Help With my Cartwheel on Beam

[Lovepandas]

I need help!

I finished competing Level 4 in April, and since then, I've been working on skills and drills for Level 5. I don't really have any of the skills yet. But, I've got my RO 2 BHS sometimes.

I just have SO much trouble with my cartwheel on beam! We have a low beam that is wider than regular beams. Last practice, my coach had me working on my cartwheel on that beam during part of the rotation. Even though it is a wider beam, I still am having trouble landing it! I think my main problem is fear. On one of the high beams,we have a big mat underneath it, so that the mat is really close to the beam. If that makes sense. I'm still really scared to do it there. I'm not really sure why I'm so scared!

I guess the main thing I'm wondering is, do you have any tips on how to land my cartwheel?

Sorry for the length, and some of the off topic-ness

Savannah

 

[2gymmies]

The one thing that always helped my dd when she was first starting out on cartwheels on beam was to look for the beam under her armpit as she was about to put the first landing foot on. Maybe it is so scarry because you are not sure if you are going to land it - if you saw your foot landing on the beam, then you would know you are "on"!

 

[Lovepandas]

Thanks so much!! I think I'm mainly scared about not being sure if I'm going to land it. Thanks so much! I'll try that at my next practice!!

 

[Kiwi]

I was also taught the 'look under your armpit' technique for cartwheels (on the floor or beam) as it helps you to stay straight. I've also found that it helps to do the cartwheels a little slower on beam than you would on floor. I'm trying to learn cartwheel on beam myself and I do find it quite scary too. So far I've only done it on floor beam and can only land it sometimes.

 

[marie83]

Here is what I tell my gymnasts:

Make sure you do hundreds on a line. Your hands should go like this - First hand turns sideways, second hand turns to face the first (If left leg cartwheel - ^< and vice versa for right)
Make sure you do them like that on the beam too - it helps with turning the hips and therefore keeps you on the beam better.
Try and keep the rhythm the same as on the floor - many gymnasts try to keep their hands on the beam for too long! As soon as the first foot makes contact with the beam, think about standing up.
Grip the beam with your toes and fight!!!

And as others have said, look under your armpit and watch for your first foot!

 

[d0nut_l0ver]

I am currently learning level 5 skills too and I just got my cartwheel on high beam. First, for quite a while, do them on low beam until you get them almost 100% of the time. It takes practice, but remember to keep your head down or you will swing your legs around. Like everyone else said, look under your armpit to see your foot land. Once you have it on low beam, move to a medium beam (between high and low) if your gym has them and put a mat or a stack of mats under it. (Or just use a high beam and more mats.) Remember that you cannot possibly hurt yourself with mats all the way up; if you slip, you'll land on mats! Then, when you land your cartwheel (or at least get 1 foot on) 100% of the time, take one mat away. Keep on going until you're doing your cartwheel without any mats at all!

I used to be terrified of beam, even a low beam. Last year I got my cartwheel on low beam, and I worked on it FOR A YEAR before I was really confident in it. Today I did that mat trick on high beam but I was using only one big squishy mat, so I couldn't take any away. After I landed like 10 in a row on there, I moved to a high beam without any mats and for some reason, the ground didn't seem so far away and the fall didn't seem so bad! I was just about to ask for a spot for one turn and then I would try it by myself when we had to go stretch and cool down. But tomorrow, I WILL get it on beam!!

Sorry about that quick little story... just proving that I was as scared as you and now I'm looking forward to getting my cartwheel on beam!! Good luck!!!