WAG How possible to make way thru optionals without front tumbling?

[gymmomtotwo]

I have a very general question about optionals. How much front tumbling do you really HAVE to do to work your way thru the optionals? DD has what she needs for her level 6 routine, but front tumbling is a struggle, and well... back tumbling is not. Does some form of it need to be seen in every level, or can it be avoided. Just a curious question at the moment, nothing urgent.

 

[fuzi]

You need a series with two or more front elements with flight (one of which is a salto or aerial) for level 7. Most common are front handspring + ft tuck or ft pike; or tuck + tuck, pike + tuck.

In level 8, you need a pass with two saltos, and most people are going to do that with a front + front series or a front tuck step-out into something. However, it can also be a whip through to back salto.

In level 8, 9, and 10, there is a 0.10 compositional deduction for failure to perform saltos or aerials both backward and sideward/front, but even if someone just tumbles backward, they can throw in a front or side aerial or a front tuck/side-somi as a little side pass, and done.

It's also easier to get bonus from combinations of front tumbles, but you can get bonus through series with a whip or dance series. In level 10, many of the top gymnasts do big D and E valued back tumbling skills for bonus.

So yes, pretty doable once you survive level 7.

 

[ascarter1]

I have a very general question about optionals. How much front tumbling do you really HAVE to do to work your way thru the optionals? DD has what she needs for her level 6 routine, but front tumbling is a struggle, and well... back tumbling is not. Does some form of it need to be seen in every level, or can it be avoided. Just a curious question at the moment, nothing urgent.

Dd is a level 7 and is just the opposite, Better at front tumbling. They have been working on 1/2 and fulls and OH MYLANTA it's in need of a lot of practice. I just smile and give her a thumbs up, and keep telling myself that that is an 8 skill and she has a whole year to perfect it!

 

[cbifoja]

Mine also prefers front tumbling right now. I think it's fairly common for girls to struggle with front tumbling. I know that some of our girls do a punch front into a ROBHS and they get credit for front tumbling.

 

[ascarter1]

Mine also prefers front tumbling right now. I think it's fairly common for girls to struggle with front tumbling. I know that some of our girls do a punch front into a ROBHS and they get credit for front tumbling.

Good to know! Our girls practiced this today.

 

[emilykatherine]

I have no back tumbling, I got a tenth off but I think it's worth it, and very possible

 

[Mrs. Puma]

Great question! We still have some time on this one, but at this point Puma Jr is also a much better back tumbler.

 

[gymmomtotwo]

Good to know! Our girls practiced this today.

Nice pass. She does a front tuck well. It is the front walkover/ handspring type things that she struggles with. I could picture her doing something like this well.

 

[lhmom]

Good to know! Our girls practiced this today.

This is similar to what 2 of the level 8's on DD's team did last season because both struggled with front tumbling. They scored in the high 8's/low 9's on floor using this sort of combo.

 

[wandrewsjr]

Just wanted to make sure it's clear that this pass is enough to satisfy the front tumbling composition at L8 and above, but it doesn't satisfy the level 7 special requirement of a pass of 2 or more forward acro elements with flight, at least one a salto. As others have said, front handspring/front tuck(or pike or lay) or some combination of two of front tuck/pike/lay need for level 7.

 

[ascarter1]

Just wanted to make sure it's clear that this pass is enough to satisfy the front tumbling composition at L8 and above, but it doesn't satisfy the level 7 special requirement of a pass of 2 or more forward acro elements with flight, at least one a salto. As others have said, front handspring/front tuck(or pike or lay) or some combination of two of front tuck/pike/lay need for level 7.

That's good to know!

Dd, level 7, is doing robhs layout and fhsft as her 2 passes this season.

 

[sce]

Nice pass. She does a front tuck well. It is the front walkover/ handspring type things that she struggles with. I could picture her doing something like this well.

Some do a front tuck, front tuck combo.

 

[lhmom]

Some do a front tuck, front tuck combo.

That is what my daughter is doing for her front tumbling pass.

 

[balancedmom]

for some reason I cant see the videos-- my L7 DD struggles with the FHS-FT-- what are her options for L7 front tumbling? thanks!

 

[gymdog]

Possible once you get past level 7, but not very likely you're going to be a level 10 with no forward elements. Everyone is naturally limited by their unique physical abilities so to further limit with an "I don't like front tumbling" kind of thing is not going to leave a great variety of skills to work with. It would be better to maybe attempt Xcel Diamond. So to answer your question, no matter what her front tumbling is like, her coaches are going to want her to continue working on it to improve

 

[balancedmom]

Possible once you get past level 7, but not very likely you're going to be a level 10 with no forward elements. Everyone is naturally limited by their unique physical abilities so to further limit with an "I don't like front tumbling" kind of thing is not going to leave a great variety of skills to work with. It would be better to maybe attempt Xcel Diamond. So to answer your question, no matter what her front tumbling is like, her coaches are going to want her to continue working on it to improve

I understand this and she had the front tumbling, but has been out of the gym for 6 weeks, and would like to try and compete this season, so she doesn't have long to get ready-- I saw that people posted videos of tumbling that qualified as the front tumbling pass so was curious if she could possibly do something other than the FHS-FT for now. She may end up on a different path someday but after the injury is looking to at least compete a couple meets at L7 this year given all the time she has put in. thanks

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

In principle, you can get most of your requirements outside of level 7 with back tumbling. You need a front salto connected to another skill for Level 7, but after that you don't ever specifically need big front tumbling.

That said, having solid connections is pretty important for level 9 and 10 floor, and front connections are MUCH easier than back connections.

 

[gymdog]

I understand this and she had the front tumbling, but has been out of the gym for 6 weeks, and would like to try and compete this season, so she doesn't have long to get ready-- I saw that people posted videos of tumbling that qualified as the front tumbling pass so was curious if she could possibly do something other than the FHS-FT for now. She may end up on a different path someday but after the injury is looking to at least compete a couple meets at L7 this year given all the time she has put in. thanks

I was responding to the original post, which is why I didn't quite your question.

However, my answer to your question is she can basically only do a FHS FT or directly connected punch fronts (tucks, layouts, or pikes). You could also add additional stuff like a FHS flyspring tuck but I doubt that will help. I suppose you could do like a front aerial front handspring within the rules, but that would be more difficult for most kids than a FHS FT and probably those who struggle with the handspring tuck do so because of a handspring issue which means there would be an aerial issue. In addition to what was posted above, the special requirement specifies "directly connected" so that doesn't leave much room for creativity as far as I can see. Basically they worded the rules to try to encourage a RO BHS layout and a FHS FT at this level. There are a few passes you can do outside those but there's not a whole lot of room because the tumbling SRs at this level specify things like directly connected or how many elements have to be in the pass, etc.

But, the best person for her to talk to about this would be her coaches, because they can see if maybe she does have a strength in one of the alternative passes.

 

[ascarter1]

for some reason I cant see the videos-- my L7 DD struggles with the FHS-FT-- what are her options for L7 front tumbling? thanks!

Front front is the only option that I know of. But that doesn't mean much!

 

[sewgood]

I was horrible at front tumbling. HORRIBLE. I swear, even front walkovers were sketchy for me. I loved going backward, though. Of course, my daughter is the exact opposite and likes front tumbling more than back. LOL.

I realize that was not at all helpful to the question, but just know your DD is not alone on that.