Women Level 5 bars

[LIGYMMOM]

DD is currently L4, will have her state meet in about a month. She's currently uptraining (they always uptrain one level) for (I guess) L5. Her gym gives no clue as to what they are doing with L5 or L6. I'm not sure what to expect for next year, and asking HC got me nowhere, just a "we cannot possibly know where your DD will be most successful yet". Anyhow, here is my question...
DD's says that she has been learning sole circles on bars, and is under the impression that for L5, you can substitute a sole circle for a free hip. She also recently learned her BWO on beam and her FT dismount. It doesn't sound right to me but I thought I'd check with you all. Is she right?

 

[kayjaybe]

BWO on beam is a L5 skill. You can substitute a BHS if you want, but you don't get any extra credit for it.

The beam dismount is the same for L4 & 5, I think. The old L6 had an extra 1/4 or 1/2 turn while in the handstand (can't remember) but that is not present in the new L5.

I don't know what a sole circle is and have no idea if that is a substitute for the free hip. (I'm just a parent of a current L5, who competed L6 last year.)

 

[gracyomalley]

sole circles or footies as my DD team calls them can be competed in L5 and up. they are a good fall back skill to have (DD can't do one - and she's a L8) as they can be done with missed squat ons. Also counts as a circling element in optionals and could conceivably be substituted for free hip there - but they don't have the same value as a B level free hip - and when DD was in old L6 (new 5) her teammates still did the free hips and used the footies only to cover falls...maybe its changed? Still need a big B level free hip for optionals...

 

[gymdog]

There are two things your daughter could mean:

1. "Sole circle" usually means going around the bar with feet on the bar, no "clear support" on the hands. This can be performed instead of a squat on.

2. A toe on entry to "clear support" on the hands. In this case the gymnast would start circling with their toes/feet on the bar, and then shoot their toes upward so they are on their hands on top of the bar. This can substituted for a clear hip provided the gymnast arrives in a clear support. If the gymnast circles the bar on their feet and then "jumps" off the top into a kip, it would not count, just like if they did a back hip circle.

 

[LIGYMMOM]

There are two things your daughter could mean:

1. "Sole circle" usually means going around the bar with feet on the bar, no "clear support" on the hands. This can be performed instead of a squat on.

2. A toe on entry to "clear support" on the hands. In this case the gymnast would start circling with their toes/feet on the bar, and then shoot their toes upward so they are on their hands on top of the bar. This can substituted for a clear hip provided the gymnast arrives in a clear support. If the gymnast circles the bar on their feet and then "jumps" off the top into a kip, it would not count, just like if they did a back hip circle.

Thanks gymdog. From what I've seen (briefly because of no watching), they cast, squat on in a pike, circle around until they are in squat on position, and jump to the high bar. This is what you're saying wouldn't count? Unless it was substututed for a squat on, and they would still need to do the clear hip? I'm trying to understand why they would be learning these right now, when it seems to me it would make more sense to work on clear hips and flyaways. But I'm just a mom trying to "get it".

 

[GYM0M]

The slow circle can be substituted for the squat on, not the clear hip.

 

[LIGYMMOM]

The slow circle can be substituted for the squat on, not the clear hip.

Ok thanks, so just to add a level of difficulty I suppose, like the kip in L3 or the BHS on beam in L5.

 

[PalmTree]

They are probably training sole circles not just as a fall back for squat ons, but as a drill for toe ons, which IS a choice for level 5 instead of clear hip (as gymdog was explaining). This is also a skill they can use in levels 6,7,8...add a pirouette and use it for level 9 and 10 as well. The front tuck dismount off beam can be for level 6. So it sounds like they are teaching them skills for both 5 and 6, up training to give them options.

 

[gymdog]

Thanks gymdog. From what I've seen (briefly because of no watching), they cast, squat on in a pike, circle around until they are in squat on position, and jump to the high bar. This is what you're saying wouldn't count? Unless it was substututed for a squat on, and they would still need to do the clear hip? I'm trying to understand why they would be learning these right now, when it seems to me it would make more sense to work on clear hips and flyaways. But I'm just a mom trying to "get it".

If they do that it's a substitute for the squat on, which is performed after the 3, 6, 7 circling element (free hip, toe shoot to clear support, Stalder to clear support). The phrase "clear support" is key and means they will end up on top of the bars on just their hands (like they look after they've just done a cast). If while on top of the bar any other body part is touching (hip, feet, etc) then it doesn't count.

 

[LIGYMMOM]

If they do that it's a substitute for the squat on, which is performed after the 3, 6, 7 circling element (free hip, toe shoot to clear support, Stalder to clear support). The phrase "clear support" is key and means they will end up on top of the bars on just their hands (like they look after they've just done a cast). If while on top of the bar any other body part is touching (hip, feet, etc) then it doesn't count.

Ok, thanks for the explanation. I will be spending some time on youtube since my knowledge of bars doesn't go very far beyond L4! Now I sit back and wait to hear by the end of summer which level we're looking at. Oh...one more question. Is L5 a skippable level, could she possibly move from 4 to 6? Thanks so much everybody.

 

[Seeker]

She would have to score out of L5.

 

[sleeping judy]

The sole circle is not used as a skill in our gym, only as a means to prevent a fall. It can be used from level 5 and up and does not take the place of the free hip.

 

[Fliptwisttumble]

Every girl at our gym learns the "sole circle". It is required in DDs category, and until last year was very standard for most L6s.

It also sure made it easier for DD when she was learning toe to handstands and toe shoots to the high bar.

 

[Ali'sMom]

There is a great ipad app (although pricey - $29) from USAG that shows a video of a gymnast performing each routine, a text description of what they do, and a drawn description of each move. It is only for compulsories 1-5, but it's helped me greatly, we are just now moving to L4.