Coaches Kip Cast Handstands

[CamSeawind]

Hey I'm a level 8 gymnast and i need help on my kip cast handstand. I've never been able to do one and this year i have to do a half pirouette in my bar routine meaning I'm going to need one, could one of you help me. Because you're a coach I know that you'll be able to help me.

• I do a straddle up handstand
• I don't like leaning over the bar
• I think my timing is off too, i cast before i have a chance to lean because i don't like leaning

I'm just looking for some help

 

[Linsul]

I don't think I fully understand so help me out. If you don't like 'leaning' but are still practicing these, do you drive your heels up behind you and arch to a handstand? It's really hard to picture that straddled, so maybe I'm confused.

*Edit* Do you have a floor rail and handstand trainer available to you?

Edit 2- I just saw the thread in the other forum. You say 2 things that stick out: you are scared of 'leaning' and that you generally have the cast without the kip. Venturing to guess your issue is with the kip. There really should be any 'lean', none of your weight should be going past your wrists. I would check your kip and make sure you aren't flicking your wrists so aggressively that they go to the front of the bar rather than the top. That can create a pike, which could be causing that lean you're afraid of. You could be piking even if your wrists are correct though, so make sure you're controlling your kip and stopping it when your in an straight front support. If you let your legs go forward rather than straight and open behind you, you could be leaning to counterbalance that. Check your kip form would be my best advice. Go back to kip + horizontal cast. How is your shoulder flexibility, can you 'open your shoulders' easily or is it hard?

 

[CamSeawind]

Well, I try to cast to a handstand but i can't. I get to maybe halfway to a handstand and cannot get any higher (if horizontal is the starting point). If i have one of my coaches spot me i go right to a handstand because they push my shoulders over the bar.

 

[Linsul]

That shoulder push your coaches do for you you'll have to do on your own to make these. Can you not do it physically or because you're scared? I had issues physically doing it. Everytime I got a spot for it, I had to get off the bar and pike with my hands on the beam while my coach pushed me between the shoulder blades. Did not feel great. It made me pay attention to that trouble spot for sure. I swear I even dreamt about 'open shoulders' for awhile...

 

[CamSeawind]

I'm not really sure on that note but i think it's more because i'm scared because it doesn't hurt or bother me when my coaches spot me.

 

[Linsul]

I'm not really sure on that note but i think it's more because i'm scared because it doesn't hurt or bother me when my coaches spot me.

I was asking about your shoulder flexibility since you wrote this earlier:

If i have one of my coaches spot me i go right to a handstand because they push my shoulders over the bar.

Can your shoulders do what they need to to get you over the bar? If they can, all that can be suggested on the internet without seeing it is make sure your kip finishes with good enough form to allow the cast/handstand. If they can't, I'd suggest stretching like crazy.

If your kip is fine and your cast handstand is too then practice practice practice!

 

[CamSeawind]

Well thanks i'll practice even more

 

[CoachTodd]

Get over your fear of "leaning". You have to get your shoulders over the bar to get to handstand. Do a lot of straddle press handstands. The angles are the same in the press as they are in the cast.
If you have access to P-bars, do kips to L-hold. If you do them correctly, you'll have to keep from falling forward. This is a way of getting used to waiting longer in the kip before casting. If you get the timing correct, the cast will get itself to horizontal without any effort from you. Once you get used to this timing, adding the straddle press handstand to the end of the kip will pop you right to a handstand.

 

[gymdog]

I have terrible shoulder flexibility but kip cast handstand doesn't really stress it?

Kip immediate front hip. Get your shoulders over the bar and flip around. Then try the cast when you've rememorized that. If you can't kip immediately front hip, then the kip is not finishing correctly (make sure to "sandwich" before the stretch to the front hip).

I learned a kip cast handstand in ten minutes with this method and I've seen it click for other girls that fast as well. (I had cast handstand from front support...also long hang kip cast handstand legs together...did not have the straddle handstand on the low bar well enough to turn out of it)

 

[CamSeawind]

Thank you. Kip front hips are easy though...