Lefty/righty: Does this test really predict?

[MdGymMom01]

Dani is right handed when it comes to writing but she does all gymnastics on her left. I actually thought when she was younger that she would also write with her left hand because it seemed like she would scribble with crayons using her left hand. But, I guess when she was taught to write in school, the teachers emphasized the right hand with her. Even now, when she does her nails, she has a very steady left hand when painting her right.

My mother (her grand mother) was a lefty but when she was growing up in Germany they made her write with her right hand. So, when she got older she wrote with her right hand, but drew, sewed, and did anything detailed using her left hand. Weird, huh?? Maybe some of that ambidextrousness has been passed down the gene line!!!

 

[joshingyou]

The Reel Deal on detemining lefty or righty

Now that test result I liked. LOL. I did it 3 times and every time she put out her right foot to stop herself. Wonder if there are other "tests".

Here is the real deal on determining twist direction from which all else should be considered. The way a gymnast will twist when flipping is really what is most important. I have been coaching all levels of male and female gymnasts in both artistic and trampoline for 19 years.

The thumb test is only about 70% accurate at best. I use it as a starting point but not the final answer. Also the push a person forward drill with their eyes closed I use second but do not turn the person around first as I do not want to influence what they do. If they put their right foot in front it means they are a left twister not a "righty or lefty" which is what really matters. Lastly what I do is take the person to the edge of the pit or on a block next to a thick very soft mat like a resi and I lean them forward 30 to 45 degrees holding their arms to their sides and tell them when I let go instead of falling onto your stomach turn or twist to your back. I am very careful not to say left or right or hint with the way I hold them or release them which to go. I then let them go and see what happens. It has worked every time up until last week when one of my gymnasts just ducked and did a forward roll, LOL. She is quite intelligent and knew what she was supposed to do but could not so we tried again with the same result. Oh well, so much for the best test of them all. Any way I then have the gymnast do a jump full turn in the that direction and the the other several times to check in which direction they have the most coordination.

I then take all of this into account and look for a commonality or obvious dominance. If they are a left twister I teach them handstand, cartwheel, and round-off with the left leg in front because of what is know skill continuance or connectivity at the higher levels where they are doing twisting vaults and combinations on the floor, gain dismounts off the side of the beam from a cartwheel and for full turns on the left leg so they turn left (remember left twister should full turn to the left so they must be on the left leg) and making the left leg the front leg on split leaps and back handspring step outs for consistency. If this proves too awkward for the person I let them put the right foot in front for handstands, cartwheels and round-offs but I still look for all of their twisting to go to the left.

Hope this helps and have a great day.

 

[Bobby]

If a gymnast did a L cartwheel, I would teach the gymnast to lift her L leg in the BWO.

I thought you should be able to do a FWO cartwheel BWO in a series? And in a cartwheel BHS step out I thought you should land on the same leg you'd come down from in a BWO??

 

[gymkat]

It's not necessary to be able to do cartwheel BW without switching legs. In fact, if you did a cartwheel and BWO on different legs, you'd have to learn to reverse one of the skills in the compulsory routines. I switch my legs when I do cartwheel BHS step-out, as do all of the 50+ gymnasts on my team.

 

[MissBear]

When I step into handstand my left leg bends. When I full spin I step onto my left leg. When I jump full turn I turn to the right. I can FWO cartwheel without a step. Cartwheel BWO my left leg swings through without touching the floor.

I have found with most rec gymnasts if you ask them to handstand (or one foot bunny kick) they will show you there preffered side. I usually then check with a side bunny kick (a pre-cartwheel). I very rarely have to help them figure it out. Some of the very little ones (under 5) will alternate leg. At that age I usually let them alternate. That way they are working both, and eventually they will favour one or the other naturally, or one with improve more easily.

And my left thumb goes on top.

 

[toriluvsgym0618]

i got my right thumb on top and im a righty but some of my friends are lefty's but they twist right and turn right. i never understood that. i never had a problem but this one girl gets confused on if she is a righty or a lefty. its sorta funny.

