mill circles? difficult or easy?

[KaylaTheGymnast]

Ok so I haven't ever done a mill circle..Just wondering if yours was difficult the first time or if you think mine will be? I'm 14, about 5'1 and average weight and I'm very strong and flexible. I have seen some of the other girls at my gym struggle and have a really hard time with it, and some just get it right away. Just wonderin

 

[ejgymmom]

I really don't know that much, but I know my 5 (almost 6) year old has been trying for almost a year and she just doesn't get it. I think since you're older you'll figure it out faster because you'll understand what you need to do. She just doesn't...and she's very frustrated with it..lol. Good luck!

 

[Bella's Mom]

Well, my daughter learned her front hip circle in three or four class sessions. She learned her kip in under a month.

It took her almost a full year to get her mill circle. Read into that what you will.

 

[k-dog]

My 6 year old struggled with it for quite a while, being "so close" for months. Once she figured out how to get back on top of the bar, then she started over rotating and had to fix that problem. For the most part though, once she got it, she got it for good. Every gymnast is different and pick up different skills at different rates. All you can do is start working on it and see what happens!

 

[bookworm]

My Level 10 daughter never was able to do a decent mill circle until she was level 8 (and didn't need it..)

 

[mayestra12]

My dd struggled too and can do it but often changes her grip to get back up to the bar. It's not very pretty either. Certainly not her favorite skill!

 

[CoachGoofy]

Back in my day (gosh, don't I sound like a dinosaur?), when we had somewhat dangerous playgrounds & relatively lax rules for recess, we all sat on top of a playground bar in stride position, then said "hey, what happens if I go forward?" Most kids got around to the top.

It didn't occur to me that it was a thing, a hard thing, until I was coaching level 4!

 

[livelifetumble8dx]

i didn't have much trouble with the mil circle! i got it after a few practices, i think. Seems like most struggle with it though!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

mill circle= stupid dog trick

 

[ejgymmom]

Back in my day (gosh, don't I sound like a dinosaur?), when we had somewhat dangerous playgrounds & relatively lax rules for recess, we all sat on top of a playground bar in stride position, then said "hey, what happens if I go forward?" Most kids got around to the top.

It didn't occur to me that it was a thing, a hard thing, until I was coaching level 4!

I remember doing them over and over and over around the bar on the playground until I got dizzy. I'm sure it wasn't a pretty straight legged one like they have to do in Level 3/4 though. I don't recall learning it in gymnastics (I didn't get very far...the back handspring made me quit.) and don't remember it being too hard either. My daughter sure doesn't get it though. I think it has to do with her death grip on the bar. Sooner or later she'll figure it out. And if not, hopefully they'll still move her up if that's her desire.

 

[momofthreegirls]

Lots of girls at my DD's gym seem to struggle with the mill circle. Head coach called over a L10 to demonstrate one for the L3s, and the L10 couldn't do it. Lol! I don't think it's a skill that's ever done for any reason past L4, though.

 

[drivingmom]

Hate this worthless skill!

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

Back in my day (gosh, don't I sound like a dinosaur?), when we had somewhat dangerous playgrounds & relatively lax rules for recess, we all sat on top of a playground bar in stride position, then said "hey, what happens if I go forward?" Most kids got around to the top.

It didn't occur to me that it was a thing, a hard thing, until I was coaching level 4!

We used to do those too! And backwards, around on our knee. Funny we don't do mill circles here in Canada, that I have ever seen anyway.

 

[mado4]

The problem with the mill circle is...there is no problem. So far every kid I had in my class picked it up in less than a month. The only problem there is is that most coaches I know don't teach it the appropiate way! They just let the girls go around...that will take FOREVER ...

1. Hold them at their upper arm and their wrist...so they are not scared and grap the bar too tight
2. Their shoulders DON'T go around first. They have to push up as far as they can, look straight forward(NOT look down)
spread your legs like doing a split , sit up and NOW : PUSH your hips forward but stay straight DO NOT lean your shoulders forward. Leaning your hips will give you the momentum to go around. NOW important: stay tight, DO NOT rush to finish by leaning forward. Their center of mass must be as far away as possible from the bar. By leaning your shoulders to the bar you will NEVER make it. At the beginning, after they are not that scared anymore to go around, hold their wrist with one hand and give them a little push on their back. The reason why kids learn it: it is the first step for a STRAIGHT arm kip because they have to shift their hands. If they can do a good mill circle, they will have the kip really fast. But to admit: I hate the skill ...hope this helps

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Mmmmmm...i've taught thousands of straight arm kips and nary a mill circle.

 

[JBS]

^^^^^^^^^^^Yes...a mill circle would definitely not be in my list of top kip drills.

I don't think I would say that getting a mill circle would get a kid a kip really fast.

 

[AmandaLynn]

I agree. The undergrip kills any thought of the mill circle being a kip drill for me. The arm muscles engaged in the end of a mill circle and the undergrip wrist shift make a mill circle very different than a kip. A front hip circle would be closer to the end of a kip than a mill circle.

That said... This video has a bunch of good mill circle drills (including stem rises for that dreaded end portion of the circle) for those of you that compete level 3 and/or 4 and have to learn/teach them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bufSdPGWasg

[video=youtube;bufSdPGWasg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bufSdPGWasg[/video]

 

[Kiwi]

We don't do mill circle here in NZ in any of the competitive levels. I learned it in rec gym many many years ago and can still do it, although I'm sure it isn't perfect! The way to do mill circle is lift up high with the bar pressed against your back leg and lean forward (not down) out over your front leg with a straight back, as the little girl does in the video at 0:55, although I keep my head up higher. If you get this beginning part right you'll spin around the bar no problem, you then only have to shift your hands as you come up.

 

[gYmNaSt<3:D]

I've heard many horror stories about mill circles. I just got mine tonight-took a month or two. Heel drive is pretty much what makes the skill. And the wrist shift. And keeping your legs straight

 

[wordsmith]

I agree. The undergrip kills any thought of the mill circle being a kip drill for me. The arm muscles engaged in the end of a mill circle and the undergrip wrist shift make a mill circle very different than a kip. A front hip circle would be closer to the end of a kip than a mill circle.

Well, that said, I have seen kids in undergrip on strap bar kip up to front support. I suppose if they are ever candidates for weiler kips...

I think there may be some relationship value to a kip in single leg and double leg jams where the gymnast is in overgrip.

The real value in the mill circle, in my opinion, is in teaching wrist shift while in under-grip (front giants), at an early age.