Trouble with twisting

[flips123]

Currently i am trying to twist out of layouts and am getting so frustrated!I can do a fine twist prep (you know where you stand with arms at a T and pull in to twist),but i can only do about a quarter twist even off the tumbltrak into the pit.At first my coach thought it was me not "looking" and turning my head enough but even an over exaggerated "look" doesnt work??Do i just not get the feel of twisting or is it something else?Help please

 

[Deleted member D3987]

try twisting both ways and see which works best. you might be twisting the wrong way for your brain.

 

[Brandon]

What side are you're cartwheels best on? Twist to that side. Always.

Also, some gymnasts twist differently than others. Some have their arms by their sides, some bring one arm into their chest, some two, some do the 'ballerina twist'(as I like to call it). I'd say try them all and see what works best.

But probably the most important thing is your layout. If you have a loose layout, twisting just won't work.

Don't worry, you'll get it eventually. I've been doing fulls on the rod floor for about 7 months now and mine are still inconsistant.

 

[CoachTodd]

Do a high layout and drop one arm while keeping your body tight. You will twist at least a 1/2. Your head doesn't really help you twist. It helps you spot the landing in your full though. Once you get used to the 1/2, you can start adding to it by pulling the other arm through the twist.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

What side are you're cartwheels best on? Twist to that side. Always.

Also, some gymnasts twist differently than others. Some have their arms by their sides, some bring one arm into their chest, some two, some do the 'ballerina twist'(as I like to call it). I'd say try them all and see what works best.

But probably the most important thing is your layout. If you have a loose layout, twisting just won't work.

Don't worry, you'll get it eventually. I've been doing fulls on the rod floor for about 7 months now and mine are still inconsistant.

in bold is incorrect...but i understand your enthusiam.

 

[Brandon]

in bold is incorrect...but i understand your enthusiam.

Really? I guess I've never heard of anyone being able to twist both ways. I always thought it was back twisting is left, front twisting is right, or the other way around, depending on the gymnast.

Disregard that stuff I said then.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Really? I guess I've never heard of anyone being able to twist both ways. I always thought it was back twisting is left, front twisting is right, or the other way around, depending on the gymnast.

Disregard that stuff I said then. [/QUOTE

and say hello to James for me...

 

[Brandon]

Really? I guess I've never heard of anyone being able to twist both ways. I always thought it was back twisting is left, front twisting is right, or the other way around, depending on the gymnast.

Disregard that stuff I said then. [/QUOTE

and say hello to James for me...

..........What?

 

[flips123]

I'm a lefty and I've been trying to twist to the left maybe i'll try to twist to the right

 

[ivyagogo]

Dunno taught me to twist in one day. I was trying for ages and ages and it wasn't working out for me. He suggested I twist the other way and bingo, there it was. Here is a video showing the two sides and one of the full. If you know my story, you'll know that I managed 4 beautiful full twists before tearing my ACL. That was 18 months ago and I still haven't gotten the guts up to twist again. That's another story though. Dunno is the man!

[video=youtube;J-WG4T8PP3k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-WG4T8PP3k[/video]

[video=youtube;uN5bWkDm5nU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN5bWkDm5nU[/video]

 

[aerialriver]

It took me 2 years and several very patient posts from Dunno to explain the twisting thing to me. If you put your left foot in front to do a cartwheel you are actually doing a right twist. So the whole righty lefty thing is wrong as far as twist direction. I don't know how much it matters in gymnastics as I do t&t but we have to twist the same direction back and front. Personally I am an odd ball, I do cartwheel with my left foot in front but I twist left both ways. Most kids I see do the opposite but in the end you have to twist the direction you brain thinks is best and then just make sure you keep twisting that way all the time.

As for the question on how to twist, again gym is different as you can use your arms. In t&t we twist with are arms down so we use are hips and shoulders. I just tell myself up, squeeze tight, left turn. If you think about it the twist is actually fairly easy, but hard to do sloppy. If you can jump and do a full turn on the floor you can twist. It is just a mental thing. Good luck!

 

[ivyagogo]

By the way, I do my full turns the opposite direction of my full twists. I also do my sole circle full dismount the opposite way as well. Aerialriver - it sure is a mental thing, isn't it. I'd really like to do a full again, but that mental thing isn't letting me go for it. I have done about 7/8, but that's it.