 

[tkachevbaby]

what do you mean by "cross your fingers"?

 

[ky7403]

i do all my tumbling right but all my turning and twisting is left i also leap right but on beam i could never twist because i round off right and twist left so it was just way to confusing so i never twisted off beam. she could be both it really doesn't matter what she is as long as she does her skills well with whatever leg she uses.

 

[ejgymmom]

My daughter and I are both lefties (left foot forward), but had our right thumbs on top. My husband considers himself to also be a lefty and his left thumb WAS on top. So it only worked on 1 out of 3 of us.

 

[gymluvr33]

I just had 2 of my cousins try it, and it worked for 2/3 of us. However, I'm the only gymnast.

 

[mariposa]

Thanks so much everyone. Very interesting thread, especially the twisting info. I had told her before to not worry about it and if her coaches thought she was doing stuff on the "wrong" side, they would tell her. I have told her again not to worry about it and to just keep doing gymnastics the way she always has. LOL.

 

[gracefulone]

So interesting!!! I am a right handed person, but a left handed gymnast. With that test my left thumb was on top. I'll note that both my splits are equal, and I can do basic skills (backwalkover, carthwheel, turns) on each leg. I can do all of the compulsory floor routines either way, with the roundoff backhandsprings (back tuck) being the exception. That definitely came in handy when I was teaching routines. The left probably looked better, but that was simply because that's what I was more used to.

However, I also do track. We did the nudging test described on the first page, and I stepped out with my right foot. I long jump as a righty, and triple jump as a lefty. I wanted to pole vault left, but my coach wouldn't let me. My problem was that I didn't want to take off my left foot-which is what right handed pole vaulters do. With hindsight, though, being a righty pole vaulter was probably right because I would have had to twist the opposite way I'm used to if I had been a lefty.

Basically, I'm just all over the place.

 

[T.Gymnastics]

Let's throw in a little more confusion.

A left footed roundoff twists right.

A left footed roundoff to left-twist (ie switching directions) makes for an easier tsuk 1/1 and continuing in the same direction. Also makes for easier side-sommes and front 1/1 stepouts.

I am mixed most things on my left, except cartwheels RO side ariels etc. bwo and handspring step outs are left, as well as turns on one foot, jump turns and twisting are right. i used to front twist left but my coach decided to fix that while it was early.

Everyone freaking out now? haha

My right thumb is on top. I write with my right hand.

What GT said is what one of my coaches was trying to do to me. luckily the director of the gym (also one of my coaches) just told me to twist the most comfortable way so now i can twist.

 

[ebie2005]

the test says im a righty(funny seens i write with my left hand)
im a righty in tumbleing and orhter skills like that but when it comes to flexibilty i am deffo a lefty.i am lefthanded but i use scissors with my right and other random things so im neither a lefty of righty prodomant

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

So it appears we have a test which is approximately as reliable as flipping a coin.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

exactly. and you know this because you are a coach.

 

[jumpgymscotland]

Righty/Lefty Test

Hiya

Hope you don't mind me popping by...

I had a visit from an uncle just a month or so ago - he was an olympic gymnast then coach to many olympians over in Canada

He was excited to meet my little gymmie (Ellie-Ann has just turned 3) but was very keen to show off her skills.

First thing he asked her to do was jump half turn. He said he determines a right and a lefty by the direction they jump for a half turn jump! It's hard to tell when theyre only 3 but hey he reckons shes a righty - so will be interesting to see what she ends up...

He reckons many high level gymnasts walk out their skills on the wrong side - as they get into a bad habit and have not been corrected and so they have to be retaught walkouts etc lol He said many top coaches work to this method.....

We'll never know but hey nice to join you all - im a newbie!!

 

[gymluvr33]

Sorry, what's a walkout? I'm figuring I just know this by another name, but who knows?

 

[Deleted member D3987]

means step out and walk over.

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

Alex is a righty but her left thumb is on top. But my DS is a lefty and his left thumb is on top.