WAG Cast to handstand for level 4s?

[rsm]

Hi everyone! This is more to satisfy my curiosity than anything else. My DD is currently on level 4, and I usually ask her what was fun for her after practice. The past few weeks she has said the most fun thing was practicing casts to handstand (with the coach spotting of course). So I guess they are doing this at the end of bars rotation. Just wondering the rationale behind it and if it's usual to start this early since they seem to be doing it at almost every practice. Her coaches are great, so I'm not worried at all about the coaching. Just curious.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

it's what we do. cast handstands develop power and strength.

 

[wallinbl]

They have to get there eventually, and there is no penalty for casting higher than required (as long as she can control the return to the bar from that height). Never saw anyone go that high in level 4 meets, but plenty of girls went to and above horizontal in level 4 meets. In level 5 (requires horizontal), I have seen some get to handstand in meets. DD can get there, but prefers not to do it in the level 5 routine as she finds it disrupts her preferred rhythm.

If your DD could actually get all the way to HS in a level 4 meet, half the parents in the stands would probably cry foul about how she shouldn't be competing that level.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

lol, wallinbl, you got that right!

 

[cbone]

Funny you mention this. My daughter is a Level 4 and just started this skill, too. Just like your daughter, she had really enjoys doing it.

 

[BlairBob]

Yep, I generally spot them as a strength/conditioning station early during the event. Especially if we have 2 coaches per event. Hard to do with just one.

Something like 3 sets of 3 reps or maybe 5 sets if I have the time. They are a time killer though.

Quite often, assisted cast HS, lower down through planche slowly is good for strength work. Good for making the coach tired too.

 

[CoachGoofy]

When I was coaching artistic, we did them. Generally 4s were small enough that I could control them through allllll the positions of a good cast handstand. They were great for strength & for feeling where handstand really is.

 

[Bajanswife]

DD has been practising spotted cast to handstands since level 4 as well. Now that they are in level 5 they practice them with less spotting.

 

[JBS]

We do this also.

 

[Seeker]

Quite often, assisted cast HS, lower down through planche slowly is good for strength work.

My daughter is L6 and also started working on these at L4. She actually got very close to handstand at L4 while in the gym, but would never do it during a meet...that would kinda mess with the rhythm of that routine. They still work them like this with a heavier spot though to work on strength and body position. She can't get quite to HS now since she has had a recent growth spurt, but the work is helpful in other ways, even though it's not "required".

Glad that she likes them!

 

[Aussie_coach]

This is one of those skills that is beneficial to start early. It will take a few years to develop and good confident cast to handstand so best to start early.

this also he's kids to understamd the aim of the cast. A lot of kids halt their cast at horizontal and take a long time to get past it because they are not thinking in terms of going higher.

 

[Amusibus]

my daughter is on developmental and they are already occasionally working on them.

 

[gymgurl]

We start them level 4 as well

 

[2gymmies]

We started them in Level 4, many on dd's team learned their straddle cast handstand in Level 4, now in Level 5 they have the kip cast handstand (straddle) and are training straight body cast handstand.

 

[Moxiegrl83]

Our pre-team program works them too, and my DD loves them as well. Anything upside down is fun.

 

[Boatergal]

Add 6" and 30 lbs when they develop and you will be glad they are working that now. My DD has gotten and lost hers with each injury and body change. She is a L9 and currently trying to get it back... again.