Full turn on beam?

[Megz]

So I've just about developed callouses on the balls of my feet from trying to work out how to perform a controlled full turn on the beam (I was practising at home on the tiled floor, using the line as the beam for accuracy).

I can't work out what I'm doing wrong. The thing is, I can do them on both feet (left foot being my 'good' foot) but often my RIGHT foot works out better. Even though my left 'should' be the better one.

I went and tried a right footed turn on the beam a week ago and ended up on the floor (on my back - unhurt thankfully) having missed the beam entirely on finishing the turn and putting my other foot down.

My left foot generally leaves me leaning too far sideways and being unable to finish squarely, and therefore falling off the side. Even on the floor I go sideways.

Any tips to help me figure out which foot I should work on to make it my 'turning foot'? Or just full turn tips in general?

 

[NotAMom]

Can't help you with drills but I can tell you that turns on beam (1 or more) are one of those things that is seemingly difficult to do for some gymnasts, no matter the level.

 

[nevertooold]

Practice the entry part of the turn without actually turning to make sure you are going into turn by lifting your body straight up into a tight aligned releve position from the very start. Just stand and do your turn entry rising to releve and bringing your second leg to ankle, knee, extended (whatever position you are turning in), arms to crown and hold, squeeze, check alignment, repeat.

Maybe try a different turn entry... if you are stepping forward directly onto releve, you could try step to flat and push up to releve, lunge entry or 4th position entry.

I usually teach step directly to releve b/c I find it more visually pleasing, but some girls will end up leaning back (or side or forward) in this position and do better with a lunge or 4th position entry in order to be pushing straight up in the turn and not have a sideward or backward lean as they rotate.

Practice finishing the turn on releve on your turning leg with your other leg still off the floor and hold the finished position. By not putting your 2nd foot down you should be able to really see where you are out of alignment, where you are loose, etc. so you know what to try and fix.

 

[guppiegirl]

Make sure you're at your highest releve` and squeeze your buns! Don't be afraid to stick your foot on the beam. Keep your chin up. You may want to do some on a low beam.

 

[triptwister]

The most common full turn for balance beam taught by coaches is a Passé Full Turn. Commonly the arms are started in Forth Position as you step into a Demi Plie. From there the arms are moved out to a momentary Second Position to set up the turn. The arms then lift to Fifth Position for the turn as one leg is brought into a high Passé. The turn spins with the arms overhead in Fifth position and one leg remains in Passé. Finish in Demi Plie to complete the turn.

This is not the only technique coaches teach but it is the most common especially when starting out. Variations include keeping the arms in first position during the turn and/or a "low Passé" -one foot raised near the ankle of the foot used to spin.

Posture is important. The shoulders should be pressed down before, during, and after the full turn. The neck lines should be exposed as much as possible. Hips should be tucked under but not exaggerated. Back straight. Head forward spotting to the front and re-spotting when you finish. Pivot leg should be straight and locked with that foot in a mile high releve. Passé leg should be high with the foot touching the other knee tight and the thigh level with the beam. The Passé leg should not lower down during the turn. The most common angle of the Passé leg taught in gymnastics is with the knee straight out in front and the hips square. (No turn out as would be found in ballet).

Once the learning steps are mastered then the ability to balance the skill without teetering or falling needs to be acquired. For some gymnasts this comes quickly. For others it is elusive. Sometimes understanding the mechanics can help. At the moment that one foot is raised then the body wants to counter the loss of support from that side of the body. Hence the body will lean. What you do with that lean determines where the full turn ends up.

The way to "feel out" how to consistently balance a full turn is to learn to steer the full turn with the arms and/or the shoulders and back. The key is to "feel out" an awareness of the lean and counter that lean during the turn so as to find and keep the center of balance over the beam. This cannot be taught. It is something that each gymnast must "feel out" for themselves through trial and error. As soon as the arms are moved in a perfect counter balance position during the turn then the skill will finish on-balance over the beam. The arms, shoulders, and back may shift during the entire turn as the spin goes around but offsets should be kept to a minimum or eliminated. One hint that helps is that when you get it right then the hands will tend to spin overhead in a perfect axis if using Fifth Position. In other words when you get it right then your hands will tell you whether you are on balance because you will feel your hands guiding the rest of your body. Your hands can be like balance antennas.

 

[love_the_beam]

i dont know about you.. but this is what really helps mee..

chalk your feet like reallyyyy good. so that there very white

then, for example if you twist right, put your right foot in front and put most of your pressure of the left side of your right foot, so like on your big toe. did that make sence? haha i hope it did...