.