WAG L3 Beam Dismount question

[Ali'sMom]

I'm still very new here, and still feel new to the whole gym thing (DD just finished 2nd year competing, she's in 5th grade), and I always have what I think are stupid questions, so I don't ask at the gym, etc.

Anyway, I figured I could ask you fine folks

Does anyone have any tips to consistently "getting" the 1/4 turn on the L3 beam dismount? Sometimes my daughter gets it, and many times not. When she doesn't get the turn, and comes down on the wrong side, it's counted as a fall, .5 deduction.

So I've noticed that some girls arch in the handstand, which puts their fee on the correct side (if there's more technical ways to explain this, I don't know them yet - sorry! LOL), and it's almost like the momentum helps them twist. My daughter doesn't arch, so it takes a lot of control and strength to twist over.
I've asked her if she is supposed to arch or not... she doesn't know. I asked if she's ever thought to ask? Again, no.

So, if any of you whose daughters have passed L3 (or old L4) could give me any guidance so at least "I" know what I'm talking about with her, I'd really appreciate it!! (I hate sounding too stupid when I talk with the coaches.)

 

[EastCoastGymMom]

I'm not a coach, so I can't explain the intricacies of the L3 dismount, but I know for sure she is not supposed to be arched in the handstand. She should be straight/hollow in the handstand - it's a 1/4 turn rather than arching and falling over. Maybe she needs more control over her handstands, which are easy to practice at home - 30-60 seconds against a wall and other handstand drills. She'll get it with more practice and experience!

 

[Ali'sMom]

That definitely helps me! She is straight and hollow. So she needs more strength and control to turn, whereas I see the arched ones kind of falling and twisting like you say. OKay, so she's doing it right, she just hasn't "gotten" it yet (I was afraid the arching IS what she's supposed to be doing.)

Thank you!

 

[Becauseisaid]

I am not a coach, but my DD had inconsistencies with that dismount this year too. If your picture is an indicator, I can tell you that her head is not in the right position (should be neutral so she has a straight body line). A tip I heard the coaches give the girls was, if they feel as though they are going to come down on the wrong side, tuck in their chin and it will help shift their body weight.

Were your girls not allowed to remount the beam to try for the dismount a 2nd time?

 

[billise]

Wow your DD's picture looks remarkably like my DD's picture but interestingly my DD was one of the only girls on her team to never miss a dismount in competition. Some how (much to my amazement) she always managed to get that twist in. I have never been able to understand the physics of this dismount and wish I could tell you what causes the gymmie to come down on the "wrong" side. My DD said her coaches tell her that when she is ready to dismount she should start to "tip" herself backward slightly and then twist as she starts to tip.

 

[sce]

First, if she does not fully hit the handstand she will be unable to do the turn. So that may be why sometimes she can't turn. Second, when I look at her handstand in your picture I think first she should tuck her head in. When in the handstand she will then push with her shoulders to lean over the beam as she lifts her arm to turn.

 

[Quadqueen]

Yes...pull the head in. I remember when my DD first had trouble with this, if she felt like she was going to come down on the wrong side, she would pull her head in and usually that worked in her favor.

 

[Ali'sMom]

Were your girls not allowed to remount the beam to try for the dismount a 2nd time?

Yes, she always gets back up and does it the 2nd time (and correctly...) but it still counts as a fall. (I was told if she doesn't remount and try again, that it would hurt more, but I don't know the deduction in that case)

That picture is actually from old L3, when they just came down on the side they were facing. But without looking at any videos from this year, I'd guess she's still got that same position with her head. I'll mention it to her.

Thank you all!

 

[IreneKa]

Yes, she always gets back up and does it the 2nd time (and correctly...) but it still counts as a fall. (I was told if she doesn't remount and try again, that it would hurt more, but I don't know the deduction in that case)

I believe if they don't remount, that's a fall plus a missing skill, so the whole point. If they do remount and do it correctly, then it's just a fall - 0.5 deduction. If they remount and fall again - then I'm not sure. Two falls plus a missing skill maybe?