Correcting twist

[Lucy]

Any suggestions on twisting the other way, as I've just noticed my birani is wrong (I think only my straight one, I'll have to check the others at the next session)?

[Rosh]

one of my friends did her straight barani the wrong way - & we had to try & change it!! normally its because when you think of straight barani you think of the twist before the somersault - which makes it seem like your twisting the wrong way - because your kind of cartwheeling into it!! Just remember - its a straight front somersault - with a half twist afterwards! we had to get her working some normal straight fronts first - n then start doin 1/4 twist and then build up to half - but now they get alot less deductions!!

[Lucy]

I've been thinking about it and it seems I might not be doing them wrong after all...I was messing about doing hands and knees (trying to get more than 1/2 twist) and someone suggested I was twisting the wrong way but now I'm pretty sure that I don't.

[peter edge]

Hi Lucy, hope the twists are all sorted, you must have been worried to post on two sites.

[Jaye]

Hi Lucy

Yes, I saw your post on the other site as well - you've got a few replies on there too haven't you!

I'm presuming my daughter twists the correct way - she cartwheels / round-offs from her right leg and her barani goes the same way (only just like doing a two-footed take-off for a round-off!)

If you do a cartwheel into a stretch jump full you can normally decipher which way you twist (although it doesn't work 100% for everyone).

For example, if you cartwheel with your right leg, as your left leg touches down beside your right, the natural way to take off into a stretch jump full it to turn to the right, not the left. And vice versa, if you cartwheel with your left leg, the natural progression for an immediate stretch jump full is to the left.

I know this test helps some gymnasts decide which way to twist if they're unsure - you might want to try it? Then again you might try it and just confuse yourself more!!

Hope your confusion

[peter edge]

I remember in the mist of time forgotten when we used to call a round off an "arab spring" but that was almost exactly how I progressed to doing baranis, of course when I was in school everything was quite new to us and done on a trial and error basis. Where as now when I coach this has become a valuable asset as I point out that I have done all the falling off for them but the learning process splices well with todays coaching methods.

[Lucy]

You're not alone Peter I originally learnt an arab spring not a round off!

Thanks everyone for all your help with this it did have me worried but I'm pretty confident now that there isn't a problem, I don't make a habit of repeating posts on different sites.

This all started because someone told me I was twisting the wrong way from hands and knees when I was messing about. I've spent all day trying to work out whether I was right or not (people must have thought I was mad going through the motions while waiting for the kettle to boil).:D

[Jaye]

Glad you're sorted then Lucy!

Wow ... arab spring! That's taken me back in time quite a bit!

Having said that, one of my favourites moves when I was a gymnast used to be free cartwheels (me and my best friend at school used to do free cartwheels on the school field at break and lunch times - many moons ago now - she went on to be a national squad gymnast ... a little bit better than me!). But we didn't call them free cartwheels then, we used to call them baranis!

[Lucy]

My nemesis move....the free cartwheel. I spent an evening doing them at training but never actually managed to do another one after that session...weird.

[Jaye]

Bizarre! I remember I could do them from a few steps, I used to love them so much I'd just do one after another whenver I could ...

My friend had a free cartwheel (from stand) in her beam routine, along with a free walkover, which back in the 1970's was good stuff! (That's why she made national squad and I didn't - it took me all my time to stick a normal cartwheel on beam - I saved the free cartwheels for floor!)

[Rosh]

It took me ages to learn free cartwheels - i never used to trust myself - and then 1 session i just suddenly did it! dont no if i can still do them - i havent tried for ages!

[Lucy]

I can just about do a standing back flip now. Haven't got the mats to try for a round off flick! Pretty sure I won't be able to do a whip back anymore.

I made it as far as county squad but hated the coach so only went to one session!

I think standards have drastically improved since I was doing it!

[Jaye]

I think we should re-title this thread 'Free Cartwheels' instead! :D

[KayJ]

I'm still learning free cartwheels off a springboard, I keep losing my bottle and putting my hands down though! It's getting better though :)

And I've just lost my bottle on my round-off flic too! I haven't done one for a few weeks because I haven't been able to run much with my sore heels and shins :( and when I tried at weekend I just stopped after my round-off thinking "I can't do it"! I did a few from the end of the tumble run onto the crash mat but as soon as I tried it on the tumble run I bottled out again.

I've got to do it in a display in 2 weeks and in a comp in 3 weeks - I hope I get it back! :eek:

[Laura]

Me and my best mate taught ourselves free cartwheels one day after school :D We were very proud of ourselves!

And KayJ- hope you get your round off flick back soon!

xxx

[Rosie]

Actually you should cartwheel on the opposite leg to the direction you twist.
As a right leg cartwheel/arab spring is a twist to the left (only you're upside down)

The easiest way to check if you're twisting the right way is to do a jump 1/2 turn and get someone at the side to say whether they see your front or back.
Then starting facing the same way again and do a barani- the person watching should see the same as before (i.e if they saw your front in the 1/2 twist they should also see it in the barani)