WAG Twisting direction

[BarCoach]

I know this is a hotly debated topic and I'm a little confused. I've been teaching my level 4s on bars to lift the hand they cartwheel with on the dismount. Assuming a righty gymnast (determined by cartwheel), my reasoning was that if they pirouette by changing the right hand, if they were ever to do blind- full, they'd post on the left arm and lift the right in the blind. But isn't that then a left twist. When I asked them to do jump full turns on floor today, I told my rightys to turn right. Am I sending mixed messages? Going to make more work for them so they have to change something later? I want to do it right. Help?!

 

[gymdog]

I know this is a hotly debated topic and I'm a little confused. I've been teaching my level 4s on bars to lift the hand they cartwheel with on the dismount. Assuming a righty gymnast (determined by cartwheel), my reasoning was that if they pirouette by changing the right hand, if they were ever to do blind- full, they'd post on the left arm and lift the right in the blind. But isn't that then a left twist. When I asked them to do jump full turns on floor today, I told my rightys to turn right. Am I sending mixed messages? Going to make more work for them so they have to change something later? I want to do it right. Help?!

Don't tell them. Let them do it and see what they do. I'm a right and my dominant twist direction is left. I blind left, which is a consistent with a pirouette on the right arm. That I think they should generally do that way, but most kids will naturally do that or maybe after being told once...shouldn't be a big issue. For tumbling twisting I don't believe their dominant twist should be "assigned". Figure out which way they go naturally then keep it consistent.

 

[BarCoach]

Ok thanks. So much easier.

 

[skschlag]

But, watch to make sure they are consistent. I am a parent, not a coach, but my son ended up with some very mixed dominance issues that were not found by his level 4 coaches, and by the time he was through that level they were ingrained. The coach has found his twisting direction, but had to spot his entire body at first to get him to figure it out on his own. HE could twist both ways equally, but needed to establish one direction (ended up left, but we didn't know that at the time). NOw he knows, but it took practice. So, I agree, let them see what is most comfortable, but watch for any with mixed dominance.

 

[BarCoach]

Skschlag, are you saying in different skills watch for consistency or did your DS twist both ways fine in the same skill?

 

[skschlag]

both! LOL! We actually discovered the issue when they noticed he leads with one foot on round offs and the other on front handsprings. They tried to fix that but it was too set. When twisting started, coach had him try. He did one naturally left, the next was naturally right. SO coach used the roundoff to figure out which way to go.

Sometimes he will still go 1/2 in 1/2 out on his front full, but he has figured out which way he is supposed to go and recognizes it now.

 

[Nico]

In my opinion you don't look to the round off or cartwheel to dicide on any twisting direction, be it in somersaults, pirouettes,...
Find the direction they twist naturally by doing simple test in trampoline and stick to that side. Be sure to keep an eye on this direction both forward and backward, as some young gymnasts sometimes change direction without anyone noticing.

 

[ivyagogo]

My twisting story... I do all my gymnastics lefty, but when I twist or turn, I always turn to the right. I tried forever to get my full and could never do it. Dunno looked at my video and suggested I twist to the left. Bingo, I got my full the next day. Turns out it was the same day I blew my knee out and never did it again, but that's another story. STILL, if I were to do a sole circle full twist off the bars, I'd go to my right. My full turns on beam are still to the right. I really think it does somewhat depend on the skill.

 

[iwannacoach]

It's pretty easy. Have something to say to a child while they're facing you , make this happen in the vicinity of the water fountain/cooler and set the moment up so you're facing it and they have it directly behind them, like about 10 - 15 meters away. As soon as you're done talking tell them to go quickly and get a drink. when they're half way there call them back like you want them right now.

It's been my experience that most kids will turn, if unobstructed, the same way each time. Let that be your first clue as to which way they most naturally turn. Continue keeping track of how they choose to turn when doing easy stuff like a forward roll of the edge of the pit with a half turn.... shoulder kip half turn..... handstand fall out onto a safety mat with half turn... on trampoline a stomach drop up to a stand with a half turn. You should see a pattern and that's the first choice when it comes time to twist.

If they don't show a pattern of turning the same direction you can always wait until they have layouts into the pit and then have them do late half twists that start only after they see the mat

 

[aileenmaryf]

I am a former gymnast and current coach. What I was always taught is that for a handstand pirouette you put your hands up above your head then you figure out which way is right and left... so if you are a righty then change your left hand because when you are upside down the direction you are actually going is like right twisting. And lefties change their right hand, etc. Hope that makes sense, and helps too!

 

[krc]

In general...Lefty tumblers will blind on the left arm (left twist), however coaches will have heated debates over the "correct" or "most efficient" pirouette direction. My feeling is that pirouettes should be done in BOTH directions - each has its own uses. On the left arm (right twist) to allow catching on the usually stronger right hand. Or on the right arm (left twist) to mimic the 2nd 1/2 of a left 1/1 twist.

Be aware that when learning 1/2 turns below the bar (L4) the gymnast will often prefer to turn in their "wrong" direction. Then when the skill swings higher towards a blind change (becomes inverted) they will be turning against their natural twist. So I do not recommend letting them "figure it out". Because what may "feel right" at one stage may be very different from how it will feel in the final product.

At any rate, some consistency should be applied across their gymnastics training. twisting is not specific to floor or bars, but should be coordinated across all events.