 

[wordsmith]

Out of all the ways to twist and all the drills out there you could use, the following is so simple, it's ridiculous:

When pulling the body up to the arms in a layout (such that the hands end up by the thighs), have the gymnast pull both arms down on top of one thigh for twisting the layout. The opposite side hand will rest on top of the same-side hand. That's it. The gymnast does not have to try to twist. It just automatically happens. Seriously, it's this simple.

The other month, I had a level 5 on trampoline who was doing pretty decent back layouts. The coach who taught me this method of teaching twists wanted me to teach it to this kid so he could make sure I understood the technique and could teach it correctly. I explained to the gymnast what I wanted her to do, tested her arms to make sure she could pin them tightly on top of her leg (on the side she showed a natural proclivity for turn-direction). She set, flipped the layout, and pulled her arms down (really, it's pulling the body up to the arms) on top of one thigh. I slid the throw mat underneath her and she landed her first full. She asked, "What just happened?" (We didn't tell her she was going to be twisting). She then repeated it two more times. After her turn, she watched the next gymnast- an optional- do a full and asked, "Is that what I just did?!" Of course, since then, we went back to teaching her to do halves as well.

The point I want to emphasize here is that this is by far the simplest method I've ever come across on teaching back twisting. No land and jump half turn. No one-two with the arms. No spotting. No fancy drills and complicated setups. Seriously simple. I've used it a number of times on tumble trak and usually the gymnast first will land a half; but it doesn't take long for them to start turning fulls. Just make sure they have nice layouts and always go back to layouts and late halves. When adding more twists, the arms go the same way, but just curl the arms up.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

i agree with you on point. but remember that teaching these things are much easier on a trampoline or similar device than they are on a floor. some gyms have NO trampoline devices.

 

[wordsmith]

Haha...well, flips123 did mention trying on tumble trak. Yes it's easier to learn on trampolines- which is why trampoline and tumble traks are great training aids for tumbling skills. But the technique I described (as will any technique) works for floor if you have a good layout. Without even thinking twist, on purpose, your body will naturally begin to twist if you drop both arms down to one thigh after setting for a layout.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

yes.^^^ it is the application of 'borrowing weight' from one side of the body to facilitate twisting to the other side. but again, keep in mind that gymnasts don't twist with their arms down at their side/thigh. 'straight arm twisting' is a trampoline technique. and it will certainly work for the learning of a simple full twist on floor. it will not work for multiple twisting on a floor for gymnasts.

 

[wordsmith]

Please note the last sentence in my first comment.

Personally, from an aesthetic standpoint, I like the trampoline full with the arms down, even on floor. To me, it gives the illusion of effortless twisting; whereas with arms bent, it looks like the gymnast is cranking the twist and trying too hard.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

yes, Wordsmith. but you do understand that aesthetics and function are not compatible biomechanically speaking in this instance?

on trampoline, the athlete achieves an ascending average height of 16 feet from the bed AFTER the arms have been used to set up the lift. this allows the athlete more time to use the technique you are speaking of.

on a spring floor, the athlete must use their arms from a bent over (in the flip flop) to straight up position in order to 'set' the body and then twist. the average height is approx 8 feet from the ground on lift off or set. this allows no time to perform multiple twisting if the arms were to drop or close to the legs/thigh. the gymnast, and because they may twist beyond a full, must keep their arms up near chest level and slightly higher depending on the amount of twisting to be executed. keeping the arms up keeps that body weight (arms have weight) from instantly dropping to the floor.

my hope is that some day gymnasts can perform on a floor like a trampoline for several reasons and including using trampoline techniques as you have noted.

 

[wordsmith]

Of course! Wouldn't recommend arms straight down on multiple twists. But for learning twists, what I described is the easiest and simplest way to introduce back twisting to someone new to it that I've come across.

Teaching a back whip with a half, full, or full-and-a-half? Wouldn't teach it this way.

Speaking of aesthetics and function, my high school coach was a great tumbler and used to love doing a full with his arms straight out to the sides like an airplane. Was it biomechanically sound and functional? For what he wanted to do- just a stylistic full- it worked. He only needs to twist as much as is necessary; nothing more. I certainly wouldn't set a double layout the same as I would a single layout salto.

I do understand what you're saying, though. And really don't even see disagreement on any point.

 

[flips123]

I tried twisting the other way on monday and still no luck!very frustrating i must add!