Handstand Forward Roll: bent or straight arms

[liseybeast]

I've been working on my handstand forward rolls in class. Everyone in the class, even the newbies, have no trouble with them, but I can't seem to get them. When I first did them with a spot I automatically was rolling out of them with straight arms, but the coach said to first do them with bent arms. I would try to do them with bent arms, but have trouble controlling it from lack of arm strength. When I tried without a spot I crashed onto my back. Then a couple of weeks ago a different coach was spotting me and I did it with straight arms because it feels more natural to me, and he was giving me tips and didn't tell me I had to do it with bent arms. He gave me a light spot the next time and I still slightly thudded to the floor, but it was way better than before.

Is there a reason the one coach wanted me to do bent arms? This is an adult class so is it supposed to be easier to do them with bent arms?
When I do them on my own I tend to freak out when I start to fall over. I think I need to get more comfortable with that feeling and maybe do more handstand fall to flatback.

 

[bogwoppit]

Straight arms always. Learn it correctly from the start then you will not have to relearn it correctly. Just tell the first coach that you want to learn it with straight arms.

 

[mado4]

Usually you learn it with bent arms first. The reason..it is easier. But if you do it with straight arms already I don't see a reason why not. It is hard to tell why without seeing a picture.

 

[Kiwi]

That is weird, as you are supposed to do them with straight arms! Some people find it easier to do them with bent arms first, but then you need to learn how to do them with straight arms later anyway (something I'm working on at the moment!). The advantage I've found with bent arms is that it is easier to slow it down, with straight arms it all happens very quickly. You could try doing them on a softer mat for a while until you get used to the landing.

 

[swalker_22]

As a coach, it should be done with straight arms, and it would be best to always learn it with straight arms because then you can avoid having to relearn it correctly. From a gymnasts perspective, do whatever you need to do to get yourself comfortable with it before getting too technical, just don't do it so often you form a bad habit that is difficult to break

 

[coachinkal]

Definately straight arms.

You could try doing it onto a wedge, then roll down the hill. This will force your arms to be straight, and you will have a soft landing.

Easier to learn them with a thin mat underneath to start.

It is a handstand and then a roll, so you need to tuck your chin in as your shoulders roll onto the floor. If you do not tuck your chin you will land with a thud on your back.

Make sure your hands are turned in also, so you can roll through your wrists, without bending your arms.

 

[liseybeast]

Thanks everyone! I'll make sure to tell my coaches I want to learn them with straight arms if they tell me to bend my arms. My coaches brought out a cheese mat once to practice them, but we haven't done that in weeks. My one coach doesn't seem to like to spend a lot of time on handstand forward rolls. Next class while we do front tumbling I'll ask if they can set up a station with a mat or wedge to practice them.

Make sure your hands are turned in also, so you can roll through your wrists, without bending your arms.

Does this mean your fingers should be facing in towards each other?

 

[bogwoppit]

Yes fingers facing in, it reduces the stress on your wrists when you go over.

 

[Kiwi]

I tried to do a handstand with hands turned in tonight, but it didn't work very well. I can't turn them in very far, and it seems to put a lot of stress on my elbows.

 

[mattsteel008]

I would try to do them with bent arms, but have trouble controlling it from lack of arm strength. When I tried without a spot I crashed onto my back. Then a couple of weeks ago a different coach was spotting me and I did it with straight arms because it feels more natural to me, and he was giving me tips and didn't tell me I had to do it with bent arms. He gave me a light spot the next time and I still slightly thudded to the floor, but it was way better than before.

 

[kenzie (:gymnast:)]

you just kick up to a perfect handstand keep your arms straight and when you start to fall tuck in your head round you back and at the last second bend your knees to stand up. but you deffintly keep your arms STRAIGHT!

 

[Kiwi]

I was practising these last night onto a thinnish soft mat. Sometimes I came down a bit hard, but other times it felt okay. I am thinking of it as moving from straight into a dish position and just tucking at the end. I'm still not turning my hands inward though. I did feel some stretch in the wrists, but not as bad as what my elbow does if I try to turn my hands in (I have a dodgy right elbow).

 

[liseybeast]

Nicki: That's great you're starting to get the hang of them. I like to think of going into a candle stick position as I come down.

I'm still slightly scared of them... I just need to do a lot more of them to get used to it. I'm hoping to get the hang of them soon since a lot of times my handstands start to fall backwards (got to work on that hollow position) so it would be useful to know how to roll out of it when that happens.