I was reading another post on a similar topic which made me decide to post.
Generally I think it's best for a gymnast to do everything left or everything right e.g. cartwheel left, round-off left, backward walkover lifting the left leg first etc. Some gymnasts prefer to mix between the two. Some skills they perform as if they're a lefty, while with other skills they prefer their right leg.
I myself do things on different legs (not because I wanted to - that's just what seemed natural). For example, I cartwheel & round off right, but I spin left. I spin left, but I twist right in a somersault. I do split leaps with my right leg, but I do slit change leaps with my left leg performing the final split in the split change! I spin left, but when doing a split change with a 1/2 turn I turn right!!
Do you think that it's ok to change your preferred leg depending on the skill, or does it just get too complicated, especially when it comes to twisting & linking skills? If you are a coach, do you allow your gymnasts to choose how they do each skill? If you're a gymnast, do you do everything consistently or not?
Generally I think it's best for a gymnast to do everything left or everything right e.g. cartwheel left, round-off left, backward walkover lifting the left leg first etc. Some gymnasts prefer to mix between the two. Some skills they perform as if they're a lefty, while with other skills they prefer their right leg.
I myself do things on different legs (not because I wanted to - that's just what seemed natural). For example, I cartwheel & round off right, but I spin left. I spin left, but I twist right in a somersault. I do split leaps with my right leg, but I do slit change leaps with my left leg performing the final split in the split change! I spin left, but when doing a split change with a 1/2 turn I turn right!!
Do you think that it's ok to change your preferred leg depending on the skill, or does it just get too complicated, especially when it comes to twisting & linking skills? If you are a coach, do you allow your gymnasts to choose how they do each skill? If you're a gymnast, do you do everything consistently or not?