WAG Question about learning the cartwheel

[mollyzoe]

My older daughter started gymnastics at 5.5 and is now on preteam at age 6. She picked up handstand, cartwheel and some other beginner floor skills within weeks of starting gymnastics classes. My younger daughter is 4.5 and has been taking preschool classes for nearly a year. I really haven't seen her make even the slightest bit of progress in this time! I watch her class and bc it's a preschool class they do little real gymnastics so I'm sure this is part of the reason that she has not progressed. But I also wonder if she is just really bad at gymnastics and won't ever progress much -could this be the case? She is anxious to learn how to do a cartwheel as she has a friend who is already doing them well. I don't even know how to help her bc she is so bad at them! Any advice on how to help her improve or have you had any experience w one kid who just doesn't seem to have any gymnastics talent? Or should I be looking for a better class for her? Or maybe just wait until she gets to rec level 1 in 6 months? Btw she LOVES gymnastics at this point and I would live for her to continue to love it but I can't imagine that this will be the case if she doesn't improve.

 

[Sasha]

Aw, I wouldn't worry. I watch those pre-school classes and most kids in there that age where we are are also not learning cartwheels. It's mostly basic motor skills, some strength, and listening skills! That's why we didn't do any of those classes. They were too expensive as babysitting.

At only 4.5, there is such a wide range of physical maturity factors between kids, too. Let her take the Rec 1, or if there is a 'developmental' program for her age where you are (that focuses even more on form and strength than rec usually to get kids prepped for pre-team), go for that if it's feasible.

But by all means don't write off her talent yet at age 4!

And heck, even if in a couple years she isn't leading the pack talent-wise, but still loves it, then she still IS a gymnast, and can progress at her own pace in a program right for her. At some point one of your DDs very well might be obviously more talented, but that's true of anything.

As for improving her cartwheel, getting that 'vertical' feeling by doing handstands on the wall (in a fun way) will lead that direction. They also sell those cartwheel mats with the foot-prints on them, but we never went that far. Like this:

But you could color or tape some cut-out hand and footprints on a mat at home for fun.

I'm just waiting for some coaches to scold me for suggesting any at-home gymnastics But hopefully teaching a pre-schooler a cartwheel is safe enough(?). I do remember spotting a few handstands at home for my little ones (on a yoga mat) when they were first starting out and were excited. It did help, honestly. Don't worry chalkbucket, I'm not spotting any back tucks or flyaways

 

[heatherncastro]

Lol well my son is 7 ... He started about 6 months ago .. And his cartwheels don't look that great either . I figure as long as he loves it , and wants to go then that's ok ... Lol but I would like to see him get his cartwheel down..

 

[Gymishome]

I've seen some scary looking gymnastics from kids that age...it just takes longer for some to click. Kind of like kips. Some kids it takes 2 months and some it takes 2 years. She's still young, don't worry

 

[gymdog]

Check her on side galloping and see what side she uses.

Then take a couch cushion. Say hands on the cushion, go over. She is just going to jump sideways over the cushion while touching it. If she can't jump she is going to just walk her legs over.

This is step one. She may be at step one for almost one year at 4.5. There is a huge difference between 4 and 5.

If she does that easily and kicks high, you're going to show her he to stand in a star/X position and go over the cushion.

 

[aileenmaryf]

I wouldn't worry yet. Cartwheels can be a hard concept for the little ones. That mat that Sasha showed is what I use when I first teach cartwheels. I like that mat so much I "make" my own with chalk and a flattened panel mat for the kids who are too big for the preschool one. Also if she's having trouble she might be trying the wrong foot. Some kids have an extremely dominant side while others it doesn't matter so much. Don't give up yet. She's got plenty of time to learn!

 

[Amusibus]

Well could you do a cartwheel at 4 1/2? She's having fun. She will be ok. It's too early to know anything at this point where things will go. One day at a time. Every kid is different how they develop. Probably the thing that will make her get her cartwheel the fastest is her own internal burning desire to get it right. If she really wants it she will practice it continuously without you asking and very soon she will get it thru sheer brute force repetition.

 

[iwannacoach]

She must have started at 3.5 years old if , by your account, she started about a year ago and is 4.5 years old right now. It's not the year that matters, because there are limits to what you can expect at a younger age. This isn't an activity you can accelerate like hooked on "fonics," Some early childhood development folk would say that the more you try to "educate" a young child, the less they'll be able to learn when thy're older.

Sure, maybe Suzie can read while trying to kip at age 4, but she isn't spending time learning how to learn by experience, and what kids experience best is something called play.....

Watch closely between the time she's 5.5 and 6 to see the difference in learning ability. I'd also suggest staying away from teaching her cartwheels at home. See's too young to figure it out and will settle for anything close that draws a crowd full of smiles.

 

[IreneKa]

DD was 5 when she started rec gymnastics. After about 6 months there was a show at the end of the school year, and I did not see any improvements at all. But she liked it, and we were mostly concentrating on dance at that point, gymnastics was mostly for fun and for flexibility, to help with dance. So, she continued for another year. Another show at the end of the year, she is 6.5, again no improvements, so I'm thinking to myself, it's just a waist of time and money, we are not coming back in September. But she was already signed up for gymnastics day camp at YMCA. She goes to camp, 2 sessions, 4 weeks, I go to the camp show at the end of the second session, and I cannot believe my eyes! She is doing cartwheels, handstands, pullovers, etc! It just suddenly clicked!
So, don't worry, she'll get there.

 

[Gymnast@<3]

she is only 41/2 she will definitely get there, i didnt get a cartwheel until i was seven.. just continue to encourage and help her along the way, and maybe help her with them by spotting? don't worry she will be just find!

 

[juststartingout]

Has she tried both sides? My 5 1/2 yo started gym a few months ago. For the longest time her cartwheels were a mess. Finally my 8yo team gymnast asked her to use her other foot when playing at home one day and wala a perfect cartwheel. She had been using the wrong foot all along. She writes with her right hand but tumbles left. The coach always demonstrates on right so she had no idea that it was ok to use the other leg.