WAG Sole Circle, does your gym use it?

[munchkin3]

Just curious to see if your kids are taught the sole circle? From Level 5 onward it can be used in routines and even is a pre-cursor to toe-on........Our gym does not teach it regularly.... Does yours???

It seems SO useful as an alternative to falling back on a squat on. Maybe there is a reason that gyms dont teach it until later?

 

[raenndrops]

We have 3 girls that can do it. It is not taught to everybody… just those that WANT to learn it.

 

[Gymmommy71]

Yeah - our gym tries to teach it to all our optionals, but it's not a major focus - if the girl can get it, cool, if not, it's not gonna hold them back or anything - they only work on them occasionally, and when they do, it's not for a large amount of the practice.

My DD suddenly figured out how to do one over the summer, but she competed L7 all last season w/o having it (luckily she never had an issue w/ her squat on in meets ).

 

[gymnastmom05]

I have never seen anyone at our gym compete one BUT my daughter is planning on competing it this season. With that said, we have a new coach so I'm assuming it's a change we're seeing with with the new addition and maybe more girls will be competing it this year??

 

[mom2newgymnast]

I have seen our level 7's and up do them during practice, but I don't know when it is taught or if everyone learns them or not. I love seeing girls do them as I think it looks very cool!

 

[duyetanh]

Yes it is taught. But it isn't used unless needed in terms of in routines.

 

[munchkin3]

its seems like it is a valuable 'fall back' skill (no pun intended)

 

[Ali'sMom]

Is that the same things as a "roundy-round"?

 

[cbifoja]

Is that the same things as a "roundy-round"?

yes

 

[GymDad9.9]

Is that the same things as a "roundy-round"?

I was thinking the same thing. My daughter works on them in her TOPS training. She almost has hers and might possibly have it as i haven't checked in on that training recently.

 

[Tuppy]

I think it was worked on in TOPs training and around that time brought in to the other girls working their optional routines. But my daughter really described it as a way to save a fall, so I don't really see it being something that's worked very much. I think the focus is practicing/working on jumping to the high bar so that you don't fall in the first place maybe?

 

[munchkin3]

interesting.........I find it so useful for avoiding a fall.........The two gyms i've been a part of also dont teach it really.......
Mine is L7 and I think she could really use it.......One big stresser at meets is falling on the stupid squat on!!
(although now we can add the 'going over on giants' stress)

any coaches care to comment along with Raenn?

 

[GymRays]

We only use the sole circle dismount in lower Xcel levels. I've see it taught here and there to help save falls on squat ons but not part of regular skills taught.

 

[CameraShy]

Several girls at our gym use it. DD has hers now which is great because she would fall occasionally on the squat on in L7.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

its a common move here to move from low to high bar at lower levels here in the UK

 

[mommyof1]

Is this the thing also called a "monkey circle"?

 

[coachmolly]

I work them intermittently with my girls, just as something to have in case they need it. It was also a fun way to introduce strap bar for some of my girls who were scared of trying much of anything else but could do these for days.
It came pretty easily to one of my weaker bar workers which thrilled her, it sort of feels like a "big kid" move to them.

 

[ayyyrial]

For me as a gymnast, it wasn't very useful as a fall back skill for a squat on. I was taught to snap my feet to the bar late for a sole circle with straight legs until the very end. For a squat on, I would lean forward over the bar and bend my legs a lot, so the entrance to the two skills felt very different. But some kids can start a sole circle perched on top of the bar like for a squat on.

 

[hawaii_gymnast]

I teach it as a skill for the weaker bar kids mostly, and to change things up.
The more I can get kids comfortable circling the bar the easier it is to get free hips, toe handstands and giants. Work the wrist shift.

On a side note- we just switched to JO, judges here were giving the sole circle to high bar credit for a tuck on and sole circle, 2 a's for really only doing 1 skill. Would this happen in the states?

 

[Aussie_coach]

Yes, it is one of the skills we require the girls to learn. With the right drills we have never had a kid who couldn't get it. I find it is a much better bar change than a squat on for taller girls as it allows them to come to the bar at a different angle, which is easier for them to get a good kip from. It also helps them learn the toe on circle.