Lack of "oomf" on glide swing/wrist shift?

[fishchimes]

Well I ALMOST have my kip, but I think I might get it faster if I fixed up my glide first.

I'm 5"6 and I'm all leg; I can't seem to get nice swing AND hold my legs in a tight straddle at the same time. Sometimes jumping from a springboard helps but my coaches don't like me using it; they keep saying something about how it just makes me taller...? Either that or they just whine about how everyone wants to use it. Any drills/conditioning I could do for this?

Also I'm totally confused as to how to shift my wrists. When do I shift them?

I really want my kip because in 2 weeks I'm going to be evaluated for the level 5 team. That reminds me; what happens during an evaluation? How should I prepare?

 

[BlairBob]

If you grip the bar too hard, you won't be able to shift.

As for your legs, work hanging from the bar in a straddle and pike and toes to the bar besides the ability to do a powerful, quick hanging leg lift.

Simply work the hanging straddle for a total amount of 60 seconds of hang time and hanging pike or hanging toes to bar for a total amount of 60 seconds every day.

If you have poor pike/pancake flexibility due to tight hamstrings, you need to solve that as well by stretching more.

 

[tumblerK]

Shift your wrists earlier than you think- when you're at the bottom of the bar as you're finishing "pulling on you pants